Year: 1877

ned apron, ana tie up tue sleeves VIII
blue ribbons. He'll look so swce
that father win hardly know him."
So baby was washed and dressed
10 his new clothes, and l can tell yoU
he did look lovely. There was not 4
bandsomer baby in all that neighbor
hood


Hes going to Sleep" said Mary
who saw bis eyes beginning to droop
t'4Uh I wish he'd stay awake unit
father comes" But even as she
spoke the long, dark lashes' fell lower
until they rested on his cheeks.


"You bold him until / put oa a
clean pillow case'' And Hetty
lplaced the sleeper in her sister:
arms. A soiled pillow case was
changed for one of snowy whiteness
and bsby laid upon the bed where
only q few days before bis mother
bad slept the sleep from which none
ever awaken in this world.
How lovely be was! No wondeI
| the little sisterslingered about the bed
so entranced by bis beauty that il
seemed impossible to tear themselves
away


Father is coming,n said Mary,
who had turued her eyes to the win
dow.


Hetty looked out and saw him
crossing the road. His steps were
quicker and frmer than usual


II want him to see baby all alone
by himself" Aud Hetty as she spoke
drew Mary from the room.


They heard low exclamation of
surprise from their father when be
entered, and then all was still-still
for so long time that Hetty began
to wonder, and then to feel uneasy.
At last, pushing open the door, soft
ly, she looked in, and saw her father
on his knees by the bedside. his face
buried in the clothes. A little while
she stood almost holding her breath.
She was about closing the door, when
be lifted his face from the bed clothes,
and fixed his eyes on the baby.
Tears wet bis cheeks. How fondly,
tenderly, almost reverently, did he
look at The sleeping child, pure as an
angel.


A slight movement drew his at
tention to Hetty. He looked at her
a moment and fhen aaid.


"Call your little sister, my dear. T"


The two children went up to him.
lie took them in his arms, still kneel-
ing, and tried-to speak to them. But
sobs choked back the words be would
have uttered. At last, in the anguish
of repentance, and in half despair of
his own strength, he cried out:


20 Lord and Savior, help me 10
be father indeed to these mother
less little ones ~


Then deep quiet fell upon them
stiffness as if each listened for an
audible answer to the almost wildly
spoken prayer. Hetty was The first
to break the silence.


Dear father" she said kissing
him, and tenderly stroking his cheek,
we'll do everything, Mary and |. to
make it nice for you at home. And
wen keep baby as nice and sweet
and clean as the richest baby in the
land. OH isn't be darling."


Then the; all arose and bent over
the sleeping baby, and, though death
had Just taken their dearest one
away, it was long time since the
waves of happiness had flooded their
hearts so deeply as now.


The shadow that lifted that day
did not fall again. The miller had
dragged himself, By strong effort,
through strength given him from
Heaven. out of worse slough than
Christian sank in ere he reached the
Wicket Gate. Once more on frm
ground. love for his baby that grew
more winning every day, and love
for bis good children, Hetty and
Mary, who never tired doing for their
father, God used as the means OF
keeping bis feet in the safe ways OF
sobriety. He never again gave way
to drink, but shortly after became a
new creature in Christ Jesus.