Year: 1872

minutes and the doctor had safely piloted
his friend up steep, dark staircase TO the
door oi a close back room on third floor.
where scene of poverty and priyation
awaited them. Nearly all the chairs which
the room contained had been put into re-
quisition to form couch, on which lay "a
young man who was evidently weak and
LII. Beside him sat pale, slight creature
bIlslly engaged stitching at some coarse
needle work. The feeble flicker of a mea
gre fire cleaned feebly on the faces of both.


AS the visitors stood at the door they
heard voice saying fretfully, 81 am very
cold Grace, that fire gives no heat wish
we had more GOALS


Instinctively Mr.. Hardman pat his hand
in his pocket, feeling thankful that it lay in
his power TO relieve the want of the speak
er.


The next moment they were in the room;
but the old merchant stopped short on the
threshold, gazing in undisguised amaze
ment at the inmates.


One glance at the features OF the young
wife identified the wearer OF the red cloak
"a discovery for which he had been halt.
prepared, but ii was the face of the hus-
band that arrested his attention, Bless
me" he murmured, " that face seems IA
miliar.'


at that moment the young man raised
himself on his elbow, saying cxcitedly,
Mr.. Hardman here ?'


The sound Of his own name visibly star
tied the merchant. lie hurried to the side
of the imprCmptu couch, exclaiming


alt is Philip Holt"


The poor fellow seemed much overcome
by this unexpected visit of his old employer,
who, unfortunately for him, had been alb
sent at The time when Mr.. Joyce, with
whom he had never been a favorite, had
ordered his dismissal A few words put
the merchant in possession of the sad story,
which received double interest when he
learned that the ills of poverty had been
warded off by the heroic efforts of Phillips
young wife, who had gone back to her old
work of teaching, ending her weary days
by nights of exhausting toll at such needle
work as she was able to obtain.


Here was new reading of his little ro-
nance Of the red cloak, and it is certain
that IL did not lessen the interest in the
wearer; but he could not readily excuse
himself from the blame, which he took to
his own account, for allowing his nartner's
summary dismissal Of an old clerk TO re-
main without inquiry. lie determined that
the injury to Philip Holt should be atoncd
for, and he kept his word. When the Young
man recovered he was restored to his old
Pl"OO' l,l "ilCi Ae hdu dlIlplc opportunities
for pushing his way and gaining even the
respect and confidence of Mr.. Joyce.


Like a day OF sunshine following A
clouded morning, prosperity blessed the
young couple, and the loving, patient wife
had her reward.


Philip always traced their good fortune
to the cloak which she had worn, because
it was her mothers, and from that day he
decided that 1t should be a relic. Years
afterwards, when he was prosperous
merchant, and Grace happy matron,
with children grown up around her, he
would say in allusiOn to their early days of
trial, "My darling, if you find me growing
selfish and forgetful Of you and my duty,
show ME your old red cloak; it will preach
a sermon that will be sure to set all right"