Year: 1872

hard" she observed and makes me yer


down-hearted when Pm coming home froI


my work, with this child in my arms, I


have him meet me in such state that h


can scarcely walk, and take my wages ou
of my hand to buy more with and SO


comfort myself with making out a differ
ent sort Of life for her. and wishing for al
sorts of comfort for her.


As she said this the baby sobbed in it
sleep two or three times, the mother moyeC
lit, and aga in rocked the cradle, lookin!
toward the easement, and talking quietly
while the harvest moon shone on her care
worn face aud on the brick floor and white
washed walls.


" Martha" said the young lady, " how
the baby sobs If she was old enough tc
understand what you have been saying,
should think she was sobbing at your notion
of giving her away"


Bless her. said the woman, with a
smile; a. yes, would do it if | could
that | would. If it broke my hear. to part
with her, would still do ito m0rrow.
if had a chance-I think [ could do il
to night. As for wishes, if all my wishes
could be given her, she would be a. happy
as the day was long she should have the
beautifuest music that ever was heard.
instead OF that song that heard Just now.


Marthan' exclaimed the young girl
" what do you mean ?"


She should be taken as much care O.
and set as much by, as it the Queen herself
was her mother if only had my visa
and she should earn all sorts Of things
that l know nothing of, and have no hard
work a. all. She should live in a beautiful
house, quite a mansion, aud not even know
what poverty is, but have plenty of friends
and companions, and if there's auy other
sort of pleasure that 1 never heard Of
which | don't doubt there is-she should
have it all, God bless her."


90, Martha - said the girl, don't wish
any more. God doesn't bless any of u
with so much happiness as that


{" must wish said the mother I've
no pleasure IN this world bu, 10 wishing
that God would please to let her be happy"


The harvest moon By this time had risen
high enough to cast its yellow luSter
through the wicker-work on the cradle
The mother, after her excitement, folded
her arms and sat with q softened face, look
ing down into it. and listening TO the sigh
which nov and then heaved her infants
breast


The darkness increased and the silence
lasted some time The mother sat resting.
and her visitor was lost in deep thought.
II any other face looked down on the baby
features, they did not see it If any other
voice spoke their ears were too dull to
hear it. If in the duskv evening an augeI
stood at the foot Of the cradle. how could
they tell, whose sense was not fine enough
to catch the sound of immateral wings
whose arms were held that they could not
touch or embrace spiritual presence.
whose eyes were Gim-so dim that if au
infant spirit, with one deep sigh, had fled
into an angels bosom. they would not have
known nor have caught one gIeam of the
heavenly smile that such infant might
have turned toward its mother when the
wings of purer guardian cntolded It. and
a face Of yet deeper love was shining on
it?


At length the visitor arose. " The baby
Is very sound asleep now she said. How
fair and still she looks in the moonlight
must 90, now, Martha it grows late.


Must you 20, miss ?" was the reply.
= Well | hope you viii tell your mother
am kindly obliged to her for the needle
work | cin sit and think while do II.
and little time I've had for that since |
left her service"


Good night sand the young girl, as
, he shut the door softly behind her, lost
she should wake the baby.


Poor Martha" she thought A. she
walked neward ." how can she indulge in
such wild wishes =


Wild wishes, indeed Yet the next
as sie passed down the village
though the father was again singing that
song, the mother was no longer
rocking the cradle; and, entering the cot
t ge. she was made aware that all those
wild wishes had been granted, even those
which seemed the most unlikely when they
were uttered.


For the mother had looked down into
the cradle, and found that the baby was
gone-she was not TO see her again, per
haps, for years aud years She had found
this parting a bitter thing 10 bear but in
her heart of hearts she had consented.
since she knew that the Father who had
adopted her child would indeed be good TO
her, and that in his house she would be
happy and holy, and free from both pow
erty and sorrow.