Year: 1875

~
up food for the hungry and seed for the
sower, that His people die not for lack
OF bread. God has given thee of His
earthly bounties more than hundred
fold beyond thy own need, and leisure to
care for thy neighbors, and health in thy
declining years. And yet thee is not
happy, for thee is still trying to live for
thyself alone"


"How does he live ?" asked the farm
er, raising his eyes from the ground,
and looking up into his neighbor's face.


"His family would have suffered in
many ways and his children gone often
hungry to bed if some of us had not
looked after him."


CT had no idea it was so bad" said
the farmer. "Hungry children I
can't stand that. I must go and see
him."


II wish you would. It's a real case
of charity"


"I'n go right off," said the farmer,
turning away and going back into the
house.


"I wonder what's come over the old
man2" So the neighbor mused as he
rode away. Hope he is not going to
die. always thought he had tender
place somewhere in his heart if one only
knew how to find it. He was a right
generous sort of fellow when q young
man, but he was thrifty. and thrift
seemed to harden him."


Half an hour afterward Farmer Brill
drove off in his light wagon. There was
marvellous change in the expression of
his fine old face. His eyes had new
luster in them, and the kindlier temper
of his blood was softenipg and warming
all the hard lines that had compressed
themselves about his mouth and cut
down rigidly between his brows, giving
them a nobler and deeper human senti-
ment. In his wagon was bag of flour,
a bushel of potatoes, side Of bacon and
twenty pounds of salt pork. besides corn
meal and apples.


When Farmer Brill returned his heart
was 30 light that it gave new buoyancy
to his body, and instead of moping about
or sitting hnlf-stupidly in his armchair
he went bustling in and out in q CHEEKY
way, and talked to his wife of this neigh
Dor and that with a kindly interest alto
gether new.


cit ismore blessed to give, sometimes,
than receive" said Mrs. Brill to her
husband, ashe told her, witha new quail
ity of pleasure in his voice, about his
visit to Mr.. Gardner and his family.


"It may be always" he answered, to
her surprise. "It must be-" he added,
after hesitating pause, eff our Savior's
words are true, for He puts in no qualify
ing sometimes.


The old man sat very still, with a
sober, Unlocking expression on his face.


"Ho knew best, Andrew but very
few of us live Us if we thought He did"


The farmers sleep was not so sound
that night rs usual thought was too
busy, Not that he was troubled, for
the pleasure that came with ministering
to his stricken neighbor had gone too
deep and filed his heart too largely to
leave room for trouble. He was thinking
out of himself-a rare experience for
Farmer Brill {; thinking of some of his
neighbors, and how he might serve them
at little cost to his boarded substance.
It was too early in the new state upon
which he had really entered to count
much cost against himself.


The farmer rose on the next morning
feeling like new man. The rest and
comfort of mind which had come as the
reward Of kindness to John Gardner still
remained. Goodwill to others is rarely
satisfied with a single service. It was SO il
this case. The family of his sick and help
less neighbor had other needs than that
of food. He had seen the half-clad
children and the wife's worn and scanty
clothing, and the picture remained with
him.


"Can't you send Mrs. Gardner an
old dress OF two2" said Mr.. Brill to his
wife as they sat at the breakfast table.
"She needs them badly. If you'll make
up a bundle of things for her and the
children I'll hitch up and take them over.
You'll know what they want"


Mrs. Brill was not the woman to say
"No" to a suggestion like this. She
soon had bundle of clothing ready for
her husband, and off he went again on
his errand of mercy with plee and
warmth in his bosom that cent q feeling
of delight along every nerve. How cor
dial were all the greetings he gave to
passing neighbors He forgot old
grudges and coldnesses, and drew mp
his horse more than once to have chat
with the individuals whom he had passed
the day before with only an Indifferent
nod.


He sat for over an hour with John
Gardner, talking about old times-both
iiau grown up III Gne nelSnDorDoou-an
learned many things he might have
learned before that interested him deep
ly about the life of the poor man, and
that aroused his sympathies.


"Don't get down-hearted," were his
parting words, at the close of his visit.
Wen see that you're taken care of
until the doctor drives out your old
malady."


The grateful looks and tones in which
the man expressed his thankfulness lived
with the farmer as pleasant memories
long afterwaJd.


"Thomas," said Mr.. Brill 10 his hired
man, on returning home, "take bushel-