Year: 1875

: could get, Arthur frequently earning q


few pence by running errands for per-
sons in the neighborhood. And when


Polly fell I'D, and kind friends dropped


in to see her, she had pence often given


her with advice to buy eggs, or oranges,


or cakes with them, or tempt her poor


appetite. But not penny would she


spend on herself. She remembered the


want and misery of the time before her


father had signed the pledge; and she
| thought he had been such a dear, good


father ever since last Christmas that


she could not possibly do too much


for him. Besides, the present they had


set their hearts upon getting was so


expensive for them, that it was urgent


they should save every penny that came


into their hands.


At first they were very undecided


about what to get. They frequently sat


down in solemn conclave over the ques-


tion, but could not come to a decision.


Arthur voted that they should get at


least five shillings for the present, and


that was TOO large sum TO be lightly


spent. Should it be something to


wear, to eat or to use? They decided


that it must not be anything either to


wear or to eat, because they would like
| y
of the important occasion. cit should


be something to remind father on every
| Christmas to come, what a happy day


his first teetotal birthday was" said
Mrs. Cosnett.


| "Oh, mother he exclaimed, GIVE
seen something that would be exactly
the thing for fathers present. You
know Robinson's old book shop? Well,
| was looking in, and / saw such
grand Bible it isn't new, but it looks
as good as if it had never been used,
and it has such lovely pictures. 1t is
family Bible, beauty -! and I went in
to look at it, and ask the price. Guess
what it was"


s. If it was more than five shillings
it isn't much good to know the price,
| said Mrs. Cssnett.


" Well, 1t WAS nine, mother, and
when L heard that l could have cried,
| fell SO sorry. l said to Mr.. Robinson
that we would not be able to have it,
as it was too much and he asked me
lot of questions about who it was for
and all that, and at last he said we
should have it for seven and six pence,
and he would keep it for us uutil l
brought him a decided answer. Now
| you see there is haIf-a-c:own of mine,
eighteen pence of Polly's, six pence of
Wlllle's, and six pence of Susies-fve
shillings. How could we manage to
get the other half-crownI Do you
think you could afford to help,
mother?"


Mrs. Cosnett thought of a small sum
of money which she had put by, six
pence at a time, to buy herself a pair
of boots, which she had needed very
much.


"Just think, Arthur went on plead
ing, show nice this book would be {;
something TO be always using, and yet |
something to last all our lives"


and something to be real blessing
to us ALL the mother added. And |
while she spoke she res solved to wait for |
her bOote, and add half-a crow of her |
money to the children's precious store.


Yes, you shall have half-a crown
from me, " she said. "There could be |
nothing better for fathers teetosal
birthday than that"


So Arthur called next day to tell the
old bookseller that they would come
and buy the book on Christmas eve.
And when the day came Polly prevailed
upon her mother to let her go on the
happy errand with the others she was
|
care how much her mother mufied her
up so she might go aud carry her eight
cen pence to the shop,


Off they went and as they neared
the place in the dim light of the fading
afternoon their father overheard the
words, Won't father be glad ?" from
Willie Who'll have to give it him ?"
from Susie "We shall see when the
time comes," from Arthur and g Mind
you don't lose your sixpences, Susie
and Willie or we shan't be able to buy
il" from Polly.


When the father had heard so much,
a sense of homer forbade him to pry
farther into their glad secret. He
guesses that they were intending and
hoping to give him a surprise, and a
surprise ne resolved it should be. He
would not even look to see whittier they
were going, but turned directly back
towards home.


What a change the sight of them, and
the sound of their words, had wrou9 hit
in his feelings A great weight
seemed to be lifted off his heart. He
thought no more of Tom Hauvers' pro-
pOsal, which just now appeared quite
tempting to him. "The dear things
are thinking of me-" he said, with
fatherly fOndness "and was think
ing of turning my back upon them to-
night and playing the traitor to home.
May God forgive me, and make me
strong to do the right evermore."


CHAPTER III.


When John reached home he did not
say anything at finding his wife alone,
though she supposed he would when he
missed Polly, who had not been out for
solong time. Among OthergOod things
which John had learned since he became
a total abstainer, was to have great re-
gard for truth. TeetOtalism does not add
much dignity to a character when the
more excellent virtues of truthfulness
when Mrs. Cosnett said, "You don't
seem surprised at not seeing Polly" he
replied, g No, because / saw her out
with the other children but they did
not see me. Do you think it is safe for
her to be out p


81 don't think she will be hurt, John.
They are not gone far, and the air is
clear, though cold. l wrapped her mp
right we'll +; and they promised to walk
fast"


"Yes, they were walking FAST" said
john. 81 had better go and get dressed |
up bit before they come back. / sup
pose you will want us all after tea to
help get the things ready for the pud-
dings. Well, it will be pleasant bit of
rather new to us"


Eyes and the dear children are so
glad about it. It would do your heart
good to hear them talk, John. They
think they are going to have the happi-
est Christmas of any people under rhe
sun I'm sure it will seem a reward for
well-doing, to see how joyful they are,
said Mrs. Cosnett, with tears of delight
ghstening in her eyes.


q don't doubt it, said john, as he
left the room to make ready for their
return home.


They came in while he was still en-
gagged in dressing, and the large
package which Arthur carried was put
away IN drawer, out of sight.


" wish you would look over it now,
mother" he whispered, cit is such
beauty, 1 think it must be worth five
times the price we had to pay for it,
mother"


Polly brought back such color on