6
TELE HESPERIAN
" His father never liad a Bible in the
house," Mrs. Liner often said. But she
"tried to let her light shine." And her
husband, in a vaguo way, felt that she -was
superior to him. When she sat through
long nights at some wretched bedside, Mr.
Liner walked the floor and laid Tom's hot
little face against his own and hummed,
" There's a land that is fairer than day."
It would have been hard to toll what Mr.
Liner's idea of that land wore like. They
were mingled with long benches and
''Brothers" and "Sisters," and sobs, no
question.
But when he hold Tom he was not think
ing of the land. He forgot questions hard
to solve. Then Mrs. Liner came back to
her kitchen and took up her work. She
might as well do it, herself, she said. She
could never keep a girl. The dishes had
not been washed many times since she had
been about the work. She washed them
now, singing in a shrill voice. Mr. Liner
went down stairs and sat in front of the
store. He pulled a worn "Age of lleason"
from his pocket and followed the lines with
his thumb. Tom played on the floor. Ho
fretted a good deal. He was teething.
"Shall mamma wash him, and put a
clean dress on the blessed boy ? " said Mrs.
Liner. "Mamma shall make Torn like a
new boy pretty soon." A ring at the door.
A little girl had fallen and broken her arm.
"Enoch," called Mrs. Liner down the
long stairway. Her husband sat before the
door of the storo, with his hat pulled ovor
his eyes. He lifted his head. "Come up
and 4ook after Tom for ton minutes while I
go and sot the little JoneH girl's arm. Tom
is cross, and I can't leave him alone,"
"Hadn't yon bettor stay to home and take
care of him," growled Mr. Liner. Then he
strode up the stairs, and Tom hoard him and
laqghed. Mr. Liner put his groat shaggy
head down and lot the chubby hand clutch
small fist-fulls of hair.
'jTom.nint cross, "she said.
It was cvoning. Littlo Tom was sleeping.
He was not dusty nor dirty nor tired. He
wore a little white dress that had never had
marigold loavos in its folds. He was as
white and fair as the lillics he hold in his
still, baby fingers.
Mr. Liner stood, looking at the closed
eyes, silent. Ho stood and looked as if he
would have an image in his eyes that could
never be rubbed out. The door opened.
Mrs. Liner came in, sobbing. She throw
herself upon the coffin lid.
"Oh Enoch! Enoch! Our boy "
"After all the mothers I've saved their
children to And I standing by and seeing
him"
Mr. Liner stood for a while, silent. Then
he put one hand on her tihin grey hair and
stroked it, awkwardly.
Next morning, when tho sun rose, Mr,
Liner was far away from the city, walking
swiftly over a country road. He had a farm,
ton miles from town, where ho often went
for awhile when ho was "tired of tho store,"
he said. It was a lonely place. He liked
to bo alone. Ho walked with long strides.
Some pink "wild roses grew in the hedge by
the roadside. He gathered them, and looked
at them, as he walked along. They wore
thick with thorns. Kathakink Mkmck.
Co-Education.
..
A youth and maid in the chapel sat,
They were studying French, but what of that J
Tu aimes me, et j'aime vous,
You love me and I love you,
Her voice was gentle, and his was low,
And ovej the lesson again they go.
Tu aims me, et j'aime vous,
You love me and I love you.
There is many a lesson learned in sdhool,
Which never is learned from book or rule.
Tu aims me, et j'aime vous,
You love me and I love you.
Just shut your eyes and think right hard.
He quiet. Let's hear no sound.
I see. That's good. One-half the class
Can feel the wheels go round.