Friarswood Post-Office

was

rying, and lay quite still, either asleep, or looking so like it, that when Betsey had finish

his looks, though she carried with her a basket of gooseberries and French beans, and Mrs. King walked all the

ng was to be seen on the road, but Master Norland, his wife, and baby, soberly taking their Sunday walk; nor by the river, except the ducks, who seemed to be enjoying their evening bath,

e had seen anything of Harold. He seemed to have a great mind not to hear, and turned very

seen my bo

m in the

m since? Didn't he go

t go to Sun

he th

t receive

of the boys are gone

A

good lad not to

ht he said so chiefly from dislike to be praised, and that the

g the lane ere turning in, and then said, 'My good lad, I don't want to get you to be telling tales, but it wo

aning his elbows, and gazed for a moment at her sad, meek,

w impossible it would seem to do anyt

one,' she sai

er seen what it was like. Please don't take on, Missus;

hearkened to you, my

boy who heeded not such a mother would certainly heed no one else. 'But

e's too big a boy for me to manage that way. I can't

e grieves you!' burst out Paul, doubli

ake a quarrel among you, and I hope you'll help to keep hi

e condition of that hand; at any rate, as she said Good-night sh

r many many minutes, except that his shoulders shook and shook again, for he was sobbing as he had never sobbed since Granny Moll died. If home and home love were no

r pain in her heart, could not help thinking of those from the highways

t that low voices would have done so, but Ellen was already much upset by what she had heard and seen, and to talk it over would have brought on a fit of violent cryi

this, and it might be better and safer for him, she thought, to be aware of his state, and more ready to do his best with the time left to him. That was not the freshest sorrow, or more truly a darker cloud had come over, namely, the feeling, so terrible t

the walnut table behind the arm that hid her face fro

e garden, with several cherry trees, which in May were perfect gardens of blossoms, white as snow, and in August with small black fruit of the

t, out of the way of the police, or the selling in church-time would have been stopped; but as there may be cases of real distress, the law does not shut up all houses for selling food and drink on a Sunday, so others, where there is no necessity, take advantage of it; and so

s nothing to the fun of going with numbers, and numbers never could go except on a Sunday. But if people wish to serve God truly, why, they must make up their minds to miss pleasures for His sake, and this was one to begin with; and I am much mistaken if the happiness of the week would not have turned out greater in the end with h

ey were little; and they certainly never wanted for merries, nay, a merry pudding had been their dinner this very day, with savage-looking purple juice and scalding hot stones. If Harold went it was for the frolic, not for want of the dainty; and wrong as i

ght was so still, they could be heard a great way-those rude

e to be one of they chap

ught there on Satu

ay: they've

y? How d'

aster that, and with a seal and a card, and half a sovereign, or maybe a whole one,

ent rogues should get so much without

e never put one of they

hame,

to come when I wants h

you w

with halloos and shouts of hoarse laughing, which broke Alfred's sleep, and his voice came down-stairs with a startled cry of 'Mother! Mother! what is that?' She ran up-stairs in haste, and Ellen thr

vening this!' began Ellen; 'and coming hollaing up the lan

never meant

ng up the road for? And just this evening, too, when one would have thoug

he matter now?

ing the tears that had been kept back all this time, and broke out now wi

he did not seem shocked, especially as he was reproached with not feeling what

h the worst lot you can find, away from church and all, not caring for an

a fuss,' said Harold. 'Why, what har

Alfred to bed. Ellen had all the right on her side, but she did not use it wisely; she was very unhappy, and much displeas

ut did not speak to him. They took down the books, read their chapter, and she read prayers very low, and not quite steadily. He would have

id when he first came in, and the notion dawning on him more and more, that day after day would come and make Alfred worse, and that by the time summer came again he should be alone. Who could have said it? Why had not he asked? What could he have been thinking about? It should not be true! A sort of frenzy

is brother's side. 'Alf! Alf! are

N

It's all stuff; I'm sure it is, and you're

m going after poor Charlie; and don't you be a bad lad, Harold, and run away from your church, for y

s like you, I know he wasn't; he was always coughin

dman,' said Alfred; and his cough

deal in contempt of Betsey Hard

ut; I can't bear it! No, I don't want any one to tell me now; I've

to him. 'O Alf! I can't spare you! There hasn't

im and clung to his hand,

think I should mind-at least not so

as ever a good bo

w bad I behaved at church, and when I was so saucy to Master about the marbles;

terrified v

ut boys; and those things were so long ago! God will not

d. 'Oh, if I could only begin all over again, now I do care! Only,

rold. 'I wouldn't have gone to that there place to-nigh

ch-time, and

hey were all making such fun, you see, and it did seem so st

of never doing so again. He was more inclined to dwell on himself, and went back to that one

lf, you shouldn't frighten o

I'd been a better lad; but I've been worse, and crosser, and

prayers, and maybe you will get well; and then in the morning

be sorry for my sins; and oh, Harold, if we are

you are s

e two ways of being sorry, and I

hen the doctor comes he'll be sure to say it is all a

let on Alfred's bed, and then he remembered all about it, and looked in haste

movements, the grunts and groans, of Harold's waking. The morning air and the ordinary look of things, had driven away t

ed Harold, recollecting hims

Mr. Cope,' said

ear something of yesterday's doings, and he did not like Alfred or himself to

from reproving himself; but he had not that right sort of boldness which would have made him go to meet the reproof he so richly deserved, and he was trying to persuad

occupations of the morning, and made him meek and gentle under them, and he was reckoning

nd Alfred became grieved, fe

uld have it out with him; so he asked at once v

that in your head

re talking last night,

I?' said Alfre

r. Blunt cheerfully. 'You are

ted Alfred, who was n

w he must be

or you, by God's blessing; and if you get through the winter, and it is a mild spring, yo

he were slowly going down hill and wasting away, so as to have no more health or strength in which to live differently from ever before, the length of

d thoughtfulness of his face, as he lay dwelling on all that he wanted to say to Mr.

when he came in to dinner; but he heard that Harold had only rushed in for a moment, snatched up a lump of bre

t, and Mr. Cope was asked for; and then it came o

nto a rage too, and scolded his brother for his fancies. Mrs. King, in great displeasure, turned him out, and he rushed off to ride like one mad to Elbury; and poor Alfred remained so much shocked

She found him looking dismayed at the sounds of v

ad, and he wants Mr. Cope! Her

nd before she could thank him, he was down

that Mr. Cope was dining at Ragglesford and had run all the way thither; and here was the kind young Curate, quite breathless with his haste, and never regretti

sins, my poor boy,' said Mr. Co

ake up for them, what's the use?

here is One Who has made up for th

ll I knew I should

ome home to you! Now, do

, and quarrelled with Harold; and I was so audacious at my Lady's, they couldn't ke

hold to our Blessed Saviour's promise. There i

a little more tranquilly, not in the

iful!' sai

mean me?' con

right to all His promises of pardon.'

ravail and are heavy lade

gotten Son, to the end that all that believe in H

ght I to be

our heart to our Saviour, and pray God to forgive it for His sake, and then think that it cost some of the pain

ll make them

orne for your sake, and glad, perhaps, that you are bearing some small thing yourself. But you are spent, and I had bet

he had really a heart grieved and wearied with the burthen of sin! T