Elsie's Vacation and After Events

his whole mind to them, and succeeding fairly well. Very desirous, very determined was the lad to acquit hims

d through the building for the last two hours was suddenly broken in upon by sounds of mirth and jollity-merry boyish voices talking, singing, some accompanying themselves with the twang of a banjo or t

eaking of his absent son. Or, it might be, pacing the deck alone, his heart going up in prayer to God for his first-born-his "might and the beginning of his strength,"-that he might be kept from sin and every danger and

faithful and true," was the silent pet

"I believe most of the fellows are just at the first, b

head and turning toward his companion with a smile that seemed rather forced. "However, I was thinking not of

fort he repressed a sigh

t remark of his room-mate, a lad-Benjamin Hunt by name-of about the sam

and we've had a jolly good time sailing or steaming (sometimes one and again the other,

tain?" Hunt asked, wi

e none better," returned Max, straightening himsel

im when he brought you here, and I must say I thought he had a fine military b

"I suppose being so fond of him I may not be a competent judge, but to me my

here against your will, eh

I don't think I have any talent in that line, and I inherit a love for the sea, and papa says a man can do best in the professio

ossing up a ball and catching it as it fell. "I sometimes think I'd like nothing better; a fell

is eyes kindling, "but war is an awful thing considering all the killing and maiming, to say nothing of the destruction of property; and I hope our cou

of the room, from whence he watched Ma

med to own himself a follower of Jesus, his loving disciple, his servant, whose greatest desire was to know and do the Master's will; and very earnestly he prayed that no evil might befall his dearly loved and honored father, his sisters or brother, Mamma Vi, or any of those he love

y and well after saying your prayers like

e the worse," retu

I shall without going through

reatest, as well as best men, have indulged. Washington was a man of prayer. So was General Daniel Morgan-that grand revolutionary officer who whipped Tarleton so completely at the battle of the Cowpens. There was Macdonough also, who gained that splendid victory over the British on Lake Champlain in the war of 1812-14. Have you forgotten that just before the fight began, after he had put springs on his

en forbearing at the start; but let them get once thoroughly

f 1812 taught them better. I don't believe the mass of the English people approved, but they couldn't keep their aristocracy-who hated republicanism, and wanted always to continue superior in station and power to the mass of their countrymen and ours-from oppressin

-of themselves or their weaker brethren-and I glory in the fact. What a fi

hat wa

encoop on the deck of the Saratoga, releasing this gamecock, and that he flew

omen of the victory that crowned their arms before the figh

better business than the fighting

so s

Bull, my

n Lake C

han equal f

d your f

k saw how '

'Cock-a-do

ough was v

Bull, m

Max. "But there are t