FICKLE JACK; OR, FROM WEAKNESS TO STRENGTH.
By Alice. Author of " The Grandmother's Story," " Mother and Daughter," " Chalk," &o.
Chaptbb XXXl.— (Continued.)
The little group remained some time as he had left them. Then the poor woman, moaning, rocked herself to and fro.
" Mother," said Tom, " mother, don't fret. When I'm a man I sha'n't 'aye a call like father to give away tracts, an' I'll work ever so 'ard for you an' Maggie. You shall 'aye a nice 'ouse, an' everythink you want, mother ; only don't fret — wait till I'm a man."
The woman flung her apron over her head and sobbed out :
"It isn't for myself I care ; 'tis for you, my little ones ! Your father may sing, and pray, and read ever so much, but I can't think — I can't think," she reiterated — " that God ever meant a man to sit in idleness and see his own flesh and blood want. It isn't to be expected the Lord will provide if we sit down all day. What are our hands given us for but to work with _? Doesn't the Bible say, too, ' He that provides not for his own is worse than a heathen 1 ' "
" • Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.' Don't tell me!" she continued, excitedly; "if Christianity means letting my children" starve while I read and pray, may I never be a Christian ! "
The convulsive weeping of Tom quieted her, and, bending over him she said soothingly :
" Hush, darling ; mother don't talk so. Come, Tom, don't cry. I will take the, sewing home to the lady, and if she pays me' will bring you something home nice to eat," and the poor woman trudged off through the mud and rain.
"He is dying ! " whispered Jack, bending over the couch in the evening. " Yes, he is dying," echoed the doctor Jack hastened out to bring. > The words fell upon the mother's like clods upon a coffin,
Maggie heard tkem, too, and came hastily to her mother's side.
Jack, bending down, pillowed the ■ boy tenderly in his strong arms. The boy opened his eyes, and looked long and earnestly at Jack ; then smiled, and said :
" I sha'n't never grow to be a man, like you, to work for mother ; but when you see my lady, tell 'er as 'ow I stuck to my post as long as I'd got a leg to stan' on." " I wish I'd stuck as true to mine."
Tom closed his eyes, and ■ seemed to slumber. That mystic, never-to-be-mistaken change was creeping over his face. The mother's eyes were riveted upon him; Maggie crept nearer, and Jack bent lower down.
Presently he murmured :
"There's a 'ome for little children above the bright, blue sky — oh, Saviour, won't you suffer me to come 2 " « Jack wiped the. damp dews off his forehead, but the mother never moved hand or eye. .
"She ses to me, Tom, she ses: 'There's somethink in the world amiss.' Oh, suffer me to " "
A smile, a sigh, and Jack laid his light burden down gently ; and the mother gave such a cry that Mr Shammer, in the doorway, returning from the distribution of the tracts, heard and turned pale.
" See to it 1 " said Jack, passing out and pointing to the couch; "see whether you can answer that to your conscience and your God."
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