as she’s under the canopy.’ ‘Well’ says Mrs. Sassiger, ‘the day Mr. Doak was fell on, I got uneasy in my mind about the ways of Providence in puttin’ so many burdings on one family. I felt as if things wasn’t equal, the way they ought to be. I don’t say it was right, mind you,’ says she, ‘but that feelin’ had got into my head. So, to see that the Doaks wasn’t the only people in affliction in the world, I took the paper and read about the great fire and loss of life, and about twelve persons killed or mutilated by the explosion of the steam-boat Torpedo, and about the awful calamities and sudden deaths. By and by I come,’ says she, ‘to a teching tale how two children of Mr. John Brightly, up the North River, was drowned together, — the boy tryin’ to save the girl. I cried a great deal over that,’ says Mrs. Sassiger, ‘and somehow it made me feel softer, and not so much of a rebel again’ the Lord. Now, Mrs. Doak,’ says she, ‘my eyes has been drawed to this call, “A boy wanted by John Brightly,” and I motion that Bevel, not havin’ any payin’ work to do, and writin’ a good hand, and a hard winter comin’, — I motion,’ says Mrs. Sassiger, ‘that Bevel be the first boy at that John Brightly’s door to-morrow morning.’ That motion was kerried quite unanimous, and here I was, sir, at sunrise, and about three minutes before Moses, — Mr. Moses. That’s a long story, sir,” Bevel perorated, a little abashed at himself; “but I got going, and couldn’t stop.”
Brightly looked very kindly at the earnest little
