with the leader to
the desk. A few quick dashes of the pen over a blank from his
check-book, and he stood pledged for five hundred dollars for "Howard
Mission."

"How much I have to thank Dr. Birge for preaching that glorious sermon
on the 'tenths,' and dear grandma for teaching me with her white buttons
the meaning of the same," he said to Dora as they made their way out
from that beautiful haven into the reeking street. "How every single
impulse for good counts back to some influence touched long ago by an
unconscious hand! I wonder if the Christian world has an idea of what it
is doing?"

* * * * *

They tarried but a few hours in Albany, long enough to visit that quiet
grave with its simple tribute, "Dear Mother." And there again came to
Theodore's heart sad memories of his father. Oh, if his body _only_ lay
there in quiet rest underneath those grasses; if he could have the
privilege of setting up _his_ headstone, and marking it with a word of
respectful memory; if he could have but the _faint hope_ of a meeting
place for them all in that city beyond, what more could he ask in life?
And yet who could tell? Perhaps it was even so; perhaps there had come
even to his father an eleventh hour? The "arm of the Lord was not
shortened" that it could not save where and when and how he would. And
there had been prayers, constant and fervent, sent up for him; and
perhaps the eleventh hour was yet to come; he might be still in this
world of hope. Theodore's heart swelled at the thought.

"My darling," he said, turning toward the young face looking up to his,
and full of tender sympathy, "he may be living yet--my poor father, you
know. We will never cease to pray that if he is still on earth God will
have mercy. We will pray together, will we not?"

And then both remembered that other father, about whose grave June roses
were blossoming to-day, for whom they could pray nevermore; and so
though she laid her hand in his in token of sympathy, she made no answer
on account of fast falling tears.

* * * * *

"For our _own_ room, Dora, in lieu of many pictures let us have some of
these exquisite illuminated texts. I like them _so_ much; and we can
never tell how much good they may do a servant or a chance passer
through. There are some in particular that I want to select." This
Theodore said to his wife as they stood together in a picture store.

"There! I want th