a
gradely talk when childers in bed."

Oh, what a happy tea that was! The cart was drawn into a shed, and
Samuel sat gazing through the door, hardly able to eat or drink for
happiness. What a peaceful picture it was! Betty was bustling in and
out of the room, radiant with delight, sometimes laughing and sometimes
crying, tumbling over the children, misplacing the tea-things, putting
the kettle on the fire without any water in it, and declaring that,
"she'd lost her head, and were good for nothing," all which delighted
her husband amazingly, who picked up the children by turns, and
corrected his wife's mistakes by making others himself; while Thomas
Johnson sat in a corner smiling quietly to himself, and looking with
brimming eyes at his son, as being quite satisfied for the time without
asking questions. Samuel leaned back in his seat, as one who has
accomplished the labour of a life, and would rest a while. The house
door stood ajar, and he could see the roses and jessamine straggling in
through the porch, the sunny road, the noble trees on its farther side,
while a herd of cattle slowly made their way towards the brook. Every
now and then, when the back door opened, (as it did many a time more
than was necessary, for Betty often went out and returned without
remembering what she had gone for), he could see the neat, well-stocked
garden, with its hives of bees against the farthest wall, and its
thriving store of apple and plum trees, besides all sorts of useful
vegetables. He looked round the room, and saw at a glance that
neatness, cleanliness, and order reigned there. He looked at a small
side-table, and marked among its little pile of books more than one copy
of the Word of Life, which told him that the brighter world was not kept
out of sight; he could also gather from the appearance of the furniture
and articles of comfort that surrounded him, that his beloved sister's
lot was in earthly things a prosperous one. As they drew their chairs
to the tea-table, which was at last furnished and arranged to Betty's
complete satisfaction, and John had reverently asked a blessing, Samuel
said,--

"Fayther, you're looking better than ever I saw you in my life."

"Yes, I don't doubt, my lad, you never seed me in my right mind afore; I
were a slave to the drink then. I'd neither health of body nor peace of
mind--now, thank the Lord for it, I enjoy both."

"Have you heard, Sammul?" asked Betty,--she tried to finish