there for several days; I seed 'em
myself: but one stormy night there came a terrible clap of thunner, and
an awful flash of lightning, and it went right through chamber of
Tommy's house, and next morn letters were all gone, and nothing were
left but a black mark, like a great scorch with a hot iron.' This were
old Anne's tale. I didn't tarry long in her house, for I didn't want to
be seen by any as knowed me; but I went to many of the towns round about
to see if I could hear anything about fayther, but it were no good; so I
went back to Liverpool arter I'd been off about ten days." Samuel then
gave them an account of the sad tidings that awaited his return, and
then added,--

"I didn't know what to do, nor where to go, but I prayed to the Lord to
guide me, and lead me in his own good time to fayther and our Betty, and
the Lord has heard me, and he's done it in his own gracious way."

He then recounted his meeting with Old Crow, the knife-grinder, and his
subsequent history to the time when, on that very evening, he was led in
the good providence of his heavenly Father to turn down the lane to the
little cottage.

"The Lord be praised, the Lord be praised!" exclaimed poor Johnson, when
the story was finished. "Surely goodness and mercy he's been to us all.
And, oh, he's been very good in bringing back our Sammul."

"We shall have a rare family gathering when we all meet, Old Crow,
Deborah, and all," said Betty. "There'll be fayther, and our John, and
our Sammul, and our Jacob, and our Deborah, and Old Crow, and little
Sammul, and the babe. We must get the squire to build us another
cottage."

"Ah, Betty, my own sister," said Samuel, "it does my heart good to hear
your voice once more. Add now I want fayther to tell his tale. I want
to know all about the flitting, and the black and red letters, and all,
and how you came to light on this lovely spot."

Johnson raised himself in his chair, and prepared to speak. What a
wondrous change Christian total abstinence had made in his whole
appearance. The prominent animal features had sunk or softened down,
the rational and intellectual had become developed. He looked like a
man, God's thinking and immortal creature now; before, he had looked
more like a beast, with all that was savage intensified by the venom of
perverted intelligence. Now he sat up with all that was noble in his
character shining out upon his countenance, specially his quiet iron
determinatio