ng hours father pondered over the uncertainties
of earthly life, and that on this occasion he delivered the most
effective sermon of his pastoral career.

When father had written his sermon he resumed work on an unfinished
volume of historical sketches which he prepared for future publication.

Meantime mother, who was busy with a pleasanter task was
correspondingly cheerful. She altered father's "Prince Albert" into a
stately full-dress coat, ripping up its waist-seams, and pinned back
the skirts of the coat into the proper claw-hammer shape.

Then she took that other garment which goes with the long waistcoat and
the full-dress coat of a courtier's suit, in hand.

This article had not been mentioned before by anyone, as there was a
goodly supply of it known to be in mother's wardrobe. Deftly cutting
the lace away, a few inches above the knees she placed some
mother-of-pearl buttons and bows of ribbons and with few stitches
fashioned a beautiful pair of courtier's small clothes, or
knickerbockers, for father's use.

Father had begun a description of the battle of Waterloo, for nothing
so touched a responsive chord in his mind as the recording of a most
fearful catastrophe, the direst calamity known to history, nor served
as well to alleviate by comparison his mind's distress and
mortification.

Just as he wrote the sentence, "Alas for Napoleon, here set his lucky
star; not only was his misfortune repeated, but also his final downfall
accomplished when Blucher's tardy cavalry appeared on the field,
turning the tide of battle in favor of the British"--in came mother
with happy, triumphant laughter, unfolding and flaunting to the breeze
the so anxiously wished-for full-dress suit.

"Julia, darling, you have saved the day, oh you are so clever," shouted
father, joyfully embracing her; "but I say!" he exclaimed in startled
surprise, "where on earth did you get this--er--trousseau? Do you
really think I shall need those?"

"Yes, indeed you shall, dearest, when you are going to court," replied
mother. "Here you have everything needed except the silken hose which
you must buy."

"But you have a plenty of long-limbed stockings," said father,
wrinkling his brow.

"My good man, look here now!" answered mother, bristling, "well enough
you know that all my stockings are very old and holey!"

"Oh, darn them!" growled father testily.

"Wilhelm, do you wish the king to see my stockings then?" cried mamma,
angrily.

"