is
it, Susie?"

"Oh, father," and Susie burst into tears again as the memory of Ned
Graham's words came up freshly in her mind, "I wish you wouldn't drink
any more for the boys and girls don't like to play with me, 'cause you
do."

Mr. Ellet made no reply. But something stirred in his heart that made
him ashamed of himself; ashamed that he was the cause of so much sorrow.

After supper he took his hat, and Mrs. Ellet knew only too well where
he was going.

At first he had resolved to stay at home that evening, but the force of
habit was so strong that he could not resist; so he yielded, promising
himself that he would not drink more than once or twice.

Susie had left the table before he finished his supper, and as he passed
the great clump of lilacs by the path, on his way to the gate, he heard
a voice and stopped to listen to what she was saying.

"Oh, good Jesus, please don't let father drink any more. Make him just
as he used to be when I was a baby, and then the boys and girls can't
call me a drunkard's child, or say such bad things about me. Please,
dear Jesus, for mother's sake and mine."

[Illustration: _Susie's Prayer_]

Susie's father listened to her simple prayer, with a great lump swelling
in his throat. When her prayer was ended, he went up to her, knelt down
by her side, and put his arm around her.

"God in heaven," he said very solemnly, "I promise to-night, never to
touch another drop of liquor as long as I live. Give me strength to keep
my pledge, and help me to be a better man."

"Oh, father," Susie cried, her arms about his neck, and her head upon
his breast, "I'm _so_ glad! I shan't care about anything they say to me
now, for I know you won't be a drunkard any more."

"God helping me, I will be a _man!_" he answered, as taking Susie by the
hand he went back into the house where his wife was sitting with the old
patient look of sorrow on her face,--the look that so often rested
there.

I cannot tell you of the joy and thanksgiving that went up from that
hearthstone that night. I wish I could, but it was too deep a joy which
filled the hearts of Susie and her mother to be described.

Was not Susie's prayer answered?

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE STOLEN ORANGE

"Mamma will never know," thought Flora Marshall to herself, as she took
a large orange from the piled-up dish on the table, and, putting it in
her pocket, went hastily up stairs.

She was expecting two or