tern, and the black dark bits only serve to show up
the bright that's a-comin'.'

'Ay,' said Reuben, sinking into a chair; 'I mind plenty o' black days
in my life; but I've had a many bright 'uns too--ay, and one white 'un,
and that were last Toosday! It be a fine patch o' white in my quilt,
Jenny!'

'Tribbylation!' said the old woman musingly; 'I mind o' several verses
on it: "In the world ye shall have tribbylation; but be of good cheer:
I have overcome the world." "We must through much tribbylation enter
into the Kingdom of God." "We glory in tribbylation also, knowing that
tribbylation worketh patience." "Who shall separate us from the love
of Christ? shall tribbylation?" Ah, tribbylation is tryin' to the
flesh, but 'tis for the improvin' of the soul!'

'And does everybody have it except children?' asked Betty with a solemn
face.

'I think as how most folks have it in one form or t'other; the saints
get it surely, for "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth
every son whom He receiveth.'"

'What does "chasteneth" mean?'

'Punish, I take it, dearie, your father and mother punishes you at
times, don't they?'

'No, never; only nurse.'

'Ah, well; and doesn't she desire your good? She don't do it just to
spite you.'

'I s'pose it's for my good,' said Betty doubtfully.

'Tribbylation will allays be a mystery,' went on the old woman,
speaking more to Reuben than the child. 'We must bow our heads and
take it, whether we like it or no; and it's wonderful strange how
differently folks take it! Seems to me, as the Bible puts it, it's
just a fire, and whiles some like wax gets melted and soft by it,
t'others are like the clay, they gets hard and unbendable. I've known
lots o' both those sorts in my time; 'tis only by keeping close to the
Hand that smites that you feels the comfort and healing that goes along
with it. If you keeps a distance off, and lets the devil come
a-sympathisin' and a-groanin' with you, then it's all bitterness
through and through.'

'Ay,' said Reuben, 'me and the devil have oft sat down together over my
troubles; and he do know how to make 'em werry black!'

Betty's round eyes and puzzled gaze at this assertion made Reuben adopt
another tone.

'But here's this little lass, Jenny, a-wantin' to have tribbylation,
for fear she shouldn't be one o' the Lord's people after all.'

The old woman looked across at the child, and then she nodded brightly
at her.

'And you s