before spring.

Mr. and Mrs. Travilla were not exempt from the cares and trials incident
to our fallen state, but no happier parents could be found; they were
already reaping as they had sowed; indeed it seemed to them that they had
been reaping all the way along, so sweet was the return of affection from
the little clinging, helpless ones, the care of whom had been no less a
pleasure than a sacred, God-given duty; but with each passing year the
harvest grew richer and more abundant; the eldest three had become very
companionable and the intercourse between the two Elsies was more like
that of sisters, than of mother and daughter; the young girl loved her
mother's society above that of any other of her sex, and "mamma" was
still, as she had ever been, her most intimate friend and confidante.

And was it not wise? who so tender, faithful and prudent a guide and
counsellor as the mother to whom she was dearer than life.

It was the same with the others also--both sons and daughters; and they
were scarcely less open with their wisely indulgent father.

Life was not at all sunshine; the children had their faults which would
occasionally show themselves; but the parents, conscious of their own
imperfections, were patient and forbearing. They were sometimes tried
with sickness too, but it was borne with cheerful resignation; and no one
could say what the future held in store for any of them; but God reigned,
the God whom they had chosen as their portion, and their inheritance
forever, and they left all with him, striving to obey the command to be
without carefulness.

The winter passed quietly, almost without incident save one.

Eddie had been spending the afternoon with his cousins at Pinegrove (some
of them were lads near his own age, and fine, intelligent, good boys), had
stayed to tea and was riding home alone, except that he had an attendant
in the person of a young negro boy, who rode some yards in his rear.

It was already dark when they started, but the stars shone down from a
clear sky, although a keen, cold wind blew from the north.

Part of the way lay through a wood, in the midst of which stood a hut
occupied by a family by the name of Smith, belonging to the class known as
"poor whites"; shiftless, lazy, and consequently very poor indeed, they
were. Many efforts had been put forth in their behalf, by the families of
the Oaks and Ion, and by others also, but thus far with small results, for
it is no easy m