to get the key of the gate
afore they can take me in, for it's always locked. And there 's a step
there as I used fur to clean with my broom. It's turned very dark, sir. Is
there any light a-coming?"

"It is coming fast, Jo, my poor fellow."

"I hear you, sir, in the dark, but I'm a-gropin'--a-gropin'--let me catch
hold of your hand!"

"Jo, can you say what I say?"

"I'll say anythink as you say, sir, fur I knows it's good."

"OUR FATHER,"

"Our Father--yes, that's wery good, sir."

"WHICH ART IN HEAVEN,"

"Art in Heaven--is the light a-coming, sir?"

"It is close at hand--HALLOWED BE THY NAME."

"Hallowed be--thy----"

The light is come upon the dark benighted way. The bewildering path is
cleared of shadows at last. Jo has moved on to a home prepared by Eternal
Love for such as he.

PAUL DOMBEY

[Illustration: PAUL DOMBEY AND HIS SISTER.]

As Mrs. Dombey died when little Paul was born, upon Mr. Dombey--the
pompous head of the great firm Dombey and Son--fell the entire
responsibility of bringing up his two children, Florence, then eight years
of age, and the tiny boy, Paul. Of Florence he took little notice; girls
never seemed to him to be of any special use in the world, but Paul was
the light of his eyes, his pride and joy, and in the delicate child with
his refined features and dreamy eyes, Mr. Dombey saw the future
representative of the firm, and his heir as well; and he could not do
enough for the boy who was to perpetuate the name of Dombey after him. It
seemed to Mr. Dombey that any one so fortunate as to be born his son could
not but thrive in return for so great a favour. So it was a blow to him
that Paul did not grow into a burly, hearty fellow. All their vigilance
and care could not make him a sturdy boy.

He was a pretty little fellow, though there was something wan and wistful
in his small face. His temper gave abundant promise of being imperious in
after life; and he had as hopeful an apprehension of his own importance,
and the rightful subservience of all other things and persons to it as
heart could wish. He was childish and sportive enough at times, and not of
a sullen disposition; but he had a strange, old-fashioned, thoughtful way,
at other times of sitting brooding in his miniature arm-chair. At no time
did he fall into it so surely as when after dinner he sat with his father
by the fire. They were the strangest pair at such a time that ever
fire-light shone upon. Dombey s