Providence

It was Saturday afternoon, The midsummer sunlight lay warm uiid bright ou all the greeu Nuw Kngland hills, and crept in waves ot' gliinmcring gold over the white sanded iioor of Deborah Hubj ter's tidjr kitcheu. Debbie herselt' sat just beyond the loorway, with a lmge basket of uowly ironed clothes besidu her, trom whick she was assorting a varioty of little garments, psusing and thon to dam a hole, or sew on a button, and 8Ínging BOftly tó herself the while ; tor she was a happy wil'o and inother, nnd her sinile was bright, and her heart eheerful, despite the edlos9 dutios which kept her wilïing hands forever busy. Out in the garden, under theshadow of the elm trees, where the flauntíug tulijs and sun flowera bloomed, and the bees made homely music, Mark and Totty wero playing and chattei'ing liko a pair ot' parrots. And presently they camo toddling in, Mark leudiug his chubby little sister Ly the hand. " Mothcr," ho said, " may wo go down to the wood and gather sume, strawberridS t Father likes 'ern with creaiu, you know. Please let us, raother. 111 put Totty's shoes on, so thebiiai's can'tsoratch her feet, and 111 take good care of her. Mother, uiixy we go e" Debbie sniiled and nodded, and Mark ran off tor Totty's shoes, and after considerable giuntiiig and tugging succeeded in gi'tting thfiu on her cuubby feut. ïhen hc clainberud on the dresser and got a littlu tin kettle, and olï they started, hand in hand. 11 Xmv, Mark, tako good care of your sister, " calK d his mothcr, "and doli't go near the pond. And colne back Süi? tur I think weshall lmve rain before night." " Yi'?, mother." Tolty looked back, her vlnts sin-bonnet flapping in the brecze, and disclosing her dimplod cheeka and tangled, golden huir. " Mother," slio lisped, " touldn't you div( us one team-tuke 'i'ore we does'- dost one, mother r" And IJubbie put asido lier ncedlc( and going to the cupboard produced the coveted eream-cakts, and put them in the chubby little hands. Xhen she came back to her work tud resumed her song. And the mid-sumutcr afteriioori wuned lowly. The sunshino dancod and gliraiii red smid tho green sim branches, the t es hnmmed ubout their hives, and the ïeus cackled luzily in the barn-yard ; and he breeze, growiiifi strengel-, tossed the lurple lilac bougíis till the air was heavy with their sweet perfumo. Debbie vorked oti, singing softly to herself, and lic sunlight crept stealthily aeross the anded rloor, and disappeared at laet bofoud tho doorsill. Her work was done ; all tho little garments ready lor tho couiDg Sabbath. Sho rose, and put her bastet aside. " 'Tis time the children -were coming jack," she said, going to tho door and lancing out. The west was one inass of black thunlor clouds, w.th lurid, braaey edges ; and ven while she stood tbere there canae a distant rumblo, prophetio of what was coming. ' We're going to have a thundf r-storm, he thuught, her heult thrilling with foar; 'fturely, Mark will basten homo " ühe set about hereveningpreparations, ■agur to get them over beforo the rain lüíi 'au huur went by, but tho cbildrcn ïad not come. " What can m&ke them stay so?" she liought, looking out again and finding he sky weil nigh overcast, und the great ilack thunder cloud rolling up rapidly jeiore the rising wind. The poor niother, now thoroughly rightoned, caught up a shawl, and throwng it over her head, closed the door and au down towards the wood, ealling her hildren us she ras. But there cainn no mswer - no sound but tho roar of the rathering storm, and the angry booming of lbo thunder. She eearohed and called in vain - they were nowhero to be seen ; and half frantic with anxiety she ran back ügain, and net her liusband, just returuod ironi bis abor, at tho door. " Oh, Nathan," she cried, " tho children are gouo - lost in the wood ! What shall we do 't" Ho turncd without a word to the huge Ncwfoundland that stood liehind him. " üy)," ho said, " tho uhildran aje gone; :oiuc, we must find theui !" , And Gyp trotted soberly after him,folowed by the poor, distracted mothur. As they reached the woöd the StOini broko upon them in all its fury. The clouds ïolled up in great masses, blotting out tho waning daylight, and the lightning blazed and rlnriied in every direction, whilo tho thunder rattled trom hill to hill, and tho wind toro und shrieked immng the trees like a pack of demons. Presently tlie ruin bcgan to ponrdownin great dienching sheets. Poor Deborab wrung her hands in agony. " Oh, my children!' sho cried; "my poor little Totty, what will become of her Va The füther hurried on, followed by Gyp - on and on, till they were in the very her.rt of tho wood. But no traeo of tho children appeared. " öyP" s111 -ho fathor, turning to his dog agaiu, " can't you find the children? (Jume, good dog, try." Aiid 5yPi with hll noso to the ground, went oü' like an arrow. The parents followed, hecdless of the pelting storm. On aod on, into the heart of the wood, and round tu the shore f the There the poor fellow stopped, with a pecuiiar ciy. Tbc father and mother hastcned up. Tliere, in the yielding were little til uuMÍsl.ik;il)líi impress ol Totly's chubby shoes; and strewn about were bits of moss and broken llowers ; and presentí)', away out uvun the yellow, angry water of tho pono, they espiod Miti'k's little cap A slie recognizcd it, tho poor mothei utteiod a piteousery. " Oh, my precioUB babies ' they are gone - they are drowned !" " Ves," replied the lathor hoarsely . " they aio goue '■ I must get help, umi drag tho pond. Hy poor wife, you had bettor oome home." Uut Deborah shook hor henil, and orouched down upon tho shoro of tho yellow pond. And thero she siit, with tho pitiless storm boating on her unsheltered bead, waiting and watclnng in tho verv patience ot' duspair. Hor husbund went tor help, and his neighbon responded to hi cali. They hurricd to tho spot by scores, and tho pond was dragged, but tho bodies of thu childron could not bo found. Again and :igaiii thoy repeated theii eübrts, but with a liko rosult. Tho storm had spent its fury, thothundor rattled far tlway in tho distance, and through the rifts in tho black cloiids a full summer moon ])oüred down its silver lifilit. Tho men stood round ihc yollow circlot of water regarding oaoh other in eilent perploxity, when faint and far away came tho sound of a tremulous cry. The father listened ihtehtljr. It camo -a long and moüriiftll crj'. " 'Tis Gyp !" he said, dashing ofl" in thü direction of tho sound ; " lui's found 'om !" Debbio and her neighbnra followod, through tho dripping, moonlit forest. As they neared tho spot the dog heard tliem ccniing, and tho howl ehangodinto a joyful bark. He came bounding outtomei.t tlicm trom boncath a httle coppioe, thickly rooi'ed with vines. Thoro thcy were, side by side on tlio reeking moss, little Totty fast asleep, with hor curly hoad pillowed on Mark 's arm. Marie waa wide a wake, his eyes as bright as diamopds. The moment he caught sight of his raothor he butst into tears. " Poor mothor," he cried out, "I was a naughty boy to muko you suffor so ; bat iudeed, I didn't mean to. We niet Torn Saunders in tlio wood, and ho told us thero were somc jolly big strawberries down by the pettta ,' and I thought we'd get 'cm, to ploaso falhcr. But Totty walked so slow, the storm wns up by the time we got there. 13ut I got tho strawberriefl, and bouncing big l'ollows they aro. Heve they are, father ; I held on to 'cm. By the time 1 got my basket full the wind was bloving grèat guns, mid Totty began to cry. I took her in my anua and tned to rüti, nni the wind took my cap off and whirled it plump into tho middle of the pond. Oii, my buttons, but it did rain ' Tho drops hit my head like bnllets. But I bttgged Totty tight, and run, and van, but somehowl couldn't fun right ; the storm turned me round. I saw this placo at lust, and we erept in, and poor Totty soor. cried hflrself to sleep and I dozed a bit, too, tor the tirst thing I knew, hero was Gyp, putting his cold nose on my cheek." Thcy journeyed homeward, through the glittering slimmer woods ; and as they reached tho cottage, tho Sab'oath morn was breaking, fair and sweet aud holy - a typo of that eternal morn which is to come; one blaze of gold and purple, birds twittering on evory spray, lumbkins bleating trom the green hilltops - (iod's blessed peace resting on all things likc a benedietiuft. Thc grateful parents boro tlieix liii.lt: ones in, and Debby bnstled about, preparing hot draughts and dry ganncuts. "And now," she said, when everything was done and Totty lay asleep in her father'3 anus, hel' browri, cuubby fret peeping from benoath her snowy frock - " now, husband, we'll get 'om ti bed and let 'eni have a good sleep ; poor little deartj tliey iecd it." Sho led the way into the bed-cham ncr, and turned to arrange tho littlo tründle ed, but sbo rocoiled ■tfrith aory of horror. TIn.' wliito j.illows and dainty coverlids Tere ono niass of churred and eulphurous babeé; and ono corner of the room was all orn ind splintcred. In thoir absence he lightning had Btruck thoir d welling, expeuding its deadly fury on the pillóos whcro the little heads of theif cnildren Wüuld havo iHi.n, had they been at home. Thoro had been death and daneer, and out in the wild night, safety and dolivcrence. God'.s poondaiioe luid snved theui.