really of our heavenly Father's sending as if it had been brought by an angel, instead of by the hands of our kind friend Mr. Robertson.

Another knock was now heard at the door. It was the agent for his rent. With what pleasure she counted out the money to him! He looked rather surprised, taken aback, in fact, — at the promptness of the payment, for he had not expected it.

Mrs. Fraser saw his look of astonishment, and thought it best to explain to him how she had got the money.

From that hour she rapidly improved, for anxiety about her brother had added greatly to her trouble. The doctor's services were no longer required, and his bill, a very reasonable one, was promptly paid.

"They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing," is the Lord's promise, and he had made it good.

XIX.

LETTERS.

HY, there is Mr. Robertson again," said Donald, one morning as he was looking out of the window, two weeks after the pleasant events mentioned

in the last chapter.

Donald opened the door before Mr. Robertson had time to rap.

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Good-morning, Mrs. Fraser," he said in a cheery voice, as he crossed the threshold. "I am very glad to see you so much better, and that you are able to be about again."

"Thank you, sir, I have great reason to be thankful," was the reply.

"I hope you wont get tired of my visits," Mr. Robertson said, "but yesterday three letters for you came to our care, and I thought (209)

14

you might be glad to get them, so here they are."

As he said this he handed Donald, who was standing beside him, the letters, and saying "Good-morning," was off in a moment.

"One of them is post-marked St. Louis, that must be from Mrs. Richardson; the other is post-marked Helensburgh, Scotland, -I wonder who it is from; the third is from San Francisco, that must be Mrs. Perkins," said Donald, as he handed his mother the letters one by one.

Mrs. Richardson's was opened first. She said that she was now very pleasantly settled, and keeping house for her son. That she found a society of very excellent religious people in St. Louis. Captain Johnson she had seen several times since they all met on the sea. His health was quite recovered, and he was now commanding a large Mississippi steamboat plying between St. Louis and New Orleans. She sent a great deal of love to Donald, and hoped both he and his mother would write to her a full account of everything that

had befallen them since they parted on the deck of the good ship "William Wallace." She concluded by hoping that some day they might meet again in this world, but at any rate by God's grace that they might meet in the better land, there to recount through an endless eternity all the goodness of the Lord. "Oh, that is such a nice letter," said Donald, "just like Mrs. Richardson, too." The next we must give in full.

"HELENSBURGH, Feb. 7, 18—. "MY DEAR MRS. FRASER: -I dare say you have often wondered what had become of me, and am sure I deserve a good scolding for delaying so long in writing to you. But I never was fond of writing letters, no sailor is, and so I hope you will excuse my negligence. On the arrival of the William Wallace' at Greenock I asked to be paid off, my time being up. The captain did this, though I think he was sorry to part with me. I am sure I was just as sorry to leave him, for a more kind or considerate master no sailor-boy ever had. So after shaking

hands all around, and with all my worldly goods tied up in a large pocket-handkerchief, I bore down upon this place with a fair wind and all sails set. It was nearly dark as I cast anchor in this village, and I can assure you that a familiar port it seemed to me. There was the old school-house, where I had taken aboard all my cargo of education, there the parish-church where I had so often gone with my mother.

"But when I finally came to the house where I was born, and where all dear to me still lived, I became a baby and cried lustily. Drying my tears, I rapped at the door. My mother opened it. Assuming all the self-constraint I could, I said, ' Can you give a poor sailor some supper?'

"Yes, and welcome,' was the prompt reply. 'My own dear boy is away on the sea, and I will receive you as I would have your mother to receive him, should she ever have the opportunity.'

"As she said this, she gave me a seat, and stepping to the fireplace, she filled the teaket