10 long—mother and me—and we did not light the candle till we heard you com- ing, because there was only such a little bit left, and we wanted the room to be bright when you came home; but you did not even look at it and now the candle has gone out. Father, why are you crying? Is it because you hate somebody? Jesus never hated anyone, you know, though He was justas poor as we are, and people were so cruel to Him. Perhaps if you told Him all about it, He would help you and you wouldn’t feel so sorry about it. Do tell Him, father dear!” The childish pleading tones went straight to his heart, and, forgetting everything except his utter despair, the man laid his head on his wife’s pillow and sobbed aloud. “Oh, Sadie,” he said, ‘I could have told Him once and felt sure that He would help me; but now it is all dark, within and without, and there’s not a gleam of light anywhere to show me how to find Jesus in my great trouble.”’ The child sprang to her feet and her ery of triumph startled her father like a trumpet call. “It is not dark,’’? she said, ‘‘for look, father, there’s my star, and it’s shining right in here! And don’t you remember how, long, long ago, when Jesus was a little baby, a star showed the wise mer where to find Him? Well, there’s my star, father dear, and if you’ll just look up, it’l1l show you where to find Jesus.” * = * Next evening, as Hood, faint from want of food and worn out with vain en- deavors to find work, was once more on his way back to the little attic room he called home, he saw two or three men trying to launch a small sailboat on the river, while two ladies and an elderly gentleman on the shore were evidently waiting impatiently to get into it. Glancing at the dark clouds scudding along before a stiff breeze, Hood noted that a storm was approaching and invol- untarily called to the gentleman near the beat, ‘‘Better not go out, sir. There’s a squall coming up and you’ve too much canvas on your craft.’’ The gentleman looked around for an instant, to see where the voice came from, and answered impatiently, ‘‘Non- sense! Who minds a little wind? It’s all the better for our sail,” and a moment later helped his companions into the boat and sprang in after them. In the momentary glimpse he caught of his face Hood fancied that init, and alsoin his voice when he spoke, there was some- thing familiar, but he was too exhausted in body and troubled in mind to make any effort to recall wherein the vague likeness lay. As he watched the boat glide rapidly before the hurrying wind, his eye rested with a strange fascination | upon the turbulent river, which here ran deep and strong, and for a moment he felt a mad impulse to seek rest and oblivion from poverty and care beneath its dark waters. But then he thought of Sadie and Baby Jim, and of his patient, pain-racked wife, and, with a shudder, was turning away, when, glancing once more at the sailboat, he saw that the fast- | increasing wind had swept it over al- most on its side, and that it was in mo- mentary danger of being swamped. In- voluntarily, he started down the bank on a run and was quite near the boat when he saw that the gentleman was making a desperate effort to draw in the canvas. THE MICHIGAN TRADESMAN. denly around and struck him full on the side of the head, knocking _him into the river. The blow sent his hat whirling away, and, as he went over the side, Hood recognized in him the man who had dismissed him so roughly the day before. With an impulse quick as had been the blow of the sail, Hood had flung off his coat and hat and prepared to spring in after the falling man. = But now,’ while the screams of the terrified ladies rang in his ears, he stood quite still, for one wild instant of awful irresolution. This man would have suffered Hood’s wife and children to starve! Let him die! It was just! But, as the terrible thought flashed through his mind, he glanced up once more at the black clouds, and just at that moment the wind blew them apart, showing for an instant a calm, steadfast gleam of light that made him fling up his arms with a great cry, ‘‘Sa- die’s star!”’ The next moment he was in the river and battling fiercely with the rushing waters and the roaring wind. A pale face with white hair about it rose just beyond him for the last time. He made one supreme effort and his hand grasped and firmly held the heavy stuff of a gar- ment. Ashe did so, he heard cries of encouragement from the banks and knew that the screams of the ladies had brought help. A moment later and strong arms had seized him and his helpless burden and drawn them to the shore. *‘Is he dead?’’ he asked, hoarsely, with a fearful dread at his heart; but the cheery answer came, ‘‘No, no, only stunned!’ Then he reeled and fell un- conscious. * * + A day later, Hood once more climbed the long, long flights of narrow stairs that led to his attic home. He moved very slowly and with evident weakness, staggering slightly as he reached the landings. He had eaten nothing all day and again his search for work had been unavailing. There was utter despair in the man’s heart as he thought of the eager, expectant faces that would greet him, and of the disappointment that would so quickly cloud them when he told of the usual lack of success. Out- side the door he paused for a moment, overcome by the dread of meeting them with failure written in every line of his haggard face. But loving ears had caught the sound of his faltering steps, and, as he hesitated, the door was flung wide, revealing a glow of light and warmth that almost blinded and over- came him as Sadie threw herself into his arms. “Oh, father, father!’’ she cried, hreath- lessly. ‘‘Such wonderful things have happened! An old gentleman has been here—such a kind old gentleman, with white hair—and a pretty lady with him. And, oh, father, see the fire they made and the beautiful lamp on the table! isn’t the room lovely and bright now? And supper is ready—oh, you never saw ;such asupper! Do come and eat, father | dear! I’m so hungry and we have been | waiting for you!” | Wild with delight, she drew the be- wildered, exhausted man into the grate- |ful cheer of the room. He staggered like la drunken man, as he looked around |him, and then, sinking into a chair— |there were more chairs than one now— turned confusedly to his wife. 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