From these, they learned to look upon the riches, honors and pleasures of
earth as the things to be most earnestly coveted, most worthy of untiring
efforts to secure.

Life at the Crags was a strange puzzle to the Ion children: no blessing
asked at the table, no gathering of the family morning or evening for
prayer or praise or the reading of God's word.

"Mamma, what does it mean?" they asked; "why doesn't Uncle Ross do as papa
does?"

Elsie scarce knew how to answer them. "Don't let us talk about it, dears,"
she said: "but whatever others may do, let us serve God ourselves and seek
his favor above everything else; for 'in his favor is life' and his loving
kindness is better than life."




CHAPTER EIGHTH.

"To each his sufferings: all are men
Condemn'd alike to groan;
The tender for another's pain,
The unfeeling for his own."
--GRAY.


The weather was delightful: because of Phil's return the children were
excused altogether from lessons and nearly every day was taken up with