seated himself, and said gently:

"Oh! let him repeat it."

The mother turned again to the bedside, that meantime he might not
see her face; otherwise, it would have been like intermeddling
with his grief before he felt a necessity of revealing it. The
child folded its hands,--the rest followed the example,--and it
said:

"I am now a little lad, But soon shall grow up tall, And make papa
and mamma glad, I'll be so good to all! When in Thy true and holy
ways, Thou dear, dear God wilt help me keep;--Remember now Thy
name to praise And so we'll try to go to sleep!"

What a peace now fell! Not a minute more had passed ere the
children all slept in it as in the lap of God; but the mother went
quietly to work arranging supper for the father, who as yet could
not eat. But after he had gone to bed, he said:

"Now, after this, I shall be at home."

The mother lay there, trembling with joy, not daring to speak,
lest she should reveal it; and she thanked God for all that had
happened, for, whatever it was, it had resulted in good.

II.

In the course of a year, Lars was chosen head Justice of the
Peace, chairman of the board of commissioners, president of the