mother! How I longed to impart to her the secret of salvation and of
the Burden-bearer!

"Mary," I said, "if you would only try my Savior, dear, I assure you
that you would feel better, body and soul, I've never heard _your_
story; won't you tell it to me whilst we're watching beside Baby?"

"I've never felt as if I could before, but I will, Mother Roberts, I
will."

"I lost my father and mother when I was quite small, and my
grandparents raised my little brother and me. I never remember when
they didn't have beer on the table for dinner and supper, and if
company came in, they always treated them. If I didn't feel quite well
or was tired, Grandmother would say, 'Have a drop of beer, Mary child,
it'll do you good and put new life into you.' It took some time to get
used to liking it. I didn't enjoy the bitter taste at first, but by and
by I loved it--yes, really loved it.

"I grew up, and, like many another girl, had my young friends come
calling. I liked Tom S---- best of all, and one day promised I'd marry
him if the old folks would agree. They were awfully pleased, and _soon
let Tom and me go about alone everywhere_. He was a baker, and a good
one. Earned fine wages, so that I was expecting to have a very
comfortable home.

"_I wish Grandmother or some one had talked plainly and honestly to me
about a few things, but they didn't; so what did I know when Tom told
me that in God's sight an engagement was as good as a marriage and that
we'd soon, for the sake of appearances, and to comply with the law, go