The boys gathered around the stove before school, and talked. The boys,—not all of them, by any means. Only that small, select number who were above, and led all the rest. Tip wandered outside of the circle, feeling very forlorn; he didn't belong anywhere these days. Bob and his friends had very nearly deserted him; there was scarcely any of their fun in which he had time or desire to join, and the other cliques in school had never noticed him; so he stood outside, and wondered what he should do with himself. Howard Minturn wheeled suddenly away from the boys, and called to him,—
"Tip, see here."
And Tip went there.
"What do you want?" he asked crossly; for some way he felt out of sorts with that company of finely-dressed boys around the stove.
"Want you to come over to-night. It's my birthday, you know, and some of the boys are coming to take tea, and spend the evening. Can you come?"
Tip's wide-open eyes spoke his astonishment. "What do you want of me?" he asked at last, speaking boldly just what he thought.
"Why, I want you to come and help have a nice time," returned Howard, with great kindness, but just a little condescension in his tone.
Tip heard it, and his bitterness showed itself a little. "It's a new streak you've got, ain't it?" he said, still speaking crossly. "You've had lots of birthdays, and this is the first oneI'veheard of."
"Oh, well!" said Howard proudly, flushing as he spoke; "if you don't want to come, why"—
Mr. Burrows' hand was laid on Howard's arm. "Don't spoil a good, noble thing, my boy. It is all new to Edward;urgehim."
Mr. Burrows spoke low, so no one else could hear him, and turned away.
At recess Howard sought out Tip.
"I honestly hope you'll come to-night, Tip, for you're a good fellow to play games with, and the boys would all like to have you."
Tip had quarrelled with his ill-humour, and it had vanished.
"I'll come," he said, in a cheery tone; "only I'll look like a big rag-bag by the side ofyoufellows."
"Never mind," said Howard, turning to join the boys, "youcome."
Why had Howard Minturn invited him to the grand birthday party? This was the question that puzzled Tip. Had he known the reason, it would have been like this: Mr. Minturn had never quite lost sight of Tip since the circus. He wanted to help him,—wanted to do it through his son; only he wanted the son to think that he did it himself. Knowing Howard pretty well, he said, when they were seated at breakfast that morning,—
"I've just been reading about a real hero."
Howard longed to be a hero; he looked up eagerly.
"Who was he, father? What did he do?"
"He was a rich young man, and he had the courage to take for his friend a poor fellow who hadn't two cents to his name. To pay him, the time came when he was proud to be noticed by the great man who was once so low."
This thought was still in Howard's mind when he walked with Ellis to school. So, when Ellis said, "There goes Tip Lewis; father thinks we boys ought to notice him; he is trying real hard now-a-days to behave himself, you know," it was easy for Howard to mingle Tip in with his thoughts.
"Ellis," he said, after a moment's silence, "suppose I invite him to come to our house to-night? He's a splendid good fellow to have a game; never gets mad, you know."
"S'pose he'd come?" asked Ellis.
"Yes, of course; jump at the chance.I'll do it. Our boys will think it odd, I suppose; but I guess I have courage enough to do as I please."
And Howard drew himself up proudly, and thought of his father's hero.
So this was why Tip was invited to the birthday gathering at the grand house on the hill.
Mrs. Lewis sewed, that afternoon, on his jacket, mending it up more neatly than ever before. She had said very little about this invitation, but she couldn't help feeling proud and gratified over it. It was certainly a wonderful jump for Tip, from mingling with the worst and lowest boys in town, to find himself taking a long stride, and reaching the very top. So Mrs. Lewis sewed, and Kitty, as she sat watching the needle fly back and forth, spoke her thoughts:
"All of the boys down to Mr. Burrows' school wear white collars on their jackets."
"Well," answered her mother snappishly, "what's that to me? S'posing they wear whitecatson their jackets, I could get him one just as easy as t'other."
It was a sore subject with Mrs. Lewis. From her very heart she wished she could dress Tip in broadcloth to-day, just as fine as that which Howard Minturn himself wore, and a collar so white and shiny that it would fairly dazzle the eyes of the others to look upon it; but, since she was so powerless to do what she would, it made her cross.
The bedroom door was open, and Tip's father heard. By and by, when his cough was quieter, he called, "Kitty!" and the little girl went in to him. "Is the jacket fixed, Kitty?"
"Yes."
"Does it look nice?"
"Some."
"Would you like to find a collar for Tip to wear?"
"Well enough," said Kitty wonderingly.
"Well, now, I've got two or three that I don't wear any more, and never shall, I guess" (this last spoken sadly); "s'pose you take one of 'em—they're in that square box under the table—and see if you can't sew it on the jacket, and make it look like what the other boys wear? Now, you try what you can do, just to see what Tip will say."
Kitty went slowly over to the box. This was new work for her, but her father was very pale to-day, and those sadly-spoken words, "and never shall, I guess," had quieted her; so she made no answer, but drew out one of the collars. It looked nice and white, and shone, too. Mrs. Lewis had done it up late one night, with tears in her eyes, because she could not hope that it would be worn again.
"What are you doing with that?" she asked sharply, as Kitty appeared from the bedroom.
"Father wants Tip to wear it," answered Kitty.
"I'll lend it to him," spoke the sick man; "we want him to look as decent as we can to-day, you know."
Mrs. Lewis said no more, but it seemed to her like giving up one more hope of her husband's life.
Tip came down from the garret, with neatly-brushed hair, and dressed in his clean shirt, nicely mended jacket, and the shiny collar. It was wonderful what a difference that collar made; he didn't look like the same boy.
"Kitty," he said, his face all aglow with pleasure, "wheredidI get a collar?"
"It's father's; he said wear it," answered Kitty.
"And how did it get on my jacket?"
"Jumped on, likely."
Kitty spoke in a short, half provoked tone; she was so unused to doing a kind thing, that she really felt half ashamed of it.
"Well," said Tip, smiling all over his face, "if that's so, it's the best jump it ever took, and I thank it from the bottom of my heart." Then he carried his bright, good-natured face out of the little house in the hollow, and went towards the great house on the hill.
Howard Minturn was a king among the schoolboys; so, though some of them nudged each other and laughed a little when Tip swung open the iron gate and appeared in Mr. Minturn's grounds, the most of them, seeing how quickly Howard sprang forward, and how heartily he greeted the newcomer, did the same. Howard was his father over again; if he did a thing at all, he did it well. Every moment of that afternoon was enjoyed as only boys know how to enjoy holidays: the whole round of winter fun was gone through with,—coasting, snowballing, building forts, rolling in the snow, each had their turn.
Tip was not one whit behind the rest in all these matters, and if ever boy enjoyed an afternoon, he did that one. The sun had set in its clear, cold beauty, and the sharp winter night was coming down; the boys stood at the foot of the hill waiting for Ellis and his sled, which were at the top; they came at last, shooting down the glassy surface.
"Hurry up," called out Howard, as he spun along. "What the mischief became of you? We thought you had gone to hunt up Sir John Franklin and crew."
"Hurry down, I should say you meant," answered Ellis, guiding his sled skilfully around the curve, and springing to his feet. "I waited for the rest of you; thought you were coming back."
"No," said Howard, "we justain't. We appointed a committee to find out how many were frozen up altogether entirely, and found that every single one of us were; so we're going in to the library fire to get thawed out by tea-time."
"All right," said Ellis, shouldering his sled; "Howard, where's your skates?"
"Oh, bother! they're at the top of that awful hill. Never mind; you walk on slowly, and I'll run back and get them."
The boys obeyed, and Ellis Holbrook was just swinging open the little gate that led to Mr. Minturn's grounds, when Howard called, as he ran down the hill, "Hold on! Don't go that way, it will lead you right through the deepest snow there is; take the big gate." And by the time he reached them, panting and breathless, they were at the big gate.
"This is jolly," said Will Bailey, throwing himself into a great arm-chair before the glowing fire. "My! I believe I'm a snowball."
"You'd have been an icicle if you had gone the way Ellis was leading you; why, the snow is so high," said Howard, raising his hand almost on a level with his head.
Ellis laughed. "I'm sure I thought I was going right," he said. "I must have been thinking of yesterday's lesson in Sunday school,—'Enter ye in at the strait gate.'"
"Ho!" said Will Bailey; "for that matter, one gate is as straight as the other."
"You don't understand the Bible, my boy," said Howard, laying his hand on Will's shoulder with a provoking little pat, "or you'd know that strait means narrow."
"I'll bet a dollar that you were no wiser yourself until father explained the verse yesterday," said Ellis, laughing.
Tip, meantime, stood apart flushed and silent; he knew about the Sunday lesson, and remembered the solemn talk which Mr. Holbrook gave them; and remembered how he urged them, while they were young, to enter into that strait gate; he felt shocked and troubled at the sound of Ellis's careless words.
"I know one thing," he said abruptly.
"Do you?" said Will Bailey in a mocking tone. "That's very strange!" Will felt above Tip, and took care to let him know it.
Ellis turned a quick, indignant glance on him; then spoke to Tip in a kind and interested tone: "What were you going to say, Tip."
"That, if I were the minister's son, I wouldn't make fun of the Bible."
Ellis's face was crimson in an instant. "What do you mean by that?" he asked haughtily.
"Just what I say," was Tip's cool reply.
"Do you pretend to say thatImake fun of the Bible?"
"Humph! Didn't I hear you?"
"No," said Ellis, in a heat, "youdidn't! and I'd thank you not to say so neither."
"Well, now," said Tip, "I'll leave it to any boy here if you didn't. When a fellow takes a thing in the Bible and twists it around, and makes believe it means some little silly thing that it don't mean at all, I call that making fun."
"Poh!" said Howard, coming to the rescue of his friend. "What a fuss you're making about nothing. You're getting wise, aren't you, Tip? Ellis was only saying that verse in fun, just as lots of people do. I've heard good men quote the Bible and laugh over it."
"Can't help that," said Tip boldly; "I say it's wicked, and Ellis Holbrook's father says so too. I heard him tell Will Bailey once that folks ought to be very careful how they said things that were in the Bible.'
"Did he tell you to go around preaching for him through the week? How much does he pay you for your services? Come, let's hear."
This was said in Will Bailey's most disagreeable tone. Before Tip had time to answer, Ellis spoke again.
"Well, I don't pretend to be as good as some people are, but I really can't see any awful wickedness in anything that I've said to-night."
"Neither can anybody else, except Tip," said Will, "and he's good, you know; he never does anything wrong, except to tell lies and swear, or some little matters."
Ellis was an honest boy. "No," he said gravely, "there is no use in saying what isn't true, for the sake of helping my side along. Tip don't do either of those things now-a-days, I believe; but I'm sure I don't thank him for his good opinion of me."
Howard was glad at this moment to hear the tea-bell peal through the house, for the boys were growing cross. Most of them had been so astonished at the bold stand which Tip had taken, that they said nothing, only gathered round, and waited to see what would come next.
Howard sprang up. "There's something I, for one, am ready for. Come, boys;" and he led the way to the dining-room. Oh, that dining-room, with its bright lights and splendid table, was such a wonderful sight to Tip! It was a very nice birthday supper,—plates of warm biscuit, platters of cold chicken, dishes of beautiful honey, silver cake-baskets, filled with heavily-frosted cake. Tip, for one, had never seen such a sight in his life before, and he was so bewildered with the dazzle and glitter that he didn't know which way to turn.
"Howard," said Mrs. Minturn, turning to her son, after she had welcomed his friends, "do you want your father to take the head of the table, or would you and the boys prefer having the room to yourselves?"
"No, ma'am," answered Howard, with energy; "we want you and fatherboth. I guess I wantyouto my party, whoever else I have."
Tip watched the bright light on Howard's face with surprise. How much he seemed to love his mother, and how much she loved him! how queer it was! The supper was a great success; the boys forgot their excitement and ill-humour, and enjoyed everything.
It was almost nine o'clock, the hour when it was generally understood that the party was to break up. The boys had been very merry all the evening; the discussion which had taken place just before tea seemed to have been forgotten, save by Ellis, who, genial and hearty enough with the others, was cold and haughty to Tip. Still, they kept apart, and the fun had gone on famously. There was a sudden lull in the uproar when Mr. Minturn opened the door.
"Are the walls left?" he asked, coming forward.
"Thewalls?" said Ellis inquiringly; "why, sir, did you expect to miss them?"
"Well, I had some such fears, but I see they're all right. What are you up to?"
"Ellis was telling a story, that's what we were laughing at when you came in," said Howard. "Go on, El—never mind father, he likes to hear stories."
"No," said Ellis, blushing crimson; "I think I'll be excused."
"Go ahead," said Mr. Minturn; "I'm very fond of stories."
"I was only telling, sir, how Joe Barnes talked to his father when I was down there this morning."
"Yes, and, father, you'd be perfectly astonished to hear him," chimed in Howard. "I never heard a fellow go on so in my life; he makes fun of every single thing his father says."
"Do you think there is anything very surprising in that?" asked Mr. Minturn coolly.
"Surprising! I guess you'd think so. Why, when his father is talking to him real soberly, he mimics him, and laughs right in his face."
"But I shouldn't suppose you would think there was anything strange about that."
The boys looked puzzled. "Why, Mr. Minturn!" said Ellis; "wouldn't you think it strange if Howard should do so?"
"Well, no; I don't know that I should have any reason to be astonished."
Howard looked not only surprised, but very much hurt. "I'm sure, father," he said, in a voice which trembled a little, "I didn't know I was so rude to you as all that."
"No," said Mr. Minturn, "you never have been, but I rather expect you to commence. I shall have no reason to be surprised if you and Ellis and Will Bailey, and a host of others, all go to making fun of what your fathers say to you after this."
The boys seemed perfectly astonished. "I, for one," said Ellis Holbrook proudly, "think too much ofmyfather, to be in any such danger."
"Youdo?" said Mr. Minturn; "well, now, Iamamazed. I supposed you would be the very worst one."
Howard left the table and came over to where his father had seated himself.
"Father, whatdoyou mean?" he asked, in an earnest, anxious tone.
"Why, I mean," said his father, "that I was in that room over there just before tea, and I heard the discussion which came up between you boys, and I came to the conclusion that boys who thought it such a little matter to make fun of solemn words which God has said to them, need not be expected to show much respect for what their father or anybody else said."
A perfect stillness settled over the boys at these words, and not only Ellis Holbrook's cheeks, but his whole face glowed.
Howard came to the rescue at last, very stammeringly: "But, father—I don't think—do you think—I mean—well, sir, you know Ellis and the rest of us didn't mean to make fun of what God said. Don't you think that makes a difference?"
"I don't know, I'm sure. How do you know that Joe Barnes means to make fun of what his father says?"
"He acts like it," Howard said.
"Exactly; and so do you, every one of you, except Tip. I don't say, boys, that you are all going to be disrespectful to your elders after this; I only say I don't see why your earthly friends should expect more reverence from you than you give to God."
Boys and man were all silent for a little after that, until Mr. Minturn broke the stillness by repeating reverently, "'Enter ye in at the strait gate.' I guess you all know what that means. I would like to know whether there is a boy here who thinks he has entered in at that gate."
How still the room was while he waited for his answer! Tip could feel his heart throb—throb—with loud, distinct beats; twice he tried to break the silence, and couldn't. At last he found voice: "I do, sir."
Mr. Minturn turned quickly. "What makes you think so, Tip?"
"Because I love Jesus, and I'm trying to do what He says."
Mr. Minturn's voice trembled a little: "God bless you, my boy; try to get all the rest to go through the same gate."
The town clock struck the hour, nine o'clock. The boys made a move to separate. Tip took his cap and walked out alone in the cold, clear starlight. He felt quiet and strong. It was done at last: he had taken his stand before the boys—had "shown his colours."
They all knew now that he was trying hard, and who was helping him. Things must surely be different after this, for ever.
Meantime, was Kitty forgotten? Not a bit of it. If ever boy prayed for any one, Tip prayed for her. His very soul was in it; yet thus far his prayers seemed to have been in vain. The lesson, one Sabbath morning, was on "God's answers to prayer." Tip listened closely, yet with an unsatisfied longing in his eyes.
"Mr. Holbrook," he said, waiting after the rest had gone, "is there time for just one question?"
"Yes, for two, if you like," said Mr. Holbrook, sitting down again; "what is it, Edward?"
"I want to know why God don't answer folks' prayers right away?"
Mr. Holbrook smiled. "If your questions are all as hard as that, Edward, I don't think there will be time for another to-day. But there may be several reasons: we will try to find them. Sometimes God doesn't answer our prayers at once, simply to try our faith, to see whether we are willing to take Him at His word, and keep on asking, until He is ready to give; or whether we will grow tired in a little while, and give it up. And sometimes we spend all our strength in praying, and don't work; then, often, we don't believe we shall get what we are praying for. Do you understand me?"
"No, sir," answered Tip promptly.
"Well, let me see if I can make it plainer. For whom are you praying, Edward, that you are troubled this morning, because you have not been heard?"
"For Kitty; I have been, this long time. Kitty's my sister, and I want her to love Jesus; but it don't seem to do any good for me to pray for her.
"It ispossiblethat God may be trying your patience, but not probable; I think we can find a better reason. Do you work while you pray? I mean, do you talk with Kitty,—tell her what you are praying for,—urge her to come to Christ,—try to show her how?"
Tip looked grave. "I did talk a little to her once, but it didn't seem to do her any good, and I haven't said a word since."
"Did you ever read in the Bible what is said about such praying, about saying, 'Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled,' and notdoinganything?"
Tip shook his head, and Mr. Holbrook held out his hand for the little Bible.
"Let me find it for you, and when you go home you may read it, and see if you, in praying for Kitty and never saying a word to her, are not a little like that man. Then there's another thing. Do you really believe that God will do what you ask Him? You say every day in your prayer, 'O God, make Kitty a Christian;' and yet, wouldn't you be very much astonished if Kitty should come to you to-day, and say, 'I want to be a Christian!' Are you looking out for any such thing?"
Tip generally spoke his honest thoughts.
"No," he said gravely, "I ain't."
The church bell began to ring, and Mr. Holbrook arose. "I think, if you begin to work and pray together, and then ask God to help you to believe, that He will surely do as He has promised; that you will soon find your prayers answered."
This he said while gathering up his books and papers ready to start, and then,—
"Edward, why don't you come to our Thursday evening prayer-meetings?"
Tip's eyes were full of astonishment.
"I never once thought of it," he said. "Why, Mr. Holbrook, boys don't go, do they?"
"No," said the minister sadly, "they don't; because I don't know of another boy of your age in this whole town who loves the Saviour. Only think what a work there is for you to do!"
Tip went home with his brain full of new thoughts. No, he didn't go home; he only went as far as the elm-tree, and there he sat down and read what Mr. Holbrook had marked in his Bible. Yes, that was just the way in which he had been praying for Kitty; and it was certainly true, as Mr. Holbrook had said, nothing could surprise him more than that Kitty should really and truly come to Jesus.
Before he went from under the tree that day, he prayed this prayer: "O God, teach me to believe that you will make Kitty love Jesus, and show me how to help her."
After this, of course he looked out for his chances in which to work, and of course he found them,—found one that very day. After dinner Kitty wandered off by herself. Tip watched her, and she took the road leading to the cemetery. God put it into his heart to hurry after her; so, when he came up to her, where she sat, on a large stone which she had rolled very near to Johnny's grave, his heart was beating at the thought of the great work which he had to do.
"What didyoucome for?" said Kitty, looking up.
Tip hesitated a minute, then told the plain truth.
"I came after you."
"I suppose I know that: you didn't come before me."
"I mean I came toseeyou."
"Well, look at me, then, and go off; I don't want you here."
Clearly, whatever was to be said must be said quickly, and Tip's heart was very full of its message, so his voice was tender:
"Oh, Kitty, I came to ask you if youwouldn'tbe a Christian. Idowant it so, it seems as if I couldn't wait."
Kitty looked steadily and gravely at her brother. "What do you mean by 'be a Christian?'" she asked at last.
"I mean love Jesus, and do as He says."
"What'll I love Him for?"
"'Cause you can't help it, when you find out how much He loves you, and all the things He does for you."
"What does He say do?"
"He says be good; try to do right things all the time."
Kitty's eyes flashed. "Now, ain't you mean," she said angrily, "to come and tell me such things, when you know I ain't good, andcan'tbe good? Isn't mother ugly and cross and scolding to me all the time? and don't I have to work and work,always, and never have anything? And I'm cross and get mad, and Iwill, too. I can't help it."
"Oh, but, Kitty," Tip interrupted eagerly, "you don't know about it! He helps you, Jesus does. When anything is the matter, when you feel cross and bad, you just go and kneel down and tell Him all about it, and He helps you every time. And up in heaven, where you can go when you die, nobody ever gets cross and scolds. And it's beautiful there: they sing, and have fountains, and wear gold crowns; and—and Johnny is there, you know; and I'm going, and Idowant you to come along."
Kitty's face had been growing graver and graver with every word her brother spoke, and when at last he stopped, with his eyes turned towards Johnny's little grave, Kitty's shawl was crumpled up in her two hands and held tightly to her face; and she was crying, not softly and quietly, but rocking herself back and forth, and giving way to great sobs which shook her little form.
Tip looked distressed; he didn't know what to say next; he stooped down to her at last, and spoke softly: "Oh, Kitty, I'm sorry for you! if you onlywouldlove Jesus, it would make you happy."
"I want to—I want to!" sobbed Kitty; "I would if I knew how."
Tip's heart gave a bound of joy—a surprised bound, too; he had not expected it so soon.
"It's easy, Kitty, it is, truly, if you only just ask God to do it. You see He can hear every word you say; He hears you now, but He wants you to ask Him about it. Say, Kitty, I'll go off and leave you,—I'll go where I can't see nor hear you,—then you kneel down and tell Jesus about it, and He'll help you."
"Stop!" said Kitty, as Tip was turning away; "wait! I don't know what to say."
"Why, justtellHim, just as you did me, and ask Him to help you. You see, Kitty, you can't do a thing without that; He's got to look after you every single minute, or it's nothing at all."
Tip went away, and Kitty was left alone,—alone in the spot where her brother had first found the Saviour. She felt very strangely; she had been left there alone to offer her first prayer.
Kitty had never been taught to kneel down by her bedside every evening, and repeat "Our Father;" it was all new and strange to her. She sat still a long time, with the sober look deepening on her face. At last she got down on her knees and rested her little hard hands on the hard snow which covered Johnny's bed, and she said, "Jesus, I want to be what Tip says. I want to love you if you'll let me. Nobody loves me, I guess. Tip says you'll help me all the time. If you will, I'll try."
After she had said this, slowly and thoughtfully, stopping long between each sentence, she didn't feel like rising up; she wanted to say more, so she repeated it, adding, "Tip says I must be good. I can't be good, but I'll try."
Over and over was the simple, earnest prayer repeated.
Tip did not go back to Johnny's grave; he took a side road down through the edge of the grove, and so went home; and when he reached home, he went up to his attic room, and knelt down and prayed for Kitty as only thosecanpray who have been working as well as asking for what they want.
Kitty was stirring the pudding for supper when he saw her again,—stirring away hard at the heavy mass, which grew thicker and harder to stir every moment. He went over to her.
"Kitty, let me do this;" and she gave up the pudding-stick. Tip stirred away.
By and by she leaned over the kettle to put in some salt, and as she sprinkled it around she caught his eager, longing look. She nodded her head. "I guess He heard," she said softly.
"IknowHe did," Tip answered, his eyes very blight; in his heart he sang "Glory!" And the angels in heaven sang for joy; for that night there had been laid aside a white robe and a crown of gold for Kitty Lewis.
Tip was very undecided what to do. He went out on the steps and looked about him in the moonlight; then he came in and took a long look out of the window. At last the question, whatever it was, seemed to be settled. He turned with a resolute air to Kitty who was washing the tea-dishes.
"Kitty, don't you want to go to prayer-meeting up at the church?"
Kitty dropped her cup back into the dish-pan and stood looking at him, a good deal surprised. At last she said,—
"I'd like to, Tip, but I don't look decent to go anywhere. I've only this dress and my old hood."
"I wouldn't mind that," said Tip. "I've only this awful old jacket either, but I mean to go. Hurry up the dishes, and let's go."
"Well," said Kitty at last, "Iwill; but what will mother say?"
"I'll fix that." And Tip stepped softly into the bedroom. "Are you better to-night, father?"
"Not much better, I guess. How's arithmetic to-day?"
"First-rate; Mr. Burrows said I was getting ahead fast. Mother, may Kitty go out with me to-night? I'm going up to the church to prayer-meeting."
Mrs. Lewis turned from the basket where she had been hunting long, and as yet in vain, for a piece of flannel, and bent a searching bewildered look on her son.
"I don't care," she said at last; "she can go if she likes; but I doubt if she will."
Shedid, however; in ten minutes more the two were walking along the snowy path. Kitty was sober. "Tip," she said presently, "don't you never get real awfulmad, so mad that you feel as if you'd choke if you couldn't speak right out at somebody?"
"Well, no," said Tip, "not often. Yes, I do too; I get mad at Bob Turner sometimes, mad enough to pitch him into a snow-bank; but it don't last long."
"Well, mine does," said Kitty. "I begin in the morning; something makes me cross, and I keep on getting crosser and crosser every minute, till it seems as if I should fly. Do you suppose I'll always do just so?"
"No," answered Tip positively, "Idon't. You keep on trying a little bit harder every day, and by and by you'll find that you don't get cross more than half as easy as you used to. I know it will be so, because I've tried it in other things: when I first began to behave myself in school, it was thehardestwork—my! You can think how I wanted to whisper, and things kept happening all the time to make me laugh, but I just kept trying, and now I hardly ever think of whispering. Kitty, does mother know?"
"No," said Kitty, "she don't."
"If I were you, I'd tell her."
"Oh, Tip, I can't! She never looks at me without scolding me; I can't talk to her about this."
"Yes, you can; I'd surely do it if I were you. It will be a great deal easier to try hard if mother knows you are trying."
They were almost at the church door.
"Kitty," said Tip suddenly, "let's pray for father to-night. I've been praying for him this long time; you help me."
Step by step, God was leading Tip Lewis in the narrow way. No sooner was he seated in the bright, warm little room, and had listened to Mr. Holbrook's earnest prayer, that every Christian there might do something for Christ that night, than the struggle began: what ought he to do for Christ? People all around him were, one after another, offering prayer or saying a few words. Ought he to? Could he? Oh, he couldn't! Who would want to listen to him? It wouldn't do any good. There was Mr. Burrows right in front of him; he would be ashamed of him, perhaps. Yes, but then, ought he not to own his Saviour? Mr. Holbrook had spoken of the verse, "Whosoever will deny me before men," and had made the meaning very plain. Mr. Minturn had just prayed that no one there might be ashamed of Christ. The end of it all was, that Tip slipped off his seat down on his knees, and said, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Show me how to pray. I don't want to deny Christ. I want to love Him. I want the boys in our school, and my father, and everybody to love Him. I'll try to work for Jesus. I'll try to work for Him. Help me every day, and forgive my sins for Jesus' sake. Amen."
Tip had never felt so near to God as he did when he arose from his knees. Mr. Holbrook's voice trembled with feeling, when, soon after, he prayed for the young disciple who had early taken up his cross.
At the close of the meeting, the minister pressed his way through the little company of people who were waiting to speak with him.
"Good evening, all," he said hurriedly. "Excuse me to-night, brother," to Mr. Minturn, who would have stopped him any way; "I want to speak to some people before they get away from me;" and those who watched, saw him hurry on until he overtook Tip Lewis and his sister.
"Good evening, Edward. This is Kitty, I think. How do you do, my little girl? Edward, do you know such a Bible verse as this: 'I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplication'?"
"No, sir," answered Tip eagerly; "isthere such a verse?"
"Yes, somewhere in the Psalms you will find it. I don't remember just where. Can you feel the truth of it when you think of your sister?"
"Yes, sir, Ican. Goddidhear me."
"And you think you love Jesus to-night, Kitty?"
Kitty felt a great awe for the minister, and her "Yes, sir," was low, and spoken in a timid voice.
"What makes you think so?"
"I—I don't know; only I pray, and He hears me, and I like to."
"Well, now, Kitty, almost the first thing which people think of after they have found Jesus, is something to do for Him; they begin to look around to see what they can find. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know, sir; I haven't got anything I can do."
"Ah, that's a mistake! you can find plenty of work if you look for it; only don't look too far, because it is the little bits of things which come right in your way that Jesus wants you to do. When you brush up the room, and set the table neatly, and brighten the fire, and do little thoughtful things that help your mother, then you are pleasing Jesus, doing work for Him. Isn't it pleasant to think that in all those little things He is watching over you, and that you make Him glad when you do them well? Do you know that one of God's commands is, 'Honour thy father and thy mother'?"
"No," said Kitty softly.
"It is; those are the very words; Edward can find them for you in the Bible; and honour means more than obey; it means, try to please them in the very smallest things."
They were very near the corner where Mr. Holbrook must leave them. He laid his hand gently on Tip's shoulder, as he said, "Speaking of Bible verses, Edward, I have one for you this evening, in the Saviour's own words: 'Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father which is in heaven.' Good-night."
Tip understood him, and there was a bright look in his eyes. The two walked on in silence for a little. Presently Kitty said, "I guess Mr. Holbrook don't know just how mother is, or he wouldn't talk so."
"Yes, but," said Tip quickly, "God knew all about it always, you know; and yet He said that verse."
"So He did," answered Kitty gravely.