"I'd like that firstrate, father. I'll go to bed now so as to be up in season." He folded the letter carefully and put it in the drawer. He wanted to say that he had resolved to turn over a new leaf; but he had not the courage. As he was reluctantly leaving the room he caught the eye of his father fixed full upon him, with an expression of such yearning tenderness that he sprang forward and clasped his arms round his father's neck and kissed him.
Never since he could remember had he given such an embrace; but it did them both good. There was a sob, and then a laugh in which all in the room joined. Mr. Crawson held the boy off at arms-length and looked at him with a smile. Never had their hearts been drawn together as now.
As Amos and his brother left the room Amos said with a sneer:
"I guess I'll try murdering folks, and see whether dad'll cosset me up. Bah, it makes me sick!"
DANIEL AND AMOS FISHING.
"Amos," called out Mr. Crawson, "I told you to get up and work in the garden; but you may go with us if you'd rather. I aren't agoing to have my boys think I'm partial to ary one."
The next day when Mrs. Dodge went to the kitchen she found a large blue fish, nicely dressed for cooking; lying on a platter.
"Daniel Crawson brought it," Ellen said laughing, "and he'd got another one for the Doctor. He said they were alive this morning. He caught them himself. Oh, there's a little paper too."
She took from her pocket a soiled piece of paper which seemed to have been torn from a book. On it was written with a pencil: