“Give all the glory and thanks to God, who has kept your father from drunkenness and crime, my boy,” the captain said, laying his hand affectionately on his son’s shoulder, and giving him a look full of fatherly affection. “But for His restraining grace I might have been the worst of criminals.”
Then taking up the Bible and opening it, “Now, we will have our reading and prayer,” he said, “and then go to our beds.”
“I just know Gracie is longing for this, if she’s awake,” said Lulu, as her father took her in his arms, after prayers, to give her a goodnight kiss.
“I trust she is asleep ere this, the dear pet!” he replied. “I seem to see the dear little face lying on my pillow with the sweet blue eyes closed in sleep and almost a smile on her lips; the babies asleep in the nursery, with the door open between, and Mamma Vi seated somewhere near, writing a letter to her absent husband. Ah, I should be homesick to-night if I hadn’t these two of my loved flock with me.”
“And I’d be dreadfully homesick if I wasn’t with my dear father,” she responded, clinging lovingly to him. “You are a good deal more than half of home to me, papa; and, oh, but you were good and kind to bring me with you!”
“And me, too,” added Max. “Papa, I am sure this trip to the far West will be something to remember all my life.”
“I hope so, my boy,” his father said. “It has been my desire to make it so enjoyable to you both that it will be to you a pleasant memory all your days.
“To-morrow we will attend morning and evening service at the mission church—Sunday school also—and in the afternoon have our usual home exercises, going on with our regular Bible and catechism lessons exactly as if we were at Woodburn.
“On Monday I expect to take you to see the cattle ranch Mr. Short pointed out in the distance, this afternoon.”
Both thanked him, expressing themselves pleased with the plans he had mapped out for the two days.