MR. WITTLEWORTH's WRONGS.
Maggie, fluttering with delight, had taken Mr. Checkynshaw's check to her father when she carried his dinner. The barber was astonished as well as pleased with the gift, and, having drawn the check, deposited the money in the Savings Bank, as a provision for dark days, like those through which they had passed at the beginning of André's illness.
After supper the family gathered around the cooking-stove in the kitchen. Never before had they been so happy as now, and never before were they so strongly attached to each other. They had passed through the storm of privation and trial—they had triumphed over adverse circumstances. Leo tried to study his lesson, while André and Maggie were talking about the great event of the day, and comparing their present situation with the first days of the barber's illness, when all of them were trembling for the future.
"God has been very good to us, my children, and I hope we shall always be grateful to him for his mercies," said André, as a tear, which he could not repress, stole down his pale cheek.
"I'm sure I never felt so good before in my life; and I know my prayers mean more to me now than ever before," replied Maggie.
"We have been faithful to each other, and God has been faithful to all of us, as he always is, even when we forsake and forget him."
"Ah, mon père, how could we help being faithful to you, when you were always so kind to us!" exclaimed Maggie, as she rested her hand on André's arm. "And Leo—he has really been a lion! You don't know how brave he was; how he worked, and how he persevered! It was all make, and no break—wasn't it, Leo?"
"It has been, so far," replied Leo, less demonstrative, but not less delighted than the other members of the family. "I think we can do anything we make up our minds to do. I have made up my mind to take the Franklin medal this year, and, make or break, I'm going to do it."
Leo bent over his slate again, and seemed to be determined, make or break, that he would attend to his lessons, whatever happened in the room. Unfortunately, in this instance, it was at least a partial break, for a very imperative knock was heard a few moments later at the front door. André answered the summons, and admitted Mr. Wittleworth.
"I hope I don't intrude," said Fitz, as daintily as Paul Pry himself could have said it.