bondage. He saw that the once luxuriant springs of her nature were dried up, he still hoped they would live again. When he looked at the bloodshot eye and bloated face, he asked himself again and again.—

·. And will the mother a monster prove,
And fill a drunkard's grave?

Oh, lend thine aid, Almighty God,

There's none but thee can save,"

Mrs. Willard had for several times during the day urged her husband to lie down, but he was incorrigible, he waited anxiously for the Doctor's arrival. At length, becoming alarmed, he sent for Dr. Spencer. After Joe had been gone long enough to return, Bob told Mr. Willard that the Doctor had been in the house nearly all day.

"Why didn't you tell me before? Tell him to come in immediately."

"Tell him to come in," Bob imper

tinently replied. "He is as drunk as a dog-dead drunk; and I took him as I would a dog, three hours ago, and dragged him in the back room, so that there needn't anybody see him. I should think by the noise that he has made the last half-hour, that he thought the day of reckoning was at hand, by the way he has cast up his accounts. I'll be bound if I don't be thrown over-board before I'll clean up after him."

Mr. Willard's heart sank within him as he closed the door upon his informant. Again he bent over the little sufferer, and shed more bitter tears than he ever shed before. He said, without raising his eyes, "Laura and Agnes, we must do all we can for him, as we cannot obtain medical aid."

He was soon laid in a warm bath, his convulsions ceased, and symptoms of consciousness appeared; his extre

mities were rolled in flannel, and cold applications were applied to the head. As his mother handed him his drink, he opened his eyes and smiled. Agnes in a flood of tears exclaimed, "He knows us, he knows us-he hasn't looked so much like himself before, to-day."

Everything was done for the child that kindness could invent. Agnes more than once during the evening went to her little room and knelt down and asked God to bless the means that were being used for the restoration of the child. Mrs. Willard appeared more like a mother than she had ever seen her before, and for this she endeavored to return thanks. She resolved to watch with him during the night, though she was very much fatigued. But her sufferings were always forgotten when she saw that she could be useful. Hearing an unusual noise

in the bar-room, she hastened down and called Joe to the hall, and told him that the house must be kept quiet, for Ashbel's life depended upon it.

66

I thought he was better," said Joe. "His symptoms are, but he is so weak."

"Well, Agnes, I will do all I can to keep the house still, but that is not much!"

"Joe, will you tell me what that noise was that I heard just now?" 66 suppose I can, if that will be any satisfaction to you."

"No particular satisfaction, only I hope the like will not be heard again," said Agnes, turning to leave him.

"Agnes, don't be in a hurry. I don't think Mr. Willard knows much what is going on in his house. Dr. Spencer has been so that he couldn't navigate all day, and he is a particular favorite of Mrs. Willard's; if he hadn't

been, I should have sent him adrift before this."

"You shouldn't mind that, Joe, she is only a cipher in her family."

"A cipher, she is less than a cipher."

"Well, Joe, I hope she will do better; she has appeared better to-day than I have ever seen her; I hope she will reform."

"Your faith is stronger than mine, you walk by faith and I by sight. Just give her a chance to get at the cellar or bar, and then see if she wouldn't make as much noise in meeting the floor as the Doctor has."

"Why do you give it to him, then ?"

"I hav'n't given him a drop to-day. Willard made him drunk this morning the first thing; and he has been sitting for the last half hour looking more like an ourang-outang than