Mother Meg

ew to his cost; and when he had nothing much to do he used to employ his fingers in another way. Besides, there we

and builders of every class, and he soon had made up his mind that he would learn all he c

ty-five he found himself still only a painter, with a

took work in the country; and Jem, valued for his trustworthiness and general ability, was often

ear he had been sent to help in repairing Mrs. MacDonal

nd had been struck with her

he very utmost of their means, and had behaved in a

en they had just met one of their acquaintances in gaudy finery,

rked and poor as she was, no one

the hall, or passing to and from her mother's cottage, he knew he had to do

as over, thinking of all this, and enjoying the quiet twilight, when

he asked, coming up to the

at the subject of his th

passing greeting, and now in the dusk hardly recognized

you!" she

s it?"

came to drop it. I should not mind so much only that i

age to find it. When did

at that stile, because I turned there to look

the twilight had deepened quickly, and the de

you, ain't it?"

ed up my dress, and it must have slipped then.

a lantern at the stabl

t here," sh

home; I'll come back an

and I will come early to-morrow. No one passes this

it can be found to-night it is far better nor waitin'. Th

a serious tone in this man's

earing the light in

e, ain't it?" ask

w did yo

here. May I come up

ther surprised, but not

, he bade her an abrupt good-bye,

ion of the stables, and then she opened

for this month, mother; but I

xiously down the lane, as if with her old

I could have let you take it to be

ence. She wished it too; but how

led down the lane, and

hought

ey say to me? I told them I should be home early. I'll

m came back with it to the cottage, the little

bird he caught her at last; "and I haven't anything nice to offer you, Meg. I can't give yo

he went on as if he must s

, and I know now what I didn't perhaps enough understand when I set my heart on you, that my speech and my bringin'

? What would he do if she accept

t her hand

ng, Jem," she whispered, "and th

ry happy!" he answered, clasping her hand tightly; "for

nce you told me all that happened two years ago.

mission, he had walked home from the evening service with he

y, and I stopped to listen. They marched along slowly, half-a-dozen of 'em carryin' a banner in front of them, with the words in large letters on

be born ag

e born ag

verily, sa

be bor

have told me where I could ha' got a bit more work. That's what would ha' been good news to me, I thought. But I went with 'em, for all that; and the end of it all was, that I was born again! That very night I got into a new sort o' man. I left all the old things f

means too," Meg ha

d then they did not speak again t

ut up with me, Meg?" he asked, the day before h

ke to hear about Jesus? That's the Good Shepherd what

d by putting he

said: "that as long as God gives m

you!" she answered, while tw

ry and the great Hall, and her mother and youn

, and much good advice, and Meg entered on her n