her.

Elaine, sweet-tempered, quiet and studious, became a great comfort to her mother, a companion to her brother, and was the joy and pride of her father's heart.

Two more daughters and another son came to her home, but like delicate buds, too frail to blossom, faded away in a few months, and Gertrude felt that she had given those bright jewels into her Father's care and keeping.

From one large city to another, Mr. Lawrence and his family traveled, always on the wing, staying only a few days in a place, that James might have the advantage of the knowledge and skill of eminent surgeons; but it was of no avail; all said the same! There was no hope-and his heart grew harder and more bitter towards his devoted wife; and although outwardly as loving and polite as usual, when they were alone he embittered her life with taunts

"Oh, mamma, sister, come here," exclaimed James as he was reclining in an easy chair by one of the front windows. "See! Uncle Roy is coming with papa!"

"Yes, it looks like him," quietly said Gertrude, as she and Elaine went to the window.

In a few minutes the men came in, and a happy greeting followed. "Where did papa find you, uncle?" asked Elaine.

"Oh, I came to Ogden this morning on business, and I met your papa on the street, and I knew you would all enjoy a surprise," he answered.

In the midst of their talking, James suddenly said, entreatingly, "Oh, papa, I want you to grant me a great favor. Will you please, papa?"

"My boy," earnestly answered De Witt, "you know I'll do anything you wish. What is it this time? A pet canary?" and he laughed as he caressed him.

"Oh, no, papa, but I am almost afraid to ask you-and, papa-my heart is so set on this thing that if you do not grant it, I will never ask you for anything again."

"My darling, do not say that—of course, I will agree to get it for you

-no matter what it costs."

dear, old papa, and I will whisper it "Then lean down your head, you in your ear," James said solemnly.

Mr. Lawrence bent his head over the child for a moment, and no one spoke in the room. Straightening himself to his full height, De Witt looked at his wife sternly and angrily.

"Did you tell him to ask me that?" he asked severely.

Her face paled beneath that fierce look, but she answered calmly:

"I do not know what he has said to you."

"No-oh, no-papa," said James excitedly. "Mamma does not know. It

is I who want it," and his eyes beseechingly followed his father as he paced the room. In deep silence all watched De Witt struggling against some unseen power, and Gertrude and Leroy lifted their hearts to God in prayer that the decision might be wise and for the boy's good.

"James," he said, stopping in his hurried walk, "is there nothing else that will satisfy you, darling?"

"No, papa-nothing-it is my only hope, and you will surely grant it. Won't you?"

"My precious boy, I cannot refuse that pleading face. I can deny you nothing. I will do it," he said, and dronning on his knees beside his boy, he laid his head in James' lap.

Pana-papa-you have made me very, very happy. May God bless you." James spoke earnestly as he smoothed his father's hair.

Rising suddenly, De Witt turned to Leroy:

"Will you go out into the city," he said, "and get some Mormon Elders to come here for this boy? I would not know where to find them." And he continued his rapid walking across the room.

Leroy arose quickly and went out. Elaine went to James and they conversed in low tones. Gertrude leaned back in the rocker with her eyes closed. Sometimes De Witt would stop in front of her, as if he intended speaking, then with a contemptuous look would again pace the floor.

Soon footsteps were heard in the hall, and Gertrude arose quietly and opened the door to admit Leroy and two Elders.

Again were they surprised when Leroy said: "Mr. Lawrence, allow me to introduce an old friend of mine-Mr. Harold Montrose-and I believe vou have met this other gentleman-Mr. Alex Waldron."

"This is a day of surprises," said Elaine.

"You come as an angel of peace to our afflicted home," said Gertrude sadly, as her hand clasped Harold's. "I hope and pray that we may indeed be messengers of light to this household, and that the power of the priesthood may be manifested in us," he answered.

James was overjoyed to see "Uncle Alex," and told him of his faith that he might be healed through their administration.

While the Elders prayed, De Witt knelt with them, but when they anointed James with the oil, he walked to the window and stood with his back to the chair around which all the rest were gathered.

As the words of administration ceased, he turned, saying, "I will go and order a lunch served here, that we may enjoy our friends' society a little longer."

He left the room without looking toward James, who lay as in a stupor.

Leroy followed him into the hall, and after a few words persuaded him to come back.

When he saw his boy lying so helpless, with such a deathly pallor, he fell on his knees and groaned, "Have you killed him?"

The rest also knelt and Harold offered an earnest prayer for the power of God to be manifested in the healing of this boy according to his

faith.

prayed for many days that this heal

"You Mormons have some power that I can't understand," said De Witt, as a queer expression crossed

his face.

"Oh, papa, it was God who healed me, and I am well-cured-from head to foot," exclaimed James. "How glorious it is to be able to walk. Sister, you must teach me how to step properly, for I feel more like leaping and jumping than walking."

"I cannot stay here," Mr. Lawrence said, as he arose, "I will go out on the street, but will soon return and we will have a pleasant evening together. James, be careful, do not walk too much, or you will be too tired to visit with your uncles." And he was gone. "Uncle Roy," asked Elaine, "how did you find Uncle Alex and your friend so quickly?"

"Oh, that was easy," laughed he. "You see, your mamma had written many times about her desire to have James healed, and when I received her telegram yesterday, saying, 'Come to me at Ogden,' I knew that she needed help, and I had Alex and Harold come with me. They took rooms at the Broom Hotel-just across the street from here-while I walked around the streets until I met your father. We have fasted and prayed for this healing ever since I received your mamma's telegram." "Thank God that you answered my telegram so promptly," said Gertrude, looking affectionately at her son.

"Mamma," said James, "it was the sight of Uncle Roy, which made me think of what you had so often told me of the healing power in the priesthood, and I asked papa to bring some Elders for me."

"My dear boy," exclaimed Gertrude, as she embraced him. "I have

James came to Leroy, and throwing his arms around his neck, burst

into tears.

"Oh, uncle, where is my papa-I want my papa to be here-I can't be happy without my own dear papa," he sobbed.

"I will bring him back to you." said Leroy rising.

"I wish you would," Gertrude said anxiously, "for I have felt uneasy ever since he left."

"No, Leroy," said Harold, "you remain with your sister, and I will find him. Will you go with me, Alex?"

"Yes, Harold, if Gertie will excuse me for a little while, I will go. Adieu, children," And he laughingly threw a kiss to Elaine and James as they left.

Alex and Harold stood on the corner undecided down which street to turn, when they saw a crowd gathering on Washington avenue, and without speaking, they both started in that direction.

"I feel that we must hurry," said Alex.

"De Witt is in that crowd, and he is hurt."

"I know it," exclaimed Harold, as they started to run.

"Let us see him," called Alex, as they came near the crowd. "Who is it? What is the matter?"

"An unknown man has been run over," was the answer, as they stood aside to let the newcomers look at him.

Harold knelt by the prostrate man. who was unconscious.

"He is still alive," he said. "Call a hack."

"It is our brother," explained Alex to the crowd. "He lives at the Reed Hotel."

The crowd now dispersed as Harold and Alex put De Witt into the hack and all were driven back to the hotel.

They took him to his rooms, and with the aid of a doctor, he soon was able to speak to those standing around him. He told them that he was walking along, thinking of his boy's remarkable cure, when a horse's hoof struck him down and he was thrown under the wheels; he felt a crushing weight on his chest, then he knew no more until he saw his children and friends around his bed.

Elaine and James wept bitterly, and he requested Gertrude to take them away for a little while. As soon as they were gone, he told Leroy and Alex that he was bleeding internally and he knew he could not live many hours, but he wished to make a confession, which they could use their judgment as to whether it should be communicated to Gertrude or not; the wealth which had always been at his command, had been obtained by gambling; he always had an office of some kind, real estate or commission, so as to keep up appearances, but his business was gambling; he was always successful, won by fair means if possible, if not, then by cheating; today he had lost heavily, and he had only $2,000, which he called his own. He asked them to invest this for his wife and children; to see that James learned some useful trade.

"And, oh, my brothers," he concluded earnestly, his voice failing with the weakness of death, "take them among the Saints, help them to be good Mormons, but, oh, never let them know that their father was a gambler. Now call them back that I may ask forgiveness of my faithful wife and kiss my darling children."

Leroy and Alex promised to be faithful to the trust imposed upon

them.

De Witt's breath grew short and labored, and the doctor gave him a stimulating draught. After a few words of good bye, with a humble prayer for forgiveness, his repentant spirit passed into eternity.

Gertrude shed no tear; her grief was not that which pours itself out at the fountain of the eyes; she sat stunned and bewildered; her blood seemed to have been driven from her heart and she felt icy cold; she scarcely spoke, but moved listlessly and mechanically at any one's bidding.

Elaine, hiding her own grief, tried to comfort her mother. James was inconsolable. His father was to him the ideal of all that was grand, noble and pure, and when he realized that he had gazed into that loving face for the last time, he felt crushed and heart-broken.

In the midst of this severe trouble and sorrow, Harold was indeed like a ministering angel unto them. He made all the necessary arrangements, and before Gertrude, Elaine or James had recovered from the shock of this terrible ordeal, he had them all on the train going south.

"Where are we going?" asked Elaine, as the cars moved slowly out of the depot.

"Home," said Leroy, "home to Aunt Connie and Aunt Alice."

"Home to those who love your mamma dearly," said Harold, "and would see your papa tenderly laid away among friends."

"Oh, Mr. Montrose," exclaimed Elaine, "you are so good, so kind," she sobbed as her grief burst afresh.

"Sister Elaine, look at mamma," whispered James; "what will she do?"

Gertrude sat looking from her children to the gentlemen and back again with wild, staring eyes, as if reason were leaving her-she arosestood a moment-swayed slightly, stretched her hands forward-gasped -"Oh, Connie-oh, mother-where

Restoratives were applied, and she passed into a semi-conscious state,until they were nearly home.

Everything that was possible for loving friends to do was done to alleviate the sorrow of the bereaved family; when all was over, and De Witt Lawrence had been buried near Gertrude's father and mother, the family all gathered at Leroy's home, and he and Alex told of De Witt's instructions on his deathbed, of a failure in his business by which all his money had been lost, except the small amount on hand.

"Brother," Gertrude said humbly, "I feel so confused-but if you will only think for me, I will do as you say. I want to gather up the broken threads of my life, and make a home

Another house was built on the old home place (where Connie and Alex lived), for Gertrude and her children. So once again the two sisters and brother were as one family, and the little ones were all happy together.

One day, two of Harold's daughters came to Gertrude and asked her to give them music lessons; this was the beginning of a large class in music with Gertrude as teacher.

Elaine obtained a situation as school teacher, and James attended the B. Y. College at Logan. He expects to follow the profession of a doctor when he finishes at school; his lameness never returned, but he keeps his old crutches as a souvenir of God's love and mercy.

"Where the sweet magnolia blossom, Grew as white as snow."

During a recent study of nature in the south, it occurred to me that it might be interesting to mothers to hear the comparison of it with ours in the north. If there is one thing more than another, perhaps, that makes a person feel that she is in the sunny southland, it is, that all vegetation grows more luxuriantly, and much of it, ver differently from that of the north. What seems strange to an observer looking at an oleander or a row of violets, is the increased size and strength as compared with ours. Where we cherish and guard the palms as something that the wind should scarcely touch, here they flourish as tall trees in all their native beauty and pride.

Having noticed that the lower leaves had apparently been trimmed. in circles close to the stalk, I remarked to a southern lady that the people must have taken great pains to trim them so accurately, when she smilingly replied:

"Very few trim the palms; nature does it, as soon as a leaf has fulfilled its mission, it drops from the parent stem as neatly as you see, as if it had been cut with a knife.”

And the thought occurred to me, that nature ever does well, it is man who ofttimes spoils her work. Here in the moist south the poplar thrives. I found rows upon rows of the trees, but apparently doing no better than ours in sunny Utah.

The rice, which is indigenous to the soil of some portions of the