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why shouldn't we be? Are people expected
to be sick? As for our home, we've worked
hard to make it what it is, and I can't see
any great reason for thanksgiving in Percy's
case. Goodness knows he has been unfortunate
enough since he went down South to
be a doctor, instead of staying at home on
the farm as I wanted him to. I don't say
but what the boy has been plucky. He
wouldn't be his father's son if he weren't, or
his mother's either, for that matter. But
he had had two bad runaways and smash-ups,
with dear knows how much damage to pay;
he has too much Maybrick pride to let me
know that, and the poor boy will always be
lame after the last accident then, there was
that fire in his office last month, had all
his stuff burned, and barely escaped with his
life. If you can see cause for thankfulness
in all that, I can't. But how much do you
want to give at this Thank-offering Meeting?
I suppose the money is the main thing."
"No, it is not, Henry. The money is worth
nothing if it is not given with a willing heart;
but I thought I would like to give five dollars."
"Five dollars! Not if I know it. I
am wiling to give anything reasonable; but
five dollars to give to your Woman's Missionary
Society is ridiculous, and I suppose
Hester wants five dollars more for her gift!"
"No; father," said Hester, whose face had
flushed hotly during the discussion, and
whose indignant protest had only been kept
back by a pleading look from her mother,
"I have my poultry money, and will give my
offering out of that." Oh, will you?" said
her father. "Well, if you have five dollars

4

to give in a lump to missions, you may buy
your own clothes out of your poultry money.
I have other uses for my money than to throw
it away like that." An angry answer to this
unjust decision was again restrained by a
look from the gentle mother, and the farmer,
himself in no very amiable frame of mind,
left the table to go to the barn and help
Frank, who had gone some time before, do
up the evening "chores."

Mother and daughter meanwhile set about
their household duties, which were never
neglected, as everything about the house
showed. For Mrs. Maybrick, like every
good woman to whom God has given a husband
and family and home to care for, made
these her first care, never to be slighted for
any outside work, and well Farmer Maybrick
knew that he had as good and thrifty a wife
and daughter as could be found in the
country-side; and well he knew, too, that
no home duty was ever set aside by them for
missionary or any other meeting. In the
main he was a good husband and father, fond
and proud of his gentle, lady-like wife, and
his pretty, dark-eyed young daughter, as well
as of his sons. He was a good neighbor,
too, always willing to given a helping hand to
those around him when it was needed; but
like too many others, living his life "just as
if Jesus had never lived, as if He had never
died."

This cause of missions was very dear to
Mrs. Maybrick's heart, and she and Hester
had some earnest discussion on the subject
of the Thank-offering Meeting, as they went
about their daily duties; but with the men

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