“I believe it _is_ possible,” she said with the utmost confidence, though she was sure she couldn’t tell why. Mose shook his head sorrowfully--“I don’t see how, said he--father is not strong as he used to be--mother is sick, and Fred and Charlie are too young to do anything useful. I feel that I _must_ stay at home, though I should die at my post. Besides, there is no one to help me.”
Hesper was silent, but her heart was full of sympathy. She glanced down at the foam-covered stream as it fell over the dam and dashed boldly over every obstacle. Then she raised her eyes to the cloudless heavens, where the stars were shining brightly and the full moon looked kindly down upon her.
“_God_ will help us,” she said earnestly. Mose looked steadily in her face, and then as he, too, glanced upward, the same feeling of hopefulness and child-like confidence in the fatherly care of God came over him.
“Yes, God will help us,” he responded, “and we will trust in Him.”
That was enough--their hearts were at rest. Had they been older, the doubts and skepticism which often come with riper years, might have intervened to dim the brightness of their cheerful faith; but as it was, their child-like hearts leaned with unwavering confidence upon this great staff of hope, in the full assurance that it would not fail them.
“Good night,” whispered Hesper, as she held up her cheek for a parting kiss.
“Good night,” replied Mose, as he gave it, and the next moment she was gone.
THE Greysons lived in a long, low, double house, situated near the seashore, with nothing around it to render it attractive or agreeable. The other part was occupied by a family named Grimsby. The father was in California, and the mother went out washing. She was exceedingly sensitive on this point, however, and was so much afraid the neighbors would think less of her on account of it, that she never missed an opportunity of telling them they were no better than herself--that every cent she had, she earned honestly, and that was what everybody couldn’t say. Some were foolish enough to reply, but they usually suffered for it, as Mrs. Grimsby’s tongue was the terror of the whole neighborhood. She was quite sure, she said, that the time would come when she should be able to look down on those who despised her now, and make them feel it an honor to have their children associate with hers.