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in the misfortune of his children, —an- nouncing as gently and hopefully as pos sible the sore troubles of the past few weeks, and begging her to put her affairs in order for leaving home without delay, after his next letter, and joining him in Charleston, or at Tampa, as might then bo specified. This letter he mailed in Savannah, promising to write again by first opportunity after being able to learn what was desirable in the case. On reaching Charleston ho was greatly relieved to learn that Mrs. Gordon was not only alive, but much more calm and resigned, although still almost crazed with grief at the possible loss of her children. His last letter, received during her illness, and at a moment when she was hopeless ly sinking under her sorrows, had com municated intelligence so much more de finite and cheering, that she began in stantly to rally, and was now, the physi cian declared, in a fair way to recover. Her large, lustrous eyes flashed with joy on the entrance of her husband, and before a word was uttered she read in his calm countenance the general state of the case. “Have you found them?” she asked, with a wild yet subdued energy, the mo ment she was able to speak. “Hot exactly, but almost,” he replied, smiling. “We were so near, as was man ifest by their fresh tracks and other signs, that to this moment I cannot understand how we missed seeing each other.” He then narrated, in cheerful tone, the scene upon the island, the discovery of Prank’s handkerchief, the flying signal, bearing her own mark, the traces of the tent under the oak, the bones and shells, and other evidences of good living, and the tracks leading to the water, where they had evidently embarked. He con cluded by saying— “l am persuaded they left the island on their return to Tampa, and I cannot account for our not overtaking them on the way, or not finding them at Bellevue, except by supposing that, in seeking the inside passage back, they had lost their way in some of the many creeks and inlets that entangle the coast. They were evidently safe and well two days, possibly one day, before my visit to the island.” Mrs. Gordon was a lady of great gen tleness and sweetness of manner, yet, when roused, capable of as much energy and resoluteness as was suitable to her sex. And she was roused now. Reduced as she had been by disease and distress, unable even yet to sit alone, she express ed her resolution to accompany her hus band on the first vessel that offered pass- BURKE’S WEEKLY. age to lam pa, and thence, if necessary, to go with him on another exploring tour down the coast. This wild, and almost maniacal, resolve on her part, caused Dr. Gordon great perplexity. He could see in it nothing but embarrassment to his own more effective movements, but well knowing the uselessness of attempting to reason with a mother half crazed with grief, he resolved to yield, as far as possi ble; to her desire, and to make at once arrangements for carrying it out. He then wrote to his sister, Mrs. Mc- Intosh, requesting her to join him at her earliest convenience at Tampa, prepared for an indefinite stay, and putting at her disposal the means for hiring, or, if neces sary, for purchasing a small sailing vessel at Mobile, which she might command for bringing her direct to Tampa, and which might afterwards be used for any other purpose. A few days after this there appeared in the city papers an advertisement of a ves sel prepared to sail in a short time for New Orleans, with the expectation of stopping at several points upon the Gulf coast, and among them at Tampa. This determined him to execute his plan at once, for Mrs. Gordon’s health had rapid ly improved since his return, and he could not ask for a more hopeful means of far ther improvement in her weak state than the tranquilizing influence of a pleasant sea voyage. He, therefore, engaged a passage for her and himself, and arranged that their two younger children should be left in the care of a relative. A third letter to Mrs. Mclntosh announced his expectation of speedy departure, and gave her the names of several parties in Mobile to whom he had written to fulfil for her the business part of the transaction, and to look out for her a suitable and trust worthy person as sailing master.- Can’t Leave the Store. Little Mary was discussing the great hereafter with her mamma, when the fol lowing ensued : “Mamma, will you go to heaven when you die?” “Yes, I hope so, my child.” “ Well, I hope I’ll go too, or you’ll be lonesome.” “Oh, yes, and I hope your papa wi go, too.” “Oh, no, papa can’t go; he cant leave the store !” Youth is fed by poetry and imagi nation ; mature age by realities; as plants draw all their nourishment from the an until they bear fruit, and afterwards from the ground only. OUR DARLING MINNIE. fINNIE was about four years old when she made her first and last visit to the Sunday-School. She saw, she heard, and ad all. She learned but one Her teacher said to her: your mamma that God is These words were impressed on that tender and active mind. She carried them home. She earnestly repeated them to her parents. “ God is love ; the teacher said so.” She told it to her neighbors ; mixed it with her little ditties and amusements. She seemed delighted, as though she had learned something of value and interest. “ God is love; the teacher said so.” She believed it. In a few days more she was laid prostrate with fever, and soon passed away in death to be with the angels. That faithful Sunday-School teacher, in that one lesson, was the occasion of giv ing to those afflicted parents untold re lief, rest, and even composure, which they might otherwise have never known. That lesson has fixed one great central truth in the human heart on earth, and the messenger who did it has gone among the angels. And we cannot doubt that it will ever bind those parents’ hearts to the throne of God. "W ho can say that Minnie’s heart did not instinctively feel and enjoy God through that name by which he is known on earth? The child instinctively craves and enjoys what the body needs; why may not the soul feel and enjoy what it needs of God ? Teachers, give your pupils choice words to carry home; they may fall as seed in to good ground. ♦♦♦ Sowing Seed. Said a father to his little daughter: “When you laid aside that interesting book and attended to what your mother wished done, you were sowing seeds of kindness and love. When you broke the dish that you know your mother valued, and came instantly and told her, you were sowing seeds of truth. When you took the cup of cold water to the poor woman at the gate you were sowing seeds of mercy. These are all beautiful flowers, Bessie. Hut when you were impatient with baby, you sowed the seeds of ill temper. When you waited some time after your mother called you, you sowed disobedience and selfishness. These are all noxious weeds. Hull them up. Do not let them grow in your garden.” 387