Blair Collection > Rhys Lewis, minister of Bethel

i8o RHYS LEWIS.
saved in the end, while we children of the kingdom, were cast
into outer dai-kness ? "
Mother spoke much more iu the same strain. I never re-
member seeing Bob so attentive to what she said; and unless
there was something the matter with my sight, I fancy his eyes
filled with moisture more than once. Mother was so absorbed
in her theme that she forgot, for a while, to offer my brother
and his friend something to eat. But it turned out that both
had been feasting it somewhere before coming home, and
mother at last was considerate enough to place the currant
cake before Will and myself. I say it with a clear conscience :
if Will and I, under every subsequent circumstance, did our
duty as well and thoroughly as we did it when the currant cake
was brought face to face with us on this particular midnight,
Will would not be where he now is, and I would be a much
better minister of the Gospel than I am. Mother ordered Will
and myself off to bed. I felt perfectly happy, and according to
Will's testimony, given the moment before he began to snore,
the only trouble upon his mind was my refusal to allow him to
give the Irishman " a downer."
CHAPTER XXIII.
BOB.
MOJS^THS went by. The work at Red Fields prospered under
the management of Abraham Jones, who, by this time, had
brought the place to order. Expenses were less and profits
greater than when the "Lancie," as he was called, was over-
seer, while the workmen received a wage of which they could
not complain. The unpleasant words " oppression" and " in-
justice" were no longer heard in our house, and Bob was
wholly satisfied with his earnings. In a few weeks he paid off
every farthing of the debt my mother had incurred during his
imprisonment, and poverty and want were banished our cot.
But was my mother happy? Bob's wages, as I have said, were
more than enough to meet the family requirements, and mother