were fastened to the shoulders of one party and white ribbons

'You were quite right, she said, 'and I am glad now he was not here. I am afraid I was very fretful; but oh! you don't know what it is to see a baby so ill.'

'Poor little boy--' John would have said more, but she went on, with tearful eyes and agitated voice.

'It does seem very hard that such a little innocent darling should suffer. He is not three months old, and his poor little life has been almost all pain and grief to him. I know it is wrong of me, but I cannot bear it! If it is for my fault, why cannot it be myself? It almost makes me angry.'

'It does seem more than we can understand, said John, mournfully; 'but we are told, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter."'

'When all the other young things--lambs, and birds, and all--are so happy, and rejoicing in the sunshine!' continued Violet; 'and children too!' as some gay young voices floated in on the summer air, and brought the tears in a shower.

'Don't grudge it to them, dear Violet,' said John, in his gentlest tone; 'my dear little godson is more blessed in his gift. It seems to accord with what was in my mind when we took him to church. I do not know whether it was from my hardly ever having been at a christening before, or whether it was the poor little fellow's distressing crying; but the signing him with the cross especially struck me, the token of suffering even to this lamb. The next moment I saw the fitness--the cross given to him to turn the legacy of pain to the honour of partaking of the Passion--how much more for an innocent who has no penalty of his own to bear!'

'I have read things like that, but--I know I am talking wrongly--it always seems hard and stern to tell one not to grieve. You think it very bad in me to say so; but, indeed, I never knew how one must care for a baby.'

'No, indeed, there is no blaming you; but what would comfort you would be to think of the Hand that is laid on him in love, for his highest good.'