nd beautiful,' and he could not help thinking that they who
lived in sight of 'this handiwork of their blessed Maker must be moved by
the contemplation to lead pure and holy lives.' Among some bills Philip
found a miniature which had been painted of William Carey soon after he
was ordained. It represented a thin young curate, with long hair that fell
over his head in natural curls, with dark eyes, large and dreamy, and a
pale ascetic face. Philip remembered the chuckle with which his uncle used
to tell of the dozens of slippers which were worked for him by adoring
ladies.

The rest of the afternoon and all the evening Philip toiled through the
innumerable correspondence. He glanced at the address and at the
signature, then tore the letter in two and threw it into the
washing-basket by his side. Suddenly he came upon one signed Helen. He did
not know the writing. It was thin, angular, and old-fashioned. It began:
my dear William, and ended: your affectionate sister. Then it struck him
that it was from his own mother. He had never seen a letter of hers
before, and her handwriting was strange to him. It was about himself.

My dear William,

Stephen wrote to you to thank you for your congratulations on the birth of
our son and your kind wishes to myself. Thank God we are both well and I
am deeply thankful for the great mercy which has been shown me. Now that
I can hold a pen I want to tell you and dear Louisa myself how truly
grateful I am to you both for all your kindness to me now and always since
my marriage. I am going to ask you to do me a great favour. Both Stephen
and I wish you to be the boy's godfather, and we hope that you will
consent. I know I am not asking a small thing, for I am sure you will take
the responsibilities of the position very seriously, but I am especially
anxious that you should undertake this office because you are a clergyman
as well as the boy's uncle. I am very anxious for the boy's welfare and I
pray God night and day that he may grow into a good, honest, and Christian
man. With you to guide him I hope that he will become a soldier in
Christ's Faith and be all the days of his life God-fearing, humble, and
pious.

Your affectionate sister,
Helen.

Philip pushed the letter away and, leaning forward, rested his face on his
hands. It deeply touched and at the same time surprised him. He w