ot, however, till we know
how to put on this wondrous robe are we invulnerable.

Although Mrs. Hayden had learned much and lived much in these last few
months, there came a time, as the summer drew near, when it seemed that
everything was slipping away from her. Not her health, except that her
old headache occasionally threatened her, but things did not seem as
clear to her. Many problems were only in a partial state of solution,
and a vague dissatisfaction, a helpless discouragement took possession
of her at times, very hard to bear, especially when contrasted with the
light she felt had so long guided her. Of late even her treatments
seemed almost fruitless. Her old-time impatience had manifested itself
on several occasions, and one warm June morning she went about her work
in a decidedly old-fashioned mood.

It was Monday, and in addition to the washing to be seen to, the little
extra help to be rendered the girl, her husband had sent her a large
case of strawberries to be put up, manlike, forgetting that this day at
least was full. She was hastening to get them ready before the dinner
hour, and the "picking up" of the sitting-room, so essential Monday
mornings, had been left till a more convenient season.

Mabel had gone to school, while Jamie and Fred were playing in the sand
in the back yard.

With her hands in the berries, and her thoughts busily engaged, she was
suddenly roused from her reverie by the noisy entrance of Fred, who just
came in for a drink of water. As he turned to go out, he threw his arms
around his mother's neck and gave her a boy's impetuous hug, and a kiss
that ought to have rejoiced any mother's heart, but this morning it
annoyed her. "Run away, now; mamma hasn't time this morning," and she
pushed him impatiently away. Just then the door bell rang, and Fred
sprang to answer it. In another moment he ushered into her presence a
shabbily dressed, poor, miserable looking woman, who immediately asked
for a drink of water. "I can get it," said the ready Fred. While he was
gone, the woman began her request:

"Plaze, Ma'am, would you be wantin' some garters to-day? They are
warranted by the very man as made 'em. My boy is layin' sick, and his
father is dead, and all my health has been took away carin' for him, and
a friend of mine, she has been in this business a long time, and says
it's very good some days, and she let me take her place to-day, so if
you could take a pair or two to-day it would