beneath the fatal tree.
Rushing back, she almost carried Louise (while the growling continued),
and they were soon up the hill. In the house they told of their strange
experience, the substance of the story being, "The bear; The bear!"

Mr. Worthington soon joined the excited circle and secretly explained to
his wife that he had been the supposed bear and that he had taken this
course to teach the children a lesson. His plan was successful, for
after that the children did not care to go to the lake alone.

Mrs. Worthington, however, was very sad because her children had been
deceived. Unlike her husband, who was not a Christian, she believed in
keeping the confidence of her children and in praying with them when
they were disobedient. She decided to be more prompt and watchful in the
future and to shield them from temptation as much as possible.

She improved the opportunity for some wholesome instruction. From the
stories of Jonah and King Saul she brought forth some excellent lessons
on disobedience. She told the children that, although they might think
when tempted to disobey that nobody saw them, yet there was one whose
eye was ever beholding their deeds, whether good or bad. Then she knelt
in prayer with her children, praying with a full heart to that God who
is everywhere present and from whom all our strength must come, that he
would teach her how to guide the precious souls entrusted to her care.

CHAPTER IV.

GOD'S CARE.

Considering this mother's deep piety, do you think it strange that she
saw God's hand in everything that befell her, and ascribed praise to him
for it all?

After the return of the family to their home in Chicago the father
became very ill. His sickness was so severe and so long continued that
poverty began to threaten them. Mr. Worthington could not take the
resigned view of their circumstances that his wife took, but often gave
way to complaining. But Mrs. Worthington thanked God that things were no
worse and ever encouraged her husband with the promises that God would
provide.

At last Christmas morning came and found them in extreme poverty. Mr.
Worthington still weak from his illness, but able to go around a little,
came in from his morning walk very gloomy and feeling that his friends
were very few. "This is the saddest Christmas I have ever known," he
said to Mrs. Worthington. "It is almost more than I can bear to know
that I have nothing to give the children today, an