em
more freely, actuated by the desire to win new citizens for the kingdom
of heaven, and to guide his wild associates into such paths as would
make them a blessing to their native land.

Blair's heart had been like rich ground, in which his mother had been
sowing, sowing, sowing good seed, prayerfully waiting until it should
spring up and take root to his own salvation and the glory of God. That
happy time had come. All the words of counsel, all the pure teaching
that had been stored in his mind, seemed now warmed into life, and ever
rising up to prompt him to good and guard him from evil. Happy are the
boys who have such a mother.

A series of rainy Saturdays had postponed the question as to whether the
Fairport Guard should parade as usual under the command of their long
honored captain. A bright sunny holiday came at last, and Blair's
decision on this point must now be declared. Long and prayerfully the
boy had considered the subject, and his conclusion was fixed and
unalterable.

The change in Blair's principles and feelings had not alienated him from
his former companions. Each one of them had now for him a new value.
They were to him wandering children of his heavenly Father, whom he
longed to bring back to that Father's house. The wildest and most erring
among them called forth his most tender interest, as farthest from the
kingdom of heaven and in the most danger of utter destruction.

Blair's love of his country too had been but deepened and increased by
his late realization of the allegiance he himself owed to the King of
kings. His native land was now to him a dear portion of the great
vineyard on which he desired the especial blessing of God. He more
deeply appreciated the fact that every true Christian man is indeed an
element of wholesome life and prosperity to the neighborhood and land in
which he dwells. The boys of the present day were soon to be the men on
whom the state must rely for power and permanency. With a true patriot's
zeal, Blair resolved to do all in his power to bring the boys of
Fairport to be such Christian men as would be a blessing in their day
and generation. These thoughts had gone far to fix his decision with
reference to the Fairport Guard.

It was with a burst of enthusiastic applause that the little company saw
Blair appear upon the public square in his well-known uniform. His
three-cornered hat of black pasteboard was surmounted by a long black
feather, and fastened under