the men is making a brotherhood.
Why, man," cried Amos, "it refreshes one's faith like a tragedy."

"Hello, Aunt Avey," piped the cheery voice of the little old Doctor, as
he came toddling through the front door. "It's a boy--Joe Calvin the
Third." The Doctor came back to the desk where Amos was standing and
took a chair, and as Amos drifted out of the store as impersonally as he
came, the Doctor began to grin.

"We were just talking of children," said Brotherton with studied
casualness. "You know, Doctor," Brotherton smiled abashed, "I've always
thought I'd like lots of children. But now--"

"I see 'em come, and I see 'em go every day. I'm kind of getting used to
death, George. But the miracle of birth grows stranger and stranger."

"So young Joe Calvin's a proud parent, is he? Boy, you say?"

"Boy," chuckled the Doctor, "and old Joe's out there having a nervous
breakdown. They've had ten births in the Calvin family. I've attended
all of 'em, and this is the first time old Joe's ever been allowed in
the house. To-day the old lady's out there with a towel around her head,
practically having that baby herself. The poor daughter-in-law hasn't
seen it. You'd think she was only invited in as a sort of paying guest.
And old lady Calvin comes in every few minutes and delivers homilies on
the joys of large families!"

The Doctor laughed until his blue old eyes watered, and he chirped when
he had his laugh out: "How soon we forget! Which, I presume, is one of
God's semi-precious blessings!"

When the Doctor went out, Brotherton found the store deserted, except
for Miss Calvin, who was in front. Brotherton carried a log to the
fireplace, stirred up the fire, and when he had it blazing, found Laura
Van Dorn standing beside him.

"Well, George," she said, "I've just been stealing away from my children
in the Valley for a little visit with Emma."

"Very well, then," said Mr. Brotherton, "sit down a minute with me. Tell
me, Laura--about children--are they worth it?"

She was a handsome woman, with youth still in her eyes and face, who sat
beside George Brotherton, looking at the fire that March day.
"George--good old friend," she said gently, "there's nothing else in the
world so worth it as children."

She hesitated before going so deeply into her soul, perhaps picking her
verbal way. "George--no man ever degraded a woman more than I was
degraded. Yet I brought Lila out of it, and I thank God for her, and I
don't mind