she saw that they would be more likely to be dishonest that day,
to revenge themselves for the working of the new system.

The girls were not all dishonest, or even a majority of them, but
the plan must be applied to all. Most of them went home,

therefore, and shortly returned with money enough to buy one or
two dozen sticks. As Mrs. Redburn had predicted, the effect of

the adoption of the new plan was unfavorable for a few days. The
obstinate ones would not buy, hoping to make the wholesale dealer

go back to the old plan. After a week or two, however, they began
to come back, one by one, and the trade rather increased than

diminished; for many of the young merchants, having the
responsibility of selling out all the stock imposed upon them,

used greater exertion than before, and strong efforts almost
always produced some success.

Thus the business went on very prosperously though Mrs. Redburn
and Katy were obliged to work very hard--so hard that the former

began to experience a return of her old complaint" target="_blank" title="n.抱怨；叫屈">complaint. The
affectionate daughter was frightened when she first mentioned the

fact, and begged her not to work any more.
"What shall I do, Katy?" asked she, with a smile.

"Let me make the candy," replied Katy. "I am strong enough."
"No, Katy, you are not. I am afraid you are injuring yourself

now."
"I am sure I am not. But I can't bear to think of your being sick

again."
"We must look out for our health, Katy; that ought to be the

first of our earthly considerations."
"We ought, indeed, mother; so, if you please, I shall not let you

pull any more candy."
"Shall I save my own health at the expense of yours?"

"I shall get along very well. I feel very strong."
"You are not very strong; I have reproached myself a great many

times for letting you do so much as you have. I have felt the
pain for a fortnight, and though I greatly fear I shall have a

return of my complaint" target="_blank" title="n.抱怨；叫屈">complaint, I cannot let you do all this work. We are
neither of us fit to perform such hard labor and both of us must

be relieved from it. I shall go out to-morrow, and make a
business of finding a person to do this work for us."

Mrs. Redburn did try, but she tried in vain. It was odd, queer
strange work, as the women called it, and they didn't want to do

anything of the kind. Katy proposed that they should employ a
man; and when they finally found one, he was a stupid fellow, and

they much preferred to do the work themselves, to seeing him daub
the house all over with the candy, and leave it half done.

They persevered, however, in their efforts to find a person, and
after trying half a dozen, who could not or would not do the

work, they gave it up in despair. But not long were they
permitted to struggle with the severe toil which their

circumstances imposed upon them; for on the night before
Christmas, when a large demand for candy was anticipated, and

both of them had worked very hard, Mrs. Redburn fainted and fell
upon the floor. It was in this manner that she had been taken at

the commencement of her former long sickness, and to Katy the
future looked dark and gloomy. But she did not give up. She

applied herself, with all her energies, to the restoration of her
mother; and when she was partiallyconscious, she attempted to

conduct her to the bed. The poor woman's strength was all gone,
and Katy was obliged to call in Mrs. Howard to assist her.

Mrs. Redburn suffered the most severe and racking pains through
the night, and at about twelve o'clock, Katy went to Mr. Sneed's

house, and calling up Simon, begged him to go for a doctor. But
the physician's art seemed powerless to soothe her. All night

long the devoted daughter, like an angel of mercy, hovered around
the bed, and did all he could in vain attempts to ease the

sufferer's pain.
Poor Katy! The sun of prosperity had set, and the night of

adversity was coming on.
CHAPTER XVIII.

KATY STRUGGLES BRAVELY THROUGH A SERIES OF TRIALS.
The morning sun rose clear and bright, casting a flood of light

into the chamber of the sick mother, watched over by the beloved
child. It was Christmas, and all over the Christian world arose

paeans of praise for the birth of the Saviour. The sufferer was
conscious of the fact, and a sweet smile played upon her lips, as

she thought of Jesus--that he had lived and died for her. Pain,
that could rack the bones and triumph over the weak body, was

powerless to subdue the loving, trusting spirit, that reposed
gently on Him who has invited the weary to a present and an

eternal rest.
"Katy," said Mrs. Redburn, in a faint whisper.

"I am here, mother," replied she, bending over her and
endeavoring to anticipate her unspoken desire.

"Is the hymn book on the table?"
"Here it is, mother."

"Won't you read me a hymn?"
"What shall I read?" asked Katy, who could with difficulty keep

back the flood of tears that rose up from her heart.
" `Come, said Jesus' sacred voice.' "

Katy opened the book to the beautiful hymn commencing with this
line, and in a voice broken by the emotion she could not wholly

control, she read it through. The smile that played on her
mother's face showed how deep and pure was the consolation she

derived from the touchingpoetry. She could smile while racking
pains tortured her frame, while her frail body seemed hardly to

retain its hold upon mortality. How blessed the hope that pours
its heavenly balm into the wounds of the sufferer!

Poor Katy was painfully" target="_blank" title="ad.痛苦地；费力地">painfully impressed by the appearance and conduct
of her mother. She had never before seen her so calm and resigned

to those dreadful sufferings. She had heard her complain and
murmur at her hard lot, and wonder why she should be thus sorely

afflicted. She feared that some appalling event, which she dared
not define and call by its name, was about to happen. She dared

not think of the future, and she wondered that her mother could
be so calm while she endured so much.

"Katy," said Mrs. Redburn, after the long silence that followed
the reading of the hymn, "I feel very weak and ill. Take my

hand."
"You are burning up with fever!" exclaimed Katy, as she clasped

the hand, and felt the burning, throbbing brow of her mother.
"I am; but do not be alarmed, Katy. Can you be very calm?"

"I will try."
"For I feel very sick, but I am very happy. I can almost believe

that the triumph of faith has already begun in my soul. The world
looks very dim to me."

"Nay, mother, don't say so."
"I only mean that as heaven seems nearer, my hold upon earth is

less strong. You must be very resolute, my child, for I feel as
though the sands of life were fast ebbing out; and that in a few

hours more I shall be `where the wicked cease from troubling, and
the weary are at rest.' If it were not for leaving you, Katy, I

could wish to bid farewell to earth, and go up to my eternal
home, even on this bright, beautiful Christmas day."

"O mother!" sobbed Katy, unable any longer to restrain the
expression of her emotion.

"Do not weep, my child; I may be mistaken; yet I feel as though
God was about to end my sufferings on earth, and I am willing to

go."
"O, no, mother! It cannot be!" exclaimed Katy, gazing earnestly,

through her tearful eyes, upon the pale but flushed cheek of the
patient sufferer.