44 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



Each morning the members of the family were wont 

 to drop into her room "promiscuous-like" and talk over 

 plans for the day, hopes for the morrow, events of the 

 past Her sympathies were always ready and warm, 

 so that " telling mamma " was a necessity of their lives, 

 whether she approved of what they had to tell, or the 

 reverse. Her faith was of the most unquestioning 

 kind, — childlike in simplicity, feminine in its trustful- 

 ness, masculine in its strength. She would say, when 

 some great difficulty had to be faced, or some appre- 

 hended trouble to be overcome, " We will do the 

 best we can, and when all else fails just trust in 

 Providence ! " and that became a family saying, for 

 though her children laughed over the impulsively 

 stated, and not very clear expression of her senti- 

 ments, they knew she meant they should do their 

 best, believing that where honest endeavour fails, God 

 takes up the burden. 



On Sunday evenings the family, including servants, 

 and usually one or two humble neighbours, were col- 

 lected in our mother's room for what one called her 

 " preachment." Her reading and expounding of Scrip- 

 ture were like the telling of a dramatic tale, and the 

 vivid pictures she drew of Jewish life, character, and 

 romance held all entranced. 



All were allowed to ask questions, and the reader 

 was frequently startled by the remarkable proposi- 

 tions advanced by such persons as " Cauds," the farm- 

 man. 



"Benjamin," being irrepressible at all times, and 



