ket had how many children that old gentleman whether he had anything in his pockets for them. You see John's mind rather ran upon children. He had two, twins, a girl and a boy, John and Mary, just his own and wife's names, so they were called Little John and Mary Little. It is hard to get away from these twins, now that we have begun to talk about them; but we must: we have nothing to do with them to-night, except as we look into our John's-John the Big's-mind, for in that mind are stowed the twins. They are safe in bed now at home, and safe in John's mind at the same time. But it is extraordinary how fast they grow! Now, children grow when they sleep, every one knows that; and while the twins, just a year old, are laid in their little bed, Mary is watching them, and John the Watchman is watching them in his mind, off by the warehouse. As they look steadily at them, how fast they grow! It is only eight o'clock now, and John is seeing in his mind's eye - for that is what looks on in the mind John is seeing a great John and Mary: a stout young man, who has grown up in three hours, like Jack of the Bean-stalk; a wonderful young man, who has been at college, and knows so such dear me! John the Watchman begins to wonder whether son John will not think his father dreadfully ignorant, and a foolish old man. And he sees Mary, now Mary the Tall, a fair young woman, as beautiful as her mother, moving about so gracefully, that the old house looks very homely for so charming a maid to live in; and John sighs to himself, and then starts with a laugh, and in a twinkling, John the Wise and Mary the Tall are back in their cradle again, with their thumbs in their mouths. They have been growing just in the same way, as Mary looks at them. The passers in the street gradually were fewer and fewer the changing noises in Broadway died down; the lights, except in the street lamps disappeared one by one, and still John kept his pacing by the great warehouse. He looked up now and then at the windows of the hospital which stood near by. He often looked there, and tried to fancy what the people behind were doing. He would see forms pass and repass, get up and sit down, and he knew that behind those stone and brick walls there were many poor sufferers, who tossed restlessly through the night, and wished that morning would come, morning, that brought nothing but a change of pain. He could see a light in one of the windows now. There were people moving about in the room, slowly, and it seemed to him very gently. He saw a woman pour out a draught by the light, and carry it to the sufferer on the bed, he did. not doubt; and John fell to thinking how many people there must be, rich and poor, who were sick that night, and he was well and walking about. John was a simple sort of a man. When he thought of this, he looked up for a moment, and thanked God that he was well. Then he began to think about Little John and Mary Little. What if they should be taken sick, and this very night! and he went on and prayed to God to take care of John and Mary. Click! click! click! a sharp tap three times on the sidewalk. The same sound again. John the Watchman knew what it meant. He must stay at his post, but all about came hurrying the city watchmen, with their clubs in their hands. He heard a noise, cries, terrible words, sharp blows. It was confusion; but he knew that there, down the street, a fight was going on. Presently a squad of men came up the street, dragging a fierce, ragged man, who gesticulated and shouted; behind, came shortly another body of men, bearing on their shoulders a wounded man, while an angry, cowardly gang of men, women, and boys hung about, or turned and fled, when it seemed as if they would be pursued. Tramp, tramp, they went past John the Watchman. "What is it? " he asked in a low tone. 66 Stabbing!" said one of the men, and on they went, the wild man screaming, the wounded man groaning, as he was borne painfully along. - John trembled as they left him. He could not help it; he was not a coward let any one try the warehouse and see! but John had just been thinking about Little John and Mary Little. He thought of them again, and shuddered. He seemed to see them in that crowd. He looked up at the warehouse. It was bolted and secured at every point. There was money, he knew, behind those stone and iron walls. He was set there to watch, because wicked men there were, who would risk life to rob the warehouse. He heard the screaming man, whom the officers could not quiet, as they dragged him along, and of a sudden it seemed to him that the city was full of wicked men and women. And this was Christmas Eve, and how long it was since He had come to save the world. More than eighteen hundred years, and was this all? How could he, with his fatherly heart, keep Little John and Mary Little from ending like this? John was a simple man; he prayed to God to keep the children from sin. Let them be sick and suffer, if need be, he said, but keep them from sin. John looked earnestly up and around. He saw the bolted warehouse. There was all that money; and yet people, if they could go in and take it all, would not be made righteous by that. There was the hospital. Good people built it and watched in it; but they could not keep their own children from sickness. And John whispered to himself, No! they could not keep their own children from sin. There stood the dim outline of a church. People could go in and out: did that keep them right? Poor John began to be dizzy, as he thought of these things. "Why, what can keep us right?" he cried aloud. "God is so far off. He sees us and hears us, but we can't see Him. How can I be sure that Little John and Mary Little will be right, and keep right?" and he saw the twinkling stars, and the clear blue sky, and the thought rushed over him, - Only the pure in heart shall see God. "Lord God!" he cried. "How long? how ›ong?" Did the blue sky open? was there a move |