GOOD RESOLUTIONS. 35

foot. Twice he opened his mouth as if to speak, but
no words came from the white lips. Finding speech
impossible, he suddenly seized his father's hand,
kissed it passionately, and fled hastily from the
room.
 "Didn't Jack look queer?" questioned the child
curiously; but her father put her hastily down and
walked to the window. There he stood gazing out
at the fast-gathering darkness, while storms of emo-
tion worked in his breast.
 Instinctively Polly remained where she was, not
venturing to approach him until some ten minutes
later when her nurse came for her; she then stole
to her father's side and gave him one quiet good-
night kiss.
 It was not for an hour after this that Jack returned
to the sitting room. When he did so, both he and
his father had regained their usually quiet and unde-
monstrative manner. Instead, however, of a dogged
look, there was a quiet determination in the boy's
face, and he carried a huge bundle of his lately-
neglected school-books under his arm.
 Father," he said boldly, as he arranged his books
on the table near the lamp, "I'm going to work in
earnest for the future, and I won't let myself be idle,"
and his eyes quite flashed with earnestness.
 "That's right, my boy," said Mr. Gilbert, much