the child grew stronger and more beautiful, with a likeness to her and a oneness with her which were marvelous.  He was a loving and affectionate boy to all; his father, his grandparents, old Ike, and swarthy Hannah,—­all alike sunned themselves in the delight of his beautiful childhood.  But wherever he was—­however amused and delighted—­even in his father’s arms—­his eyes sought his mother’s eyes, and the mute interchange between them was subtle and constant as between lovers.  There was but one drawback on Draxy’s felicity now.  She was afraid of her love for her boy.

“O Seth!” she said,—­after little Reuben’s birth she for the first time called her husband by this name; before that, although she lavished on him all words of endearment, she had never found courage to call him Seth,—­“O Seth!” she said, “I feel now as you did about me before we were married.  I can’t make myself think about anything but Reuby.  O darling! you don’t think God would take him away from you to punish me, do you?” The Elder could not comfort her when she was in this frame of mind; in fact, he himself was sometimes afraid, seeing her utter absorption in the child.  Yet it never for one instant warped her firmness or judiciousness of control.  Draxy could not have comprehended that type of love which can lose sight for one instant of the best good of the loved one.  Her control, however, was the control of a wise and affectionate companion, never that of the authoritative parent.  Little Reuben never heard the words, “You must not do thus and so.”  It was always, “You cannot, because it is not safe, best, or proper,” or, “because if you do, such and such things will happen.”

“Draxy,” said Reuben to her one day, “you never tell Reuby to do anything without giving him a reason for it.  He’s the best boy that ever lived, I do believe, but ’tain’t just my idea of obedience for all that.”

Draxy smiled.  “I never said a word to him about obeying me in his life; I never shall.  I can’t explain it, father dear, but you must let me do my way.  I shall tell him all I know about doing right, and he will decide for himself more and more.  I am not afraid.”

She need not have been.  Before Reuby was seven years old his gentle manliness of behavior was the marvel of the village.  “It beats all how Mis’ Kinney’s brought that boy o’ hern up,” was said in the sewing-circle one day.  “She told me herself that she’s never so much’s said a sharp word to him; and as for whipping she thinks it’s a deadly sin.”

“So do I,” spoke up young Mrs. Plummet, the mother of Benjy.  “I never did believe in that; I don’t believe in it, even for hosses; it only gets ’em to go a few rods, and then they’re lazier’n ever.  My father’s broke more colts than any man in this county, an’ he’d never let ’em be struck a blow.  He said one blow spiled ’em, and I guess ye’ve got more to work on in a boy than ye have in a colt.”