This is not so in all cases.  What mercy could we attribute to God, did he willingly entail misery upon the innocent, or punish them for the crimes of the guilty?  Why call it a dispensation of Divine justice, that would condemn to weeks, months and years of wretchedness, the mortals he brought in the world himself?  Who hath seen the hovel of the pauper; beheld its wretched inmates, heard their tale of woe, heard them tell of days passing without their having a crumb of bread to satisfy the cravings of hunger, or seen them in that last stage of destitution, when hunger brings on despair, until the mind wanders from its seat, and madness takes its place; heard the raving of the maniac, his frenzied call for bread, and his abject desolation, until death came kindly to relieve his sufferings, and felt not that the hand of God had never worked so much ill for his people?  Is it profanity to say that the eye of God had wandered from them?  We believe it; for the Book that teaches us of the Almighty, depicts him as a God of mercy and compassion.  The eye of the Omnipotent is not upon the wretched.  “He seeth all things,” but there are times when His eyes are turned from those who endure the storm of a cold and heartless world, and He knows not of their suffering, until the Angel of Death brings their spirit before the Judgment seat.

God had not deserted the soldier’s wife, but His eyes were turned away, and He saw not her condition.  Thus was she left unaided by the hand of Providence.  She felt her desolation, for as each day passed by, and her condition became worse, she knew that her prayers were unanswered.  They reached not the ear of the Almighty, and the innocent children were allowed to participate of that bitter cup, which the chances of worldly fortune had placed before the unhappy family.

Three days sped away quickly, and the fatal morning arrived.  She had no money to pay the rent, and the day passed away without Mr. Elder receiving a visit from her.  She dared not to tell him of her position, but awaited patiently his arrival on the following day, for she well knew he would be sure to come.

The next morning saw him at her door, much annoyed at the trouble she gave him to call and collect the money.  Mrs. Wentworth had nothing to say, nor had she a dollar to satisfy his demands.

“Good morning, madam,” he said, as she opened the door to admit him, “I was much surprised at your not calling to pay the rent at my office on yesterday.  I admire punctuality above everything else.”

He entered the room, and cast his eyes on its empty walls.  They did not satisfy him, for the absence of any furniture told the tale of the soldier’s wife in a more graphic manner than words could have done.

“What does this mean?” he enquired.

“It means that necessity has compelled a mother to sacrifice everything to keep her children from starving,” Mrs. Wentworth replied.

“Humph,” said Mr. Elder.  “This is singular.  So I suppose,” he continued, addressing her, “you will say you have no money to pay your month’s rent in advance.”