will wrastle with that boy as Jacob did of old with the
angel."

"Oh, Brother Simpson, I knowed you 'd come. I know jest how you feel
about pore wanderin' souls, an' I 'm so glad to have yore strong arm and
yore wisdom a-helpin' me."

"I hope, my sister, that the Lord may smile upon my poor labours, and
permit us to snatch this boy as a brand from eternal burning."

"We shall have to labour in the sperrit, Brother Simpson."

"Yes, and with the understanding of the truth in our hearts and minds."

"I 'm shore I feel mighty uplifted by comin' here to-day. Do come up to
dinner Sunday, dear Brother Simpson, after preachin'."

"I will come, Sister Prime, I will come. I know by experience the worth
of the table which the Lord provides for you, and then at the same
season I may be able to sound this sinful boy as to his spiritual state
and to drop some seed into the ground which the Lord has mercifully
prepared for our harvest. Good-bye, sister, good-bye. I shall not
forget, Sunday after preaching."

In accordance with his promise, the Rev. Mr. Simpson began to labour
with Fred, with the result of driving him into a condition of dogged
revolt, which only Miss Prime's persistence finally overcame. When
revival time came round, as, sure as death it must come, Fred regularly
went to the mourners' bench, mourned his few days until he had worked
himself into the proper state, and then, somewhat too coldly, it is
true, for his anxious guardian, "got religion."

On the visit next after this which Mr. Simpson paid to Miss Prime, he
took occasion to say, "Ah, my sister, I am so glad that you pointed me
to that lost lamb of the house of Israel, and I am thanking the Maker
every day that He blessed my efforts to bring the straying one into the
fold. Ah, there is more joy over the one lamb that is found than over
the ninety and nine that went not astray!"

Mr. Simpson's parishioner acquiesced, but she had some doubts in her
mind as to whose efforts the Lord had blessed. She felt a little bit
selfish. She wanted to be the author of everything good that came to
Fred. But she did not argue with Mr. Simpson. There are some concessions
which one must make to one's pastor.

From this time on the preacher was Fred's friend, and plied him with
good advice in the usual friendly way; but the boy bore it well, for
Elizabeth smiled on him, and what boy would not bear a father's tongue
for a girl's eyes?

The girl was like her mother, da