the weak, and patient cheerfulness to the poor and lonely.

Then the child wondered no longer, but deeper grew her love
for the tender-hearted Elves, who left their own happy home to cheer
and comfort those who never knew what hands had clothed and fed them,
what hearts had given of their own joy, and brought such happiness
to theirs.

Long they stayed, and many a lesson little Eva learned: but when
she begged them to go back, they still led her on, saying, "Our work
is not yet done; shall we leave so many sad hearts when we may
cheer them, so many dark homes that we may brighten? We must stay
yet longer, little Eva, and you may learn yet more."

Then they went into a dark and lonely room, and here they found
a pale, sad-eyed child, who wept bitter tears over a faded flower.

"Ah," sighed the little one, "it was my only friend, and I
cherished it with all my lone heart's love; 't was all that made
my sad life happy; and it is gone."

Tenderly the child fastened the drooping stem, and placed it
where the one faint ray of sunlight stole into the dreary room.

"Do you see," said the Elves, "through this simple flower will we
keep the child pure and stainless amid the sin and sorrow around her.
The love of this shall lead her on through temptation and through
grief, and she shall be a spirit of joy and consolation to the sinful
and the sorrowing."

And with busy love toiled the Elves amid the withered leaves,
and new strength was given to the flower; while, as day by day the
friendless child watered the growing buds, deeper grew her love for
the unseen friends who had given her one thing to cherish in her
lonely home; sweet, gentle thoughts filled her heart as she bent
above it, and the blossom's fragrant breath was to her a whispered
voice of all fair and lovely things; and as the flower taught her,
so she taught others.

The loving Elves brought her sweet dreams by night, and happy thoughts
by day, and as she grew in childlike beauty, pure and patient amid
poverty and sorrow, the sinful were rebuked, sorrowing hearts grew
light, and the weak and selfish forgot their idle fears, when they saw
her trustingly live on with none to aid or comfort her. The love
she bore the tender flower kept her own heart innocent and bright,
and the pure human flower was a lesson to those who looked upon it;
and soon the gloomy house was bright with happy hearts, that learned
of the gentle child to bear poverty and grief as she h