s anxiety, however, he managed to drop his broom, which fell with a
thud on the floor, the noise of which caused all the children to stop their
singing and turn round to look at him. This was too much for the poor
little fellow, and he tried to get out again as quickly as he came in.
Just as he was turning to go, however, a lady with the most beautiful face
he had even, came up, and, laying her hand upon his shoulder, said,
"Don't go away, dear. Come and sit down!" and she led them to a form near
the stove. At the same time, a man who was standing upon a low platform at
the other end of the room called out in a quick voice--"Attention,
children!" and immediately the singing went on again. After the hymn was
finished the children seated them-selves, and the gentleman spoke to them
about the One who had said "Suffer little children." He pictured to them
the scene of Jesus going on His journey surrounded by His disciples.
He told them how the mothers came, bringing their little children along the
hot dusty road to meet Him, and how delighted they were when Jesus took the
little ones up in His arms and blessed them. And then he held up before
them a picture, and, pointing to the central figure, he said---

"Look, dear children, this Man with the kind face is Jesus.
See how lovingly He looks at the little children. Wouldn't some of you
have liked to have been there?"

A low murmured "Yes!" came from the children as they listened breathlessly.

"Well, dear children," he went on, "Jesus loves you as much as He loved
those children. He is sorry for you when you are hungry and cold.
He wants you to be good too, for it makes Him very sad when you steal,
or say bad words, or quarrel and fight. He is getting a beautiful place
ready for you to live in; but you must let Him help you to be good, and
some day He will send His angel to fetch you to go and live in that
beautiful place."

After he had finished speaking, Miss Elton, the lady who had spoken to Bob
at the door, came up to the platform, and in a sweet, clear voice,
so that the children could understand every word, she sang to them the
well-known hymn---

"I think when I read that sweet story of old."

There was a pin-drop silence in the room when she left off and then they
all sang a hymn together, after which the gentleman prayed a short,
simple prayer, and the meeting was over.

With much noise the little ragged children departed to their homes,
but Bob sat