e, and
they may be assured she would never forget them, and would not be long
in revisiting them."
"_Ach!_ if the child were to find her own friends, her father or her
mother's people, that would be altogether a different matter," they said
simultaneously. "We would then say, 'Stay, woodland child, and be happy
with those who have a right to you; but oh, remember the poor
wood-cutters and workers in the Forest, who will weary for a sight of
the face of the fair girl found by one of them in the Black Forest.'"
Very hearty was the welcome which awaited Frida at Stanford Hall. Ada
received her with open arms.
"Ah, Frida, how glad I am to see you once again; and how good of you to
give up the pleasure of a month in London to come to see and comfort
us!--You will see how quickly I will get well now, mother.--And erelong,
Frida, we shall take you to London ourselves, and father will show you
all the wonders there."
Frida answered merrily, but she felt much shocked to see how
delicate-looking Ada had become.
The girls had much to tell each other of all that had happened since
last they met; and when dinner was over, and Frida went to see Ada as
she lay on her couch in her prettily-fitted-up boudoir, Ada roused
herself to have, as she said, "a right down delightful chat."
"See, Frida, here is a charming easy-chair for you; please bring it
quite close to my couch, and now tell me all about your Forest friends.
How are Elsie and Wilhelm, and their little Gretchen and Hans? But,
indeed, I believe I know more about them than you do; for only two days
ago my father received a letter from Hans's music-teacher in Leipsic,
giving him unqualified praise, and predicting a successful musical
career for him."
"Oh, I am glad!" said Frida. "How pleased his parents will be, and how
grateful to Sir Richard Stanford for all he has done for him!"
And so in pleasant talk the evening of the first day of Frida's visit to
Stanford Hall drew to a close. As time passed on, Ada's health rapidly
improved, and together the girls went about the beautiful grounds
belonging to the Hall--Ada at first drawn in an invalid chair, and Frida
walking by her side. But by-and-by Ada was able to walk, and together
the girls visited in some of the cottages near the Hall--Frida finding
out that Ada in her English home was conveying comfort and blessing to
many weary souls by reading to them from her English Bible the words of
life, even as she had don
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