Ere he bade her farewell he asked her to promise him to read often from
her little Bible to Wilhelm, Elsie, and Hans. "For who knows, little
Frida, that the Lord may not have chosen you to be a child missionary to
the wood-cutters, and to read to them out of His holy Word."

Frida thought over these words, though she hardly took in their full
meaning; but she loved her Bible, and wished that the people who were so
kind to her loved it also.

On his way home the pastor met Elsie with her babe in her arms, and told
her of his farewell visit to Frida, and of his delight with the child's
musical talent, and advised her to encourage her as much as possible to
play on the violin.

Elsie's face brightened as he spoke, for she and her husband, like many
of the German peasants, dearly loved music.

"O sir," she said, "have you heard her sing? It is just beautiful and
wonderful to hear her; she beats the very birds themselves."

Thanking her once more for her care of the orphan child, and commending
her to God, the pastor went on his way, musing much on the future of the
gifted child, and wondering what could be done as regarded her
education.

In the meantime Elsie went home, and entrusting her babe to the care of
Frida, who loved the little helpless infant, she made ready for her
husband's return from his work. Hans had gone that day to help his
father in the wood, which he loved much to do, so Elsie and Frida were
alone.

"Mutter," said the child (for she had adopted Hans's way of addressing
Elsie), "the pastor was here to-day, and he played to me--oh so
beautifully--on my violin, it reminded me of father, and made me cry. O
Mutter, I wish some one could teach me to play on it as father did. You
see I was just beginning to learn a little how to do it, and I do love
it so;" and as she spoke, the child joined her hands together and looked
pleadingly at Elsie.

"_Ach_, poor child," replied Elsie, "how canst thou be taught here?"

And that night when Elsie repeated to Wilhelm Frida's desire for lessons
on the violin, the worthy couple grieved that they could do nothing to
gratify her wish.

Day after day and week after week passed, and still no answer came to
any of the advertisements about the child; and save for her own sake
none of the dwellers in the wood wished it otherwise, for the "woodland
child," as they called her, had won her way into every heart.

CHAPTER VI.

ELSIE AND THE BROWN BIBLE.

"T