ed eagerly, and said, "And it was Jesus the Virgin's Son who
did that, do you say? Read me more about Him." And the child read on,
how with one touch Jesus opened the eyes of the blind. She read also how
they brought the young children to Jesus, and He took them into His
arms and blessed them, and said to His disciples, "Suffer the little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the
kingdom of heaven."

"Oh," said Elsie, "if only that Jesus were here now, I'd walk miles and
miles to take my Anna to Him; but, alas! He is not here now."

Frida was a young child, and hardly knew how to answer the troubled
mother; but her faith was a simple one, so she answered, "No, Jesus is
not here now, but He is in heaven, and He answers us when we pray to
Him. Father once read to me the words in Matthew's Gospel--see, here
they are--'Ask, and it shall be given you.' Shall we ask Him now?" and
kneeling down she prayed in child language, "O Lord Jesus, who dost hear
and answer prayer, make little Anna to see as Thou didst the blind men
when Thou wert on earth, and oh, comfort poor Elsie!"

As she rose from her knees, Elsie threw her arms round her, saying, "O
Frida, I do believe the God my mother believed in hath sent thee here to
be a blessing to us!"

Often after that day Frida would read out of her brown Bible to Elsie
about Jesus, His life and His atoning death. And sometimes in the
evening, when Hans would sit cutting out various kinds of toys, for
which he had a great turn, and could easily dispose of them in the shops
at Dringenstadt, she would read to him also; and he loved to hear the
Old Testament stories of Moses and Jacob, Joseph, and Daniel in the
lion's den; also of David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, who had once
been a shepherd boy. They were all new to poor Hans, and from them he
learned something of the love God has to His children; but it was ever
of Jesus that Elsie loved to hear, and again and again she got the child
to read to her the words, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest." And erelong it was evident,
though she would scarcely have acknowledged it, that she was seeking not
only the rest but the "_Rest_-Giver." And we know that He who gave the
invitation has pledged His word that whosoever cometh to Him He will in
no wise cast out.

All this while Wilhelm seemed to take no notice of the Bible readings.
Once or twice, when he had returned from