piece and
that no amount of money could buy it later on. But the people of Paris
began to feel that Whistler, the American artist, was a great master,
and the city bought the picture, "Whistler's Mother." Of course we can
never own the picture now, although it is an American mother, unless
the French people should give it to us. But we do not deserve it, do
we?

After a number of years Whistler's mother went to Europe to make a
home for her wonderful son. She died in Chelsea, and to-day the mother
and son are side by side in the little churchyard of Chiswick, near
London.

[Illustration: FIG. 44. WHISTLER'S MOTHER. WHISTLER. LUXEMBOURG,
PARIS]

ST. CHRISTOPHER

TITIAN, OR TIZIANO VECELLI (1477-1576)

Christopher, or Offero, was born in Palestine in the third century. He
was a giant in size but ignorant and poor. He felt that he could not
work for any one who was afraid of any one else. He wandered over the
country and at last he came to a powerful king and offered to work for
him. The king thought it very fine to have a giant for a servant. One
day Offero stood by the king's side while a minstrel sang a song about
Satan. Every time the name of Satan was spoken the king crossed
himself. Offero was puzzled, for he never had heard of Satan, nor of
Jesus. When he found that the king was afraid of Satan, Offero went to
find the man the king was afraid of.

Offero found Satan and became his servant. But as they went through
the land Offero saw that Satan always went away around the little
shrines. Offero asked Satan why he did that. Satan said he did not
like to come near the cross where was the crucified One. Then Offero
knew that he was afraid of Jesus.

He went out to find Jesus. At last an old hermit told Offero to go to
a river where people were often drowned and to carry every one across
on his back, and that maybe he would find Jesus. Offero built himself
a hut and spent years carrying people over the stream and no one was
drowned. One stormy night Offero thought he heard a child's voice
calling him. He went out two or three times. At last the child
appeared and asked Offero to carry him over. Offero started. The storm
grew worse and the water rose high and the child grew very, very
heavy. When Offero set the child down, he said, "I feel as though I
had carried the whole world!" The child answered:

"Offero, you have carried the maker of the world. I am Jesus, whom you have
sought. You shall be call