n that! Kings and princes shall yet call him great!" was
whispered gently in her ear. The mother was amazed. Who could have heard
her unuttered thoughts? She looked up, but she only saw a robin hopping
about in a branch of the tree overhead. Still she seemed to hear again
the soft but distant singing of the words,

"Love well, love well, love well,
That the heart within may swell,
Love well, love well, love well."

"Surely," said she, half aloud, "who could help loving the child. He has
indeed, blessed eyes."

As the boy grew older he seemed somehow to know the people about him as
nobody else knew them. He was always finding out the best that was in
each of them. Somehow he had a way of helping all the other lads out of
their difficulties. For instance, early one morning when he chanced to
be passing the old basket maker's, he heard the shop boy speaking in
loud, angry tones to the baskets, abusing them for being so contrary and
ill-shaped. Blessed-Eyes paused, and looking through the open door he
saw the poor apprentice struggling to fit a round cover on to a square
basket and a square cover on to a round basket.

"Let me help you," said Blessed-Eyes cheerily, "I think you have made a
mistake, that's all. This cover was intended for that basket, and that
cover for this basket." With these words he put the round cover on to
the round basket, and the square cover on to the square basket, and each
fitted snugly into its place.

"How clever you are, Blessed-Eyes," said the apprentice, "I have been
working over these baskets for the last half hour." Without more ado he
put them upon his shoulder, and started on his errand, which was to
deliver them to the gardener at the King's palace.

Years passed by, changing little Blessed-Eyes into a tall young man, and
each succeeding year added to the wonderful power which his eyes
possessed, of seeing the best that was in everything and everybody. He
was the friend of rich and poor. All sought his companionship, for he
was constantly pointing out to them so many beautiful things in the
world about them which they would never have seen but for him. All loved
him dearly, for he was just as constantly finding the best that their
inner world contained, and encouraging them to live according to their
noblest ideals of how true men and women should live. So, you see, the
fairy's Birthday Gift was indeed a great, and wonderful Gift.

_THE FAIR WHITE CITY; OR, A ST