for the
day. On Mr. Shaw, her brother-in-law, returning from church, he heard
the piano sounding. "Why, Frances," he said, "I thought you were
upstairs." "Yes, but I had my Prayer-book, and in the Psalm for to-day I
read, 'Tell it out among the heathen that the Lord is King.' I thought
what a splendid first line; and then the words and music came rushing on
to me. There, it's all written out." She had written it out, the words
and music and harmonies complete. And her sister remarks: "Only those
who heard her could imagine the brisk ringing tone with which she sang
this tune."

In her "Consecration Hymn" occurs the couplet--

"Take my voice and let me sing Always only for my King."

And to her these were no mere words of a song. She tried to consecrate
all her singing to God's service. It was a real ministry. She strove
always to sing the very words of the Bible, as she observed that persons
could not with decency object to them, though they might have done so to
her own words.

During a sojourn in Switzerland she was anxious to reach the people she
saw wending their way to early mass. On learning that she would sing to
them, many promised to come to her pension. She says, "First I sang to
them, and then got the girls to join in the hymn which they had
[previously] copied out. Then I read some passages.... A few went away
when I read.... You will wonder what I sang! Well, I had been singing
snatches of hymns to myself and especially 'Only for Thee,' and found
this gave immense gratification in our little pension; so I thought God
could as well give me French as English if He would, and I set to and
wrote 'Seulement pour Toi!' (as they had liked the tune so much). Only
it is quite a different hymn, making prominent the other side, He and He
_only_ is and does all for us." This hymn thus written was of good
service on another occasion. On the way from Chamounix to Great St.
Bernard Hospice, some of the passengers in the diligence sang French
songs remarkably well. Her sister says: "We listened and commended, and
then asked if they would join us in a new tune, 'Seulement pour Toi!'
Finding the driver took up the chorus in bass, Frances went outside that
he might see the words, and most heartily was it sung by all!"

The following Sunday was spent at the hospice; and once again was her
musical talent used in proclaiming the Master's message. Her brilliant
touch upon the piano attracted the attention of the "fathers" i