in; he sat
thinking, thinking, uneasily shifting his position, and at length
arose, and passing through a dark hall, entered the shop, and said,--

"Ah, Tom, is that you?"

"Yes," answered the young man, diffidently; "Mr. Payson said you
wished to see me."

"Yes, walk in this way;" and Mr. Cowles returned to the home-room,
followed by Tom.

"Do you know why I sent for you?" asked the grocer.

"No, sir."

"Well, I had a little private matter that I wished to talk with you
about; but I'm hungry as a bear, and if you'll do me the favor to
drink a cup of tea with me, I'll try to explain."

Tom had ever shrunk from contact with this man, and marvelled much at
finding himself his guest. Yet a cosy sitting down together they had,
Tom's host being singularly attentive to him, while they partook of
the nice edibles.

"Tom," said the grocer, as they sat back from the table, "I've heard
good accounts of you;" and his voice grew soft and tremulous; "and
I'm really glad of it. And I've had an eye on you myself quite a
while; and, bad as they say old Cowles is, I like to see others do
well. You stuck by your folks when you wished to go off; that's right.
You made the most of your schooling; that's in your favor. You are an
honest, right-minded lad, aiming to be, I suspect, some such a man as
that missionary."

Tom's surprise grew apace. How did this rough, swearing, covetous
dealer ferret out his heart's secrets?

"You wished to go from home to study, but, like a true son, staid by
to help the family. That must have been a great self-denial to you;
was it not?"

"Yes," faltered Tom.

"Of course it was. But how did you manage to give it up so bravely?"

"Mother advised me to pray about it, and I did."

"Do you think it does any good to pray?" asked the grocer.

"O, yes, indeed. I couldn't live without prayer, it helps me so
much."

"But," objected his questioner, "do you imagine that the great God
cares enough about our little affairs to answer the trifling requests
we may make of him?"

"I do, sir," replied Tom, with glowing cheeks and tearful eyes; "I
have known him to do so many and many a time."

"Perhaps you were deceived."

"O," cried Tom, "if you had been in the missionary's family as much as
I have, and heard him pray for things, and then see just what he asked
for come into the house almost before he arose from his knees, you
could not doubt that God had heard him. Why, sir, how do you suppose
he h