seem to have had some supper here," he remarked.

"It's a good cup o' tea," said Mrs. Eldridge;--"a good cup o' tea. I
hain't seen such a good cup o' tea, not since ten year!"

"I am very glad of that. And you feel better for it, don't you?"

"A good cup o' tea makes one feel like folks," Mrs. Eldridge assented.

"And it is pleasant to think that somebody cares for us," Mr. Richmond
went on.

"I didn't think as there warn't nobody," said Mrs. Eldridge, wiping her
lips.

"You see you were mistaken. Here are two people that care for you."

"She cares the most," said Mrs. Eldridge, with a little nod of her
head towards Matilda.

"I will not dispute that," said the minister, laughing. "She has cared
fire, and tea, and bread, and fish, hasn't she? and you think I have
only cared to come and see you. Don't you like that?"

"I used fur to have visits," said the poor old woman, "when I had a
nice place and was fixed up respectable. I had visits. Yes, I had.
There don't no one come now. There won't no more on 'em come; no more."

"Perhaps you are mistaken, Mrs. Eldridge. Do you see how much you were
mistaken in thinking that no one cared for you? Do you know there is
more care for you than hers?"

"I don't know why she cares," said Mrs. Eldridge.

"Who do you think sent her, and told her to care for you?"

"Who sent her?" the woman repeated.

"Yes, who sent her. Who do you think it was?"

As he got but a lack-lustre look in reply, the minister went on.

"This little girl is the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ; and He sent
her to come and see you, and care for you; and He did that because _He_
cares. He cares about you. He loves you, and sent His little servant to
be His messenger."

"He didn't send no one afore," the old woman remarked.

"Yes, He did," said Mr. Richmond, growing grave, "He sent others, but
they did not come. They did not do what He gave them to do. And now,
Mrs. Eldridge, we bring you a message from the Lord--this little girl
and I do,--that He loves you and wants you to love Him. You know you
never have loved, or trusted, or obeyed Him, in all your life. And now,
the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance."

"There ain't much as a poor old thing like I can do," she said, after a
long pause.

"You can trust the Lord that died for you, and love Him, and thank Him.
You can give yourself to the Lord Jesus to be made pure and good. Can't
you? Then He will fit you for His glorious place