anxiously at her countenance.

"The issues of life and death are in God's hands," she answered. "Your
young son is very ill; but our merciful Father in heaven can restore him
if He thinks fit; we can but watch over him, and minister to his wants
as may seem best to us. Lift up your heart in prayer to that Great
Being through Him who died for us, sinning children as we are that we
might be reconciled to our loving Parent, and He will assuredly hear
your petition, and grant it if He thinks fit."

The old man groaned as she ceased speaking, and again dropping his head
on his breast made no reply to her, though he muttered to himself, "She
tells me to pray. The Great Spirit would strike me dead in his anger
were I to dare to speak to Him." The kind lady, seeing he did not
speak, passed on.

Old Michael could with difficulty be persuaded to eat anything, or to
quit his post during the day. Little Jeanie was at length sent to him
with some food, to try if he would receive it at her hands.

"Here," she said, placing her hand on his arm. "You must take some of
this, or you will become weak and ill. God, you know, gives us food to
support our bodies, just as He sends His holy spirit to strengthen our
souls. It is very wrong not to eat when we require food, and so it is
when we refuse to receive the aid of the Holy Spirit, which we so much
need every moment of our lives."

"Who told you that, little damsel?" asked the old man, looking up in the
child's sweet face.

"Mamma, of course," she answered. "And Mr Martin, the missionary, who
came here some time ago, says she is right, and told me never to forget
what she says to me. I try not to do so; but when I am playing about,
and sometimes when I feel inclined to be naughty, I am apt not to
remember as I ought; and then I ask God to help me and to forgive me,
through Jesus Christ, and all those things come back again to my
memory."

"You naughty!" said the old man, gazing still more intently at the young
fair countenance. "I don't think you ever could be naughty."

"Oh yes, yes, I am, though," answered the child. "I feel sometimes
vexed and put out, and so do all sorts of naughty things; besides, you
know that God says, `there is none that doeth good, no, not one;' and
even if I did not think I was naughty, I know that I must be in His
sight, for He is so pure and holy that even to Him the heavens, so
bright to us, are not pure."

The old man apparently did