ooks, but from the moment she arose until her utterance
ceased, Albert was spell-bound. So peculiar, and yet so pathetic, was
her prayer, it shall be quoted in full as uttered:

"O Lord," she said, "I come to Thee, knowin' I'm as a worm that crawls
on the airth; like the dust blown by the winds; the empty shell on the
shore, or the leaves that fall on the ground. I come poor an' humble. I
come hungry and thirsty, like even the lowliest of the airth. I come and
kneel at Thy feet--believin' that I, a poor worm o' the dust, will
still have Thy love and pertection. I'm old, an' weary o' waitin'. I'm
humble, and bereft o' kin. I'm sad, and none to comfort me. I eat the
crust o' poverty, an' drink the cup of humility. My pertector and my
staff have bin taken from me, and yet, for all these burdens Thou in Thy
infinite wisdom hev seen fit to lay on me, I thank Thee! Thou hast led
my feet among thorns and stuns, and yet I thank Thee. Thou hast laid the
cross o' sorrow on my heart, and the burden o' many infirmities for me
to bear, and yet I bless Thee, yea, verily shall my voice be lifted to
glorify and praise Thee day and night, for hast Thou not promised me
that all who are believers in Thy word shall be saved? Hast Thou not
sent Thy son to die on the cross for my sake, poor and humble as I am?
An' fer this, an' fer all Thy infinite marcy an' goodness to me, I
praise an' thank Thee to-night, knowin' that not a sparrer falls without
Thy knowin' it, and that even the hairs of our heads are numbered.

"I thank Thee, O Lord, for the sunshine every day, and the comin' o' the
birds and flowers every season. I thank Thee that my eyes are still
permitted to see Thy beautiful world, and my ears to hear the songs o'
praise. I thank Thee, too, that with my voice I can glorify and bless
Thee fer all Thy goodness, and fer all Thy marcy. An' when the day of
judgment comes an' the dead rise up then I know Thou wilt keep Thy
promise, an' that even I, poor an' humble, shall live again, jinin'
those that have gone before, to sit at Thy feet an' glorify Thee for
life everlastin'. Fer this blessed hope, an' fer all Thy other promises,
I lift my voice in gratitude an' thankfulness an' praise to Thee, my
heavenly Father, an' to thy son, my Redeemer, to-night an' to-morrer an'
forever an' forever. Amen."

To Albert, a student of Voltaire, of Hume, of Paine, and an admirer of
Ingersoll, a doubter of scriptural authenticity, and almost a
materialis