the Bible tells us to pray,
Daddy?"

"Well, I spose it does," Daddy admitted, "but somehow I hev never said
my prayers, since I was a little shaver; I reckon it don't do no good
fur tu pray, no how. My religion is tu do the best I ken."

"But, Daddy, if God tells you to ask for what you want, and you don't
do it, is that doing the best you can?"

"I ruther guess you've got the best of old Daddy, this ere time," said
the old man, stroking the child's sunny locks. "'Tween you and me,
Fanny, I don't know nothin' at all about the Bible. My father and
mother died afore I was old enough fur tu read, and I was bound tu a
man that didn't gin me a big edication, I never seen a Bible in his
house,"

"Then you don't know about Jesus Christ?" said Fanny, quite pitifully

"Laws yes, I've heern ministers preach a leetle about him once in a
while when I went to church fur tu go hum with Recta; but, somehow, I
want much took up with him."

"O, but Daddy, you would have been if you had understood that he was
the best friend you ever had. My mamma used to tell me how he came to
die for us, and how we could not get to Heaven without him. I will
tell you all about it, Daddy, shall I? I told Miss DeWolf, yesterday,
and she looked real glad."

"Laws, Fanny, the Honey is high edicated and knows a heap more than we
do."

"O, yes, of course, Daddy, but then she had never heard it just as
mamma used to tell it; for you know mamma talked just as if she had
lived in the same house with Him, and He had told her Himself all
about the beautiful place for all those that He can take there."

"Well, He may take me," said Daddy.

"O, but you will have to ask him to take you, Daddy," said his little
instructress, opening wide her eyes.

"'Tween you and me, there's the stick, Fanny, I really don't know how
fur tu ask him."

"Why, Daddy, how would you ask him for bread if you were starving?"

"I calculate I'd beg mighty hard if I was in sich a tight place."

Fanny's eyes filled, and Daddy feeling rather uncomfortable, patted
her cheek tenderly.

"You're a fust rate leetle gal, Fanny," he said, "and I'm kinder
thinking I'll look into this ere matter by and by, when I get my
lectur writ."

"May be, if you should ask Him, God would make you think what is the
best thing to say in your lecture," persisted the child.

"Laws, Fanny, I ken think of them ere things myself. All the help I
want is a leetle mite from you about the spellin.

"W