o
me; were it not for your kindness, they would probably have been lost.
I thank you."

A formal bow was Frank's answer. Hamm stood smiling, his searching
glance alternating between the stately young man and Angela. But in the
manner of both he observed nothing more than reserve and cold
formality.

Angela left the room. The assessor sat down on the sofa and poured out
a glass of wine.

Eliza sat on her father's knee. Richard observed the beautiful child
with her fine features and golden silken locks that hung about her
tender face. The winning expression of innocence and gentleness in her
mild, childish eyes particularly struck him.

"A beautiful, lovely child," said he involuntarily, and as he looked in
Siegwart's face he read there a deep love and a quiet, fatherly
fondness for the child.

"Eliza is not always as lovely and good as she is now," he returned.
"She has still some little faults which she must get rid of."

"Yes, that's what Angela said," chattered the little one. "Angela said
I must be very good; I must love to pray; I must obey my father and
mother; then the angels who are in heaven will love me."

"Can you pray yet, my child," said Richard.

"Yes, I can say the 'Our Father' and the 'Hail Mary.' Angela is
teaching me many nice prayers."

She looked at the stranger a moment and said with childish simplicity,

"Can you pray too?"

"Certainly, my child," answered Frank, smiling; "but I doubt whether my
prayers are as pleasing to God as yours."

"Angela also said we should not lie," continued Eliza. "The good God
does not love children who lie."

"That is true," said Frank. "Obey your sister Angela."

Here the young man was affected by a peculiar emotion. He thought of
Angela as the first instructor of the child; placed near this little
innocent, she appeared like its guardian angel. He saw clearly at this
moment the great importance of first impressions on the young, and
thought that in after life they would not be obliterated. He expressed
his thoughts, and Siegwart confirmed them.

"I am of your opinion, Herr Frank. The most enduring impressions are
made in early childhood. The germ of good must be implanted in the
tender and susceptible heart of the child and there developed. Many,
indeed most parents overlook this important principle of education.
This is a great and pernicious error. Man is born with bad
propensities; they grow with his growth and increase with his strength.
In ea