a kind face was seen within.

Entering, the Bible-nurse whispered to this man. Another moment and
Mrs Frog was seated at a long deal table with a comfortable fire at her
back, a basin of warm soup, and a lump of loaf bread before her. The
Bible-nurse sat by and looked on.

"Somebody cares a little, don't _you_ think?" she whispered, when the
starving woman made a brief pause for breath.

"Yes, thank God," answered Mrs Frog, returning to the meal as though
she feared that some one might still snatch it from her thin lips before
she got it all down.

When it was finished the Bible-nurse led Mrs Frog into another room.

"You feel better--stronger?" she asked.

"Yes, much better--thank you, and quite able to go home."

"There is no occasion for you to go home to-night; you may sleep there,"
(pointing to a corner), "but I would like to pray with you now, and read
a verse or two."

Mrs Frog submitted, while her friend read to her words of comfort;
pleaded that pardon and deliverance might be extended, and gave her
loving words of counsel. Then the poor creature lay down in her corner,
drew a warm blanket over her, and slept with a degree of comfort that
she had not enjoyed for many a day.

When it was said by Mrs Frog that her son Bobby had gone to the bad, it
must not be supposed that any very serious change had come over him. As
that little waif had once said of himself, when in a penitent mood, he
was about as bad as he could be, so couldn't grow much badder. But when
his sister lost her situation in the firm that paid her such splendid
wages, and fell ill, and went into hospital in consequence, he lost
heart, and had a relapse of wickedness. He grew savage with regard to
life in general, and committed a petty theft, which, although not
discovered, necessitated his absence from home for a time. It was while
he was away that the scene which we have just described took place.

On the very next day he returned, and it so happened that on the same
day Hetty was discharged from hospital "cured." That is to say, she
left the place a thin, tottering, pallid shadow, but with no particular
form of organic disease about her.

She and her mother had received some food from one who cared for them,
through the Bible-nurse.

"Mother, you've been drinkin' again," said Hetty, looking earnestly at
her parent's eyes.

"Well, dear," pleaded Mrs Frog, "what could I do? You had all forsaken
me, and I had nothin' else t