that
now shown to her by Minnie's aunt. It was not lost upon her. Trouble and
sin had long frozen up her better feelings. But under the warmth of
aunt Amy's words of hope and love, the ice melted, and the poor creature
wept freely as she told of her early and better days; of her husband's
fall into evil habits; of her own evil temper, which his bad treatment
had excited; and of her poverty, and sorrow, and despair.

To all this aunt Amy listened with kind attention. She spoke words of
hope in the woman's ear. She urged her to seek pardon from God for her
sins, to look with faith for better days, until the poor woman's
countenance lighted up, and Minnie said to herself,--

"My aunt is really a sunbeam to this woman."

At last aunt Amy rose to leave. The woman arose, too, with great respect
in her manners. Aunt Amy placed a piece of money in her hand, and
said,--

"Now, Mrs. Button, be hopeful. I will send you a few things, presently,
to help you along. I will also try to procure you some plain sewing; and
if you will try to help yourself, and trust in God, he will help you;
friends will rise up around you, and you will yet see better days."

"Bless you, ma'am, for your kindness. You are the first friend I have
seen this many a year," said the poor woman, while hot tears trickled
down her wan cheeks.

Minnie and her aunt now left the cottage. The little girl had learned a
lesson, by what she had seen, which she did not soon forget. Her gentle
nature was charmed by the love her aunt had shown to the poor woman.
After walking in silence a while, she said,--

"Aunt Amy, I guess you are the brightest sunbeam that ever entered Mrs.
Button's cottage! Why, her pale face brightened up and looked almost
cheerful before you left."

"You see, then, Minnie, how little it costs to do good. Our visit has
really made the misery of that woman less, and it has done us good. We
can now think of our walk with pleasure, because it has been useful."

"Well, aunt, I wish I could be a sunbeam to somebody before I get home."

"Perhaps you may be. Look down yonder lane. There is a little boy
crying. He looks as if he was in trouble. See if you can comfort him
with a kind word or two."

While Minnie ran to see what good she could do to the weeping boy, a
girl came along, very poorly clad, and carrying a bundle of dry sticks
on her head. Aunt Amy's kind heart pitied the poor child. She stopped
her and said,--

[Illustration]

"What