clothes. If Kate seeks to be good, loving her
Savior, she will be happy indeed. But if not, she will be wretched,
even if we should dress her in silk, and adorn her with jewels."

"Yes, I know Kate must be good if she is happy. But I think she will be
when she gets her dress, and goes to Sunday school. Don't you, aunt?"

"We will hope so, my dear. But now let us lay aside our work and take a
walk."

To this Minnie could make no objection. So she and her aunt walked out
into the shady streets and lanes of Rosedale. On their way, they saw a
poor old soldier, with a wooden leg, hobbling towards them slowly. As
soon as Minnie saw him advancing, she said,--

[Illustration]

"O aunt! here comes poor Corporal Jim, the one-legged soldier."

"Poor fellow!" replied her aunt. "It must be hard work for him to hobble
through the world on his wooden leg."

"Yes, aunt; and he is very poor. He lives in a little shanty alone; and
he has not a relation in all the world."

"Well, let us speak kindly to him, and cheer him on his lonesome way. We
may cast a sunbeam in his path."

Minnie looked up into her aunt's kind face, and smiled with delight at
the idea of being a sunbeam to poor old Corporal Jim, who, by the way,
was a great favorite with all the children in Rosedale.

By this time, the poor old soldier was close upon them, holding out his
hat for a gift. Aunt Amy stopped, asked him several questions, and,
finding that he was pious, cheered him with gentle words of hope. She
then dropped a piece of gold in his tattered hat, and passed on.

Poor Corporal Jim! The kind words of aunt Amy, and the sight of the
piece of gold, went to his heart. Tears filled his eyes. "Heaven bless
ye!" he murmured; and then he hobbled to the roadside, sat down upon a
large rock, and wept for joy.

Minnie's keen eye had watched the effect of her aunt's words and gift
upon the old corporal. She saw how glad they made his heart. The sight
of his joy caused a stream of rich emotion to flow through her own
little bosom. It filled her so full she could not, for the moment,
speak. But fondly pressing her aunt's hand, she walked on by her side in
silence. As soon as she recovered herself, she said,--

"Dear aunt, you have been a sunbeam to Corporal Jim. I saw by his face
that you made him feel very happy."

"That is just what God expects us to do, my dear, to every one who
crosses our path. If every person in the world would smile upon and help
e