“That will not matter,” declared Nellie.  “I will come for you and will introduce you to the rest of the girls.”

“I thank you, my dear,” said the woman, before the girl could answer again.  “I am sure Edna will be glad to go.  It has been rather a trying time for her, I fear, since we came here, although she has never complained, for fear it might worry me.

“She was always in church and Sabbath school work at home.  But my health failed, and the physician said a winter here might save my life.

“My husband could not come with me, for he must work at home to get money to pay our expenses, so Edna gave up her school and everything to come with me.  We are compelled to live very cheaply, you see, but I am getting better, and I think I shall get quite well, if only Edna can be contented here,” with a fond glance at her daughter.

“Of course, I shall be contented mamma,” replied Edna.

“I’m sure she will like the Sabbath school very much,” said Nellie, earnestly, “and I will come for her to-morrow.”

She did so, and Edna went with her, although she felt a little shy, but the warm welcome given her by Mrs. Allen, and the friendliness of the girls, soon made her feel at home.  It was not until the school joined in singing the last song, that she so far forgot herself as to join in the singing.  Then the girls were astonished.  She sang alto beautifully.

“Really,” cried one of them as soon as they were dismissed, “you must join our young people’s choir, will you?  We do need an alto so badly.”

From that time on, Edna had no cause for loneliness, for she was one of the girls, and her mother smiled and grew better.

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You will see the pools of stagnant water frozen through the winter, while the little running streams are bounding along between fringes of icy gems.  Why is this?  The streams have something else to do than to stand still and be frozen up.  Be you like them.  Keep your heart warm by feeling for others, and your powers active by work done in earnest.

JOHN HALL.

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A house built on sand is in fair weather just as good as if built on a rock.  A cobweb is as good as the mightiest chain cable where there is no strain on it.  It is trial that proves one thing weak and another strong.

BEECHER.

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Little self-denials, little honesties, little passing words of sympathy, little nameless acts of kindness, little silent victories over favorite temptations—­these are the silent threads of gold which, when woven together, gleam out so brightly in the pattern of life that God approves.

DEAN FARRAR.

[Illustration:  “You were not here yesterday.”]

THE LITTLE SISTERS

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