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No. 11§. 
 
 ANGELJJCLY. 
 
 A>' INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF THE CHILD ANUKL.] 
 
 BY MRS. MARY A DENISON. 
 
 Although a wonderful child, Lilly was 
 by no means a grave, unearthly, precooious 
 little one. Her sraile was as sunny as her 
 hair, and her eyes were always laughing. 
 Sho was indeed a beam of light wherever 
 seen. At night of her lovely face the stern 
 visages of worldly men relaxed, and the old 
 always held open arms for her. She 
 warmed their hearts with her happy, arte 
 less prattle. One day her mother took her 
 on board of a Bteamboat", on'a pleasure ex- 
 cursion. At h'rst Lilly looked grave, find? 
 ing hersoli amo' g so many strange people, 
 but spying- at the farther end ol the saloon 
 a venerable man, who held a little girl by 
 the hand, she begged her mother to let 'her 
 go and sec the rosy-chocked child... 1>h-s. 
 
 was not afraid to trust Lilly. If she 
 
 said, 'Lilly,'rememl)er and do not go out 
 of the door or by the "window, she knew 
 that she might rely upon the sweet child's 
 implicit obedience. So away went Lilly, 
 
 sr 
 
her beantiful great eyes shining, her step 
 still rather slow, but when she got near the 
 child she looked for a moment in her little 
 chubby face, and smile answered smile; 
 the two quickly understood each other, and 
 were soon, busily playing together. The 
 old gentleman regarded them with a look 
 of interest that was not lost upon Lilly, so 
 by-and-bye sliding up to' his- knees, she 
 asked — 
 
 ' Is that yonr little' girl ?' 
 
 4 Yes, dear,' was the reply, i at least .she 
 is my little grand daughter.' 
 
 < Are you her grandpa V 
 
 ' Yes, dear.' 
 
 4 1 got a grandpa,' said Lilly, with that 
 sweet coaxing way. that is in some children 
 so irresistible, 'and he's a good man and 
 loves Jesus. Do you love Jesus ?' 
 
 The old man looked at her with a strange 
 expression, but did not speak. 
 
 4 Say ! you love Josus, don't you ? Don't 
 you love Him because He died to save you ? 
 Say, dmU yo.tt love Jesus ?' 
 
 4 My little child,' murmured- the old, 
 white-headed man, and his lips began to 
 quiver. 
 
 She looked at him earnestly, thoughtful- 
 ly — then a grieved expression crossed her 
 sweet face, and she said, softly— ' You do 
 love Jesus, don't you V 
 
3 
 
 1 My little One— all, I wish I did — I wish 
 I did!' and he shook his head mournfully. 
 For one moment she stood gazing ou the 
 floor, then flying from the knee where she 
 had been resth.g, she sought her mother, 
 caught hold of her hanj, and saying, ' Oh ! 
 I mamma, that little girl's grandpa over there, 
 don't love Jesus ; wont^ou. come and tell 
 him he must.' 
 
 The child would take no denial, hut be- 
 sought with such earnestness, that her moth- 
 er was fain to go, and seat herself by the old 
 man's side, after which Lilly, feeling perfect- 
 ly assured that the old man would soon love 
 Jesus whether he had before or not, resumed 
 her merry play with her little new-found 
 companion* 
 
 Mrs. sat for some time silent and em- 
 
 .barrassed where her daughter had escorted 
 her. 
 
 ' That's a wonderful little one,' said the old 
 gentleman, after he had mastered hi* 
 emotion. 
 
 6 O 1 no, sir, a very pleasant, good child, 
 but there is nothing wonderful about her,' 
 replied the mother. 
 
 ' Madam, pardon mo — but no one ever 
 took that much interest in me before, to ask 
 me the simple question that child put to me, 
 and I am now in my eighty-third year.' 
 
 )a. my 
 
'The Bible, sir, you know, says that out of 
 the mouths of babes and suckling God hath 
 ordained praise. '- 
 
 4 A"h ! yea, I remember— I read my Bible 
 a great deal, madam,' and be sighed heavily. 
 
 * And you hnj comfort in its truths I hope- 
 sir f 
 
 i No, madam. I have for many years been 
 shaping the scriptures. to suit some peculiar 
 views of mine, and so busy and zealous have 
 I been that I have given no attention to it, 
 as a saving medium. . "When your child put 
 that question to me, madam, I seemed sud- 
 denly to awake, as it were,, out of a slumber 
 of ages;' and again he smhed heavily. 
 
 4 1 think, sir,' said Mrs. , 4 if you would 
 
 not disdain so humble an instrument:, my lit- 
 tle daughter, as she lias perhaps begun tho 
 good work, might lead you to the truth.' 
 
 ' The boat is stopping, madam,' said the old 
 gentleman, then he added, eagerly, ' will you 
 accompany me to my home? ft will be 
 pleasanter than the hot grove, at this hour 
 of the day, and I would talk more with that 
 angel child.' 
 
 His new faund friend consented, and they 
 walked together, for some moments, the lit- 
 tle children hand in hand, until they came in 
 sight of a splendid mansion. A park, dotted 
 with beautiful timber lay .in front, an 4 the 
 
sun brightened its open paths, and threw 
 threads of light in among the shadowed fo- 
 liage spreading broadly over the green. This 
 led into a garden well laid out, blooming 
 with various flowers. The glass roof of a large 
 conservatory gHtttered in the red light of that 
 noon hour, and through its transparent win- 
 dows the lemon and the orange could be 
 seen. 
 
 They entered the house. It wore an air of 
 grandeur, and every room was adorned with 
 rich and costly furniture. 
 
 '0 1 what a happy house!' cried angel 
 Lilly. 
 
 4 She means,' said her mother, smiling, 
 ' that everything is so beautiful, one ought 
 to be happy hero.' 
 
 Again came that sigh welling up from the 
 heart of the aged man, and he shook his head 
 sadly, holding out his arms to the child. 
 
 ' Gome to me, and tell me how I may love 
 Jesus,' he said. 
 
 k Why, don't you love Him yet? she cried, 
 looking from him to her mother. 
 
 ' Is it. so easy then, my sweet child?' 
 
 4 Why, it's so easy you can't help it,' said 
 the little one, simply. 4 Mothei says she 
 loves 'me dearly when I'm good, and how can 
 yon help loving Jesus who is good all the 
 time V 
 
. 6 
 
 c JDo you think he loves me?' 
 
 'O! I Jcnoiv He does,' replied -the child, 
 earnestly. 
 
 The eyes of the aged unbeliever filled with 
 tears, as he said, 'Then, surely, if He loves 
 me, who has been always so ungrateful to* 
 wards Ilim, 1 ought to' love Him. Thank 
 God ! I see it in a new light,' he murmured 
 to himself. ' O ! madam, how can I ever be 
 thankful enough that- 1 met this angel? 
 Surely, if I seek Him He will be found.' 
 
 In her own sweet way the mother of little 
 Lilly unfolded the plan of salvation to tliis 
 hoary-headed sceptic — removing his impres- 
 sions where 'they conflicted with the truth, 
 and when she left him, he had humbled him- 
 self in prayer and promised not to give up 
 his search till he had found the Saviour 
 precious to his soul. 
 
 It was perhaps a week after this conversa- 
 
 , tion that the mother of Lilly received a letter 
 
 from the old gentleman, in which he wrote, 
 
 glad tidings of great joy ; uow he loved the 
 
 Saviour. 
 
 ' Ask my little angel,' he added, ' what she 
 would most like to have me buy for Jier. It 
 must be something very beautiful and very 
 costly. I am curious to know what she will 
 say.' 
 
 i What shall the good old man buy for you, 
 
Lilly V asked her mother, as she read the lat- 
 ter part of his letter. 
 
 4 For me, mother V 
 
 4 He says he will get 3 T on whatever you 
 wish, no matter what it costs.' 
 
 1 1 mother, will he !' and Lilly clapped 
 her hands. ' Will he buy a whole new li- 
 brary for our Sabbatli School? O! that 
 would be so nice !' 
 
 4 Always another — never self,' thought the 
 gratified parent, as the tears came into her 
 eyes. Then she added aloud, 4 JVell, daugh- 
 ter, I will tell him what you want.' 
 
 Before the next Sabbath a new and beau- 
 tiful library graced the Sabbath School room 
 
 of L , and Lilly's eyes sparkled like 
 
 diamonds as* she heard the superintendent 
 tell that it was a gift through one of the Sab- 
 bath School scholars. Was it not strange 
 that .every eye turned toward the beaming 
 face of angel Lilly ? No ; for they knew that 
 she delighted in such deeds. And when the 
 questions came pouring in upon her, 4 Was 
 it you? was it you?' her childish answer 
 was— 
 
 4 Yes ; arn't you glad we've got such a 
 beautiful library?'" 
 
 That old man lived to build a house unto 
 the Lord, and when it was completed, and 
 they told him that angel Lilly lay in her 
 
s 
 
 white robes, pale and motionless, his only re- 
 ply was, as he wiped the tears from -i 1 i .3 fur- 
 rowed cheek, and pointed to the new and el- 
 egant edifice — „ 
 
 'There is-her monument!' 
 
 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy 
 name in all the earth! who hast set thy 
 glory above the heavens. 
 
 Out of the mouth of babes and suck- 
 lings hast thou ordained strength because 
 of thine enemies, that thou mightest still 
 the enemy and the avenger. 
 
 ® Lord dur Lord, how excellent is thy 
 name in all the earth ! 
 
Hollinger Corp. 
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