Chrissie.

'Oh yes, I can always remember that!' said And is it because Jesus has given you His light,' she went on hesitatingly, that you look so happy, ‘ Granny?'

'Doesn't the sunlight make you feel glad, Chrissie?' returned the old woman; and, my dear, those who walk in "the light of the Lord" can never be gloomy or dull.' Chrissie was silent.

'How wonderful!' she said presently.

'You will find it is quite true, dear,' went on the crippled woman; 'there's plenty of gladness and joy in Jesus for us, if we will only let it come into our hearts and lives. When He went back to heaven, He told those who loved Him that His joy should remain with them, and that it should be full. Jesus had grief and trouble to bear, dear, very much, more than we can understand, but it was joy He promised to His people.'

And then Granny opened her Testament, and read a little to Chrissie of the Saviour's life and death, and when Nell came in, she thought-but it might have been only fancy-that the child's thin face had caught something of the crippled woman's sunny brightness. Chrissie kissed her friend, and, slipping out of the room, glided away to her grandfather and Nat.

The morn had broken on her path. Her feet were in the golden light of the dawning. No difficulties about her own faith or feelings, no uncertainties of the merits of that One Sacrifice, no doubts of her acceptance.

by her Lord, had troubled the young heart. 'The voice of Jesus' had spoken. The simple, ignorant child had heard, and looked to Him. She had found the Star,the Sun which knows no setting, and, following Him, she would never more 'walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'

HRISSIE'S mind was very full of the wonderful things she had learned of her old neighbour, and she told her grandfather what a kind old woman Granny was, and how, though she lay there on her back day after day, yet she always looked so happy and bright. The old man listened in silence, till the child repeated some of the lines of the hymn and the gospel story which she had heard; then his brow darkened, and he stopped her abruptly.

'Chrissie, child,' he said, 'I won't have this; you're a good little girl, and I won't have you spoiled. No one shall talk religion to you, so, mind, I won't have you go in there any more to be preached to.'

He did not speak unkindly, nor did he, perhaps, guess half the pain which his words gave to the child. 'Nell's been very kind to you,' he went on, and you may talk to her when you see her, but I ain't going to have you preached to by Granny.'

'Who's Granny?' said Nat drowsily, raising himself in his grandfather's arms, where he had been lying asleep; ' and where have you been all this time, Chrissie?'

'Never you mind, Nat,' said his grandfather; 'Chrissie is getting us some tea;—and isn't the rain over, my boy? I can't hear it on the roof now.'

'Oh yes, grandfather, and the sunshine is sparkling on the wet roofs and on the windows so brightly!'

Chrissie thought, as her brother spoke, of the Sun of whom she and Granny had been talking, and though her grandfather would not listen to anything on the subject, she knew she would find a delighted hearer in Nat, especially if she could sing to him the verse she had learned. She was content to wait her time.

The disappointment in not being able to visit Granny again was very great, though Chrissie made no appeal against her grandfather's command. Indeed, she knew that it would be quite useless, and had no thought of disobeying him. The little girl had not guessed that the few lines from the hymn which she had repeated had struck home. They were old familiar words to the blind man, reminding of happier bygone days; but 'the voice of Jesus' to his heart had been unheeded and

unanswered.

He had shut his eyes to the healing rays

of the Sun of Righteousness, even as his natural ones were closed to the noonday sun; he had chosen and loved darkness rather than light, and now it seemed as if no voice could ever call him forth from the shadows of death in which he dwelt. The light had been shining in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not.' Yet the child's words haunted him for days, and the warm summer sun, in the brightness of which he was able to discern a little light, only served to keep them in mind. He tried to forget them, and, after a time, their memory died away once more from the hardened conscience and stubborn heart.

Meanwhile, the dawning light of the gospel message was finding a ready welcome, and bringing its life and joy to the childish mind of his little grandson. Nat listened with eager interest to the oft-repeated story from his sister's lips, until it was deeply impressed on both the children's memories and hearts. Often, as they walked home together in the soft summer twilight, when the stars were just beginning to peep out, one by one, they would talk of the wonderful Friend who had come to die for them; and though they knew so little of Him, yet the light of that Day Star was welcomed and rejoiced in, and to those who 'hold fast' that which they have already,' is given the promise of the Morning Star.'

Granny waited and watched in vain for another visit from her little friend, and when Nell had met the child,