"She assented, and Minnie's little eager fingers soon untied the strings, and presented your bright cushion, John and Hugh.
"Her poor pale face smiled when she saw it, and she asked me to draw out the old shawl, and replace it by the cushion.
"'And now the shawl will do for my knees,' she said, 'which do feel the cold very much.'
"'And here is a little Christmas pudding for you, and a tin of groats, and a trifle to buy some coals with, and a text.'
"'My dear,' she said, 'you are very loving, and the Lord is very loving, and He has sent me just what I wanted most, and that's the way with the Lord, my dear. He knows about us—just all about us. He knows my head has been weary enough without a cushion; He knows my knees have been cold; He knows I wanted some gruel; and when He brings me near enough to Him to say from my heart—truly, my dear, from my very heart—"Dear Lord, I'm willing to wait Thy time, Thou knowest best for me"—then, my dear, He lovingly sends you round (you don't mind my saying He sent you, my dear) with just the very things of all others I wanted. He's a dear Lord.'
"There were tears on her wrinkled cheeks as she laid her hand on Minnie's little one, which rested on her knee.
"'Here's the text,' said Minnie, holding up the one you painted for her, John.
"'My God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.'
"'Ah, my dear,' she continued, 'and it isn't only our needs for this world. We are very apt to think, all of us, that it means food, and clothes, and fire; but it don't, my dear—not only that—it's that He supplies everything—He supplies grace to bear, patience to wait, faith to trust, and hope to look forward to the time when we shall be with Him for ever.'
"She looked up now, beyond the walls of the little room, beyond the dingy paper, on to the everlasting Home which is coming to all who wait for Him.