The boy looked astonished. "For me? Who is it from?"
"It is from a little boy who sent you word that 'he loves Jesus.'"
"Oh!" said Tom; "And what is it?"
Nellie set the parcel on a little table which was pushed against the side of his bed, and opened it the second time.
The child looked and looked at it, clasping his thin and wasted hands. "I never saw such beauties, never," he said, and slowly, as he looked, tears trickled down his cheeks, and ran on to the collar of his old jacket. And while he gazed at them, Nellie softly and clearly sang words which melted that hard young heart as much as the flowers had, and completed the work they had begun.
"The great Physician now is near,
The sympathising Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer:
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus!
"Sweetest note in seraph song,
Sweetest name on mortal tongue,
Sweetest carol ever sung,
Jesus, blessed Jesus.
"Your many sins are all forgiven;
Oh, hear the voice of Jesus!
Go on your way in peace to heaven,
And wear a crown with Jesus.
"His name dispels my guilt and fear,
No other name but Jesus;
Oh, how my soul delights to hear
The precious name of Jesus!"
The boy listened to every word of the long hymn, looking at the flowers till he was too blinded with tears; then he turned away his head, and hid his face in the sheet. When Nellie had done, there was silence; at last the boy stretched out his hand to draw the flowers nearer to him. He bent his head down, and drew in their lovely fragrance, and then touched one of them tenderly and reverently with his finger.
The child looked and looked at it,
clasping his thin and wasted hands.
"Did you say Jesus sent them?" he asked.