“Were you afraid you would be late? You ought not to risk your health; it is not good to get so out of breath,” said a motherly old robin.
“CLOSE TO A WINDOW WHERE SAT AN OLD LADY.”
“Oh! I have such good news to tell you,” cried the little bird as soon as he could speak. “I sat on a bough this morning, close to a window where sat an old lady, who was reading aloud to a sick man, so I stopped to listen. These are the words she read,—‘Sermons in stones, books in running brooks.’ I didn’t hear any more, but came right away to study that. I was so glad I had found something to help us. Two things in one.”
They all looked very much amazed.
“Why, we didn’t think we could do anything!” cried the stones, “and here we can do one of the best things there is to be done. Thank the dear God for that. We will preach sermons full of God and his works, for we have seen a great many ages, and their story is locked up in us.”
“And the brook shall tell us of books,” said the old wind. “There is good in everything, and we shall try not to feel discouraged the next time we are in a difficulty.”
“A SMALL GIRL JUST UNDER MY NEST IN THE ORCHARD.”
“Books in running brooks,” said the brook. “Books, books, books. And I too can praise Him.”