But little Belle sat silent for a moment, her eyes raised again towards her dear mother’s home, her hands clasped, and a gentle, happy smile on her lips.
Then she spoke, with that same, soft smile, and with a peaceful light in her eyes.
“I was just saying a little prayer inside of my mouf,” she said, “to ask Jesus to make papa feel like doing it, so dear mamma and I can do some work for Him togefer. And papa will be helping too, all fee of us togefer,” added the dear little thing, to whom no thought could bring more happiness than the one that mamma in heaven, waiting for papa and Belle, would know and be glad when she tried to please Jesus and to do His work.
“I shall tell your papa Johnny is an honest boy,” said Maggie. “You know we know he is, that day when the lilies were six cents a bunch, and he had no pennies change for the ten cents I gave him, he would not keep it, but pulled four lilies out of another bunch to make it even with me. I told him he could keep it all, too.”
“I guess he is a pretty good boy,” said Bessie. “Sallie says he is.”
“I’ll tell papa all about him,” said Belle, which she did as her father drove home with her that evening in the starlight. The fog which the morning haze had foretold had lasted but a few hours, and all was now again fair and clear.
“Has my pet thought of what she wants me to give her on her birthday?” said Mr. Powers.
“Yes, papa.”
“Ah! Maggie and Bessie helped you to it, I suppose. I thought they would,” said Mr. Powers.
“Papa,” said Belle, leaning her head upon her father’s breast, and gazing upward at the stars, “if a present comes from mamma, it must come from heaven, and so it ought to be somefing very, very good: don’t you think so?”