"I'm so glad to meet you, dear Mrs. Hadly," she said in a quiet, pleasant voice. "Brother Hallock wrote me that you might like to have one of our faith call upon you. I hope I'm not intruding?"
"No, indeed," returned Venna, feeling a quickening influence from this bright, motherly person.
"I'm Sister Maddon. My husband is president of the —— Company, so we have to live East now. I miss the West so much, but I'm thankful we have a conference of our people here. I want you to meet all the Latter-day Saints right soon, won't you?" she asked cordially.
Venna looked down at her black dress.
"Yes, I know," continued her new friend, sitting next to Venna and taking her thin white hand in her own large, capable one. "Don't think because I don't dwell upon it, that I fail to understand your sorrow. It's kinder to help one forget and not bring sad things to the surface. It won't do anyone any good to sit at home and grieve. Let me tell you about our people here, and then perhaps you will want to meet them soon."
For the next hour Venna completely lost herself in listening to her caller's vivid description of the Eastern Conference work, its leaders and their difficulties. When the hour had passed, she felt as though she had known this woman many years. She expressed herself to this effect.
"It is the Spirit of the Lord, dear girl, that draws us together," she explained with a bright, happy smile. "The spirit of the world never does that, does it?"
"No, indeed!" exclaimed Venna. "Somehow I never shrunk from the world as I do now."
"When you have the Gospel firmly written on your heart, you will be eager to enter the world and help it."
When her visitor left, Venna promised to spend the following Saturday with her.