“Remember,” said the old magician, “that all good comes from the loving God, who has blessed you, and made you the sunshine child. You can make the mother and every one very happy, so long as you keep God’s sunshine in your heart; but if you forget the blessed Christ, it will fly away, and will not be the warm, beautiful light of God’s love, but only the dancing sunshine that always escapes your grasp. And then, how sad! you would change to the little stormy-weather child, which would be worse than the darkest winter’s day to the dear mother.”
“Oh! no, no! I will never forget to bless the good God. It is so delightful to make mamma and every one happy.”
“This box,” said the old man, “is full of sunshine; I will give it you for the mother.”
“Let me kiss you, dear magician,” said the child, gently; “I always love anybody who is kind to poor mamma.”
The old man took the little one in his arms, and kissed her fondly, saying, “God bless you, darling; God bless you!” Then he went away, to be her life-long friend.
“I am so happy, I can not keep still, Dolladine,” said the child; and she danced about till the mother came in, weary and worn. “Oh! mamma,” said she, running up and kissing her, “we shall always be happy now, in God’s glorious sunshine, and the old magician gave me this box, full of it, for you, mamma.”
It was some time before the mother could understand all; but when she opened the box, sure enough, it was full of sunshine. There was the missing deed, that restored to her her own—the dear old home, and all her great wealth.
Again she became the fair lady with the lily-white hands; but her greatest joy was in the warm, genial sunshine her good little daughter made. From a child she grew up to be a loving, beautiful, and pure woman. But she never forgot the good God, and, all her life, remained the mother’s sunshine child.