He presently spoke to her, and more cheerfully.
"Are you reading, dear?"
"Yes, grandpa!" said the little girl, looking up brightly.
"Does the candle disturb you?"
"No, dear! What have you got there'?
"I just took up this volume of Newton that has the hymns in it."
"Read out."
Fleda read Mr. Newton's long beautiful hymn, "The Lord will provide;" but with her late thoughts fresh in her mind it was hard to get through the last verses;
'No strength of our own,
Or goodness we claim;
But since we have known
The Saviour's great name,
In this, our strong tower,
For safety we hide;
The Lord is our power,
The Lord will provide.
'When life sinks apace,
And death is in view,
This word of his grace
Shall comfort us through.
No fearing nor doubting,
With Christ on our side,
We hope to die shouting,
The Lord will provide !'
The little reader's voice changed, almost broke, but she struggled through, and then was quietly crying behind her hand.