I am set to wondering whether it will not grow quite away from me
and have a life of its own. Healthy children do that very thing
usually, and wise parents are willing to have it so.

But I cannot cease to remember that this story is out of my own
life. It lay in my heart unborn for long. It came forth in a time
of shock and pain. There is One who knows why its face is unmarred
and bright with the gladness of trust. I think God has let it
speak to so many hearts for this reason.

Go then, little story; be bearer of thy message of cheer and glad
restfulness. I cannot follow thee into lives that need to hear thy
voice; but speak thou to them, and I shall be content.

Yet I know, friends of mine, that as you look up somewhere in the
world from these pages, you will want to ask me a question.

It has been asked and answered many times already. Because I know
some of you are in sick-rooms, some are lonely and some companioned
by grief, some are poor and some for the time are misunderstood,
some are discouraged and some feel themselves little loved, some
are young and cannot find their way, and some are old and
wayworn,--because I know all of you have need of the Shepherd's
watch, I want to answer your question. Yes, we did indeed have
such a guest, a man whose home was among the Syrian shepherds, a
man who well knew the life which rightly interprets the Shepherd
Psalm.

I give my word that this story's message about the Psalm's meaning
is straight from David's land. We had such a guest and he told us