small pieces of wood, which she hurried in with, and soon kindled a
bright blaze on the hearth: after which, she requested the sawyer to
bring in two large logs to lay behind.

"Now, Aunt Mabel, are you comfortable?" she inquired, as she drew a low
chair up by the old woman's side, and seated herself in it.

"Ah, honey, if you could only know how good the warm blood feels
creeping up to my shaky old heart, you wouldn't ask me; and this
beautiful shawl, Miss May! it 'minds me so of the bright swamp flowers
in old Ca'lina, that it takes me clean back thar. I had good times
then, honey; but I can't say nuffin. I feel it all here, and I hope
your heavenly Father will make it out, and pay you back ten thousand
times," said old Mabel, laying her shrivelled hand on her heart.

"_Your_ Father and God too, Aunt Mabel," said May, leaning towards her,
and lifting her sunshiny face close to hers.

"No, missis; I ain't good enough. He don't think of the likes of me."

"Oh, Aunt Mabel, you must not say that. You are his creature, and from
him proceeded your life and soul: for you, as well as me, his divine
Son died that we might inherit eternal life. _He_ knows no distinction
in the distribution of his divine charity; the humblest slave, and the
most powerful king, are alike the objects of his tender solicitude.
And if I, a poor frail child of earth, pity and love you in your low
estate, how much more does He, the sweet and merciful Jesus, regard
with tender compassion the soul for whose salvation he has shed his
precious blood."