it, there stood little crippled Joe, one of her scholars in the
Mission Sunday school. As he saw her, he gave a little exclamation of
surprise and delight, and said: "O Miss Marshay! I hearn last night
'twas yer berthday today, an' I wanted to guv yer suthin' white, like
Mr. Robinson he told us 'bout, don't yer know?--an' 'caus yer has
allers treated me so white--'n'--'n' I didn't hev nuthin', 'n so I
axed Him, ye know, what yer telled us 'bout in Sunday school--Jesus;
who died on the cross, and who's allers willin' to help a poor
feller--an' I axed Him to help me get suthin' real nice 'n' white fer
uer birthday; 'n I kep' me eyes peeled all day 'xpectin' it, 'n just
now a reel swell feller buyed a paper of me, 'n then he guv he this
here bunch uv white sweet smellin' posies, 'thout my sayin' a word.
Here they be, Miss Marshay fer yer. Giminy, teacher, ain't them purty?
An' O, teacher--He made 'm in the fust place 'n had the man guv them
to me, 'n so I reckon He 'n me's pardners in this here white gift
bizness." And he held up in his thin, grimy hand a bunch of white,
sweet-scented violets.

Marcia's first impulse was to catch up the little fellow and his gift
in her arms, and baptize them with a flood of tears from her own
overcharged heart! But she hadn't taught boys in a Mission Sunday
school class for nothing--Joe would have thought she had gone crazy,
or been struck silly, or was sick unto death; so she controlled
herself, and kneeling beside him took the violets reverently in both
her hands, saying in a choked voice: "Joe, they are just beautiful!
This is the only really truly white gift I have had today, and I don't
deserve it--but I thank Him and you."

The boy looked at her with shining face, drew his hand across his
eyes, and then answered brightly: "Oh, that's all right, Miss Marshay;