young woman in a yellow satin gown, whose rich folds of lace fell away
from perfectly molded neck and arms.

All the children stared at the portrait as usual in this stage of the
proceedings. "Now you must say after me, 'I thank my beautiful Lady for
this Home,'" said Phronsie slowly.

"I thank my beautiful Lady for this Home," said every child distinctly.

"Because without her I could not have had it," said Phronsie. "You must
always remember that, children. Now say it." She stood very patiently,
her hands folded together, and waited to hear them repeat it.

"Because without her I could not have had it," said the children, one or
two coming in shrilly as a belated echo.

[Illustration: "Will you?" asked Phronsie, looking down into their
faces.]

"And I thank her for the beautiful Tree," said Phronsie. "Now say it,
please."

"I thank her for the beautiful Tree," shouted the children, craning
their necks away from the portrait to get a glimpse of the
curtain-veiled Tree in the other room. "Please can't we have it now?"
begged several voices.

"No; not until you all hear the story. Well, now, God took the beautiful
Lady away to Heaven; but she is always going to be here too," again
Phronsie pointed to the portrait, "just as long as there is any Home.