144 The Love of God.

“ No, I don’t mean that; not in begging bread
of people in the road, but in praying.”

“© What’s that?”? “Begging.” ‘“ Thenlam
to beg?” ‘ No, not on the road, but of a great
good Being, who will never refufe what you afk.”

“¢ Ts that you?” |

“© No, my poor boy ; not me, but the great Be-
ing, called God, who lives in the fky. You muft
beg all you want of Him.”

“© T don’t know Him.”

“No; but you will learn to know Him when
you have liftened to me and prayed to Him.”

‘“¢T don’t know praying ; I know begging.”

“© Well, then, when you have begged Him —”

“¢ What am I to fay?”

“¢ Firft, you muft fay, ‘ Our Father —’ ”

“¢ Father’s dead,” interrupted the boy.

“© Ah, but I donot mean that father,” anfwered
Theodore; ‘“* and how do you know even that
that father is dead?”

“ The woman faid fo. One day fhe told me
Father and Mother were both dead, and there was
nobody left to love me, fo I muft mind her.”

“© The woman was wrong,” cried Theodore
compaffionately. ‘‘ You have another Father,
who never dies, and who loves you always! —”

A knock at the door interrupted Theodore’s*
leffon on the Love of God.

“< It’s about time the poor thing was put to .
bed,” fuggefted the houfekeeper, looking in. “I
dare fay he’s tired.”