FRIENDS OF THE STRANGER. 129

bedside of her husband, and almost clasped Carl in her
arms. No other introduction was needed.

There is something very pleasing in the power of —
Qhristian hymns over the German mind. The Pro-
testant emigrants, who go by thousands to New York
and New Orleans, are seldom without their pocket _
hymn-books, The tunes of their hymns are not so
often changed as ours; many of them are hundreds of
years old, and a hymn is seldom sung to more than
one tune. Hence the associations with certain melo-
dies are very strong. Those who visit German Chris-
tians in humble life should learn their tunes.

Carl was naturally desirous to help his countryman,
who was a worthy joiner, but who had been brought
very low with ship-fever. Often, when no one knew
where Carl had strayed, he was seated by the invalid’s
bed, reading to him from the Bible, or the Hymn-book,
or from Arndt’s “True Christianity,” or Luther's
“ House-Postils.” Blessed employment for a pious |
youth! It educates the heart, and teaches the affec-
tious early to flow in right channels. During one of
these visits Carl was surprised at the entrance of a’
young woman, plainly dressed and much older than
himself, but of comely appearance, and with a face
flushed with exercise, and perhaps with modest con-
fusion at seeing him. She was bringing some little
diet drink for the poor man in a white pitcher, covered

with a still whiter napkin. After a few moments’
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