Lom pays a Versit. 125

can't you, Master Tom?” said Benjamin.
“ Maybe you'd repeat a bit to me.”

“Oh yes!” cried Tom, delighted to do so.
“T can say a good many verses. I'll repeat
them all, if you're not tired of them.”

Old Benjamin leant back, and shut his eyes,
to enjoy himself thoroughly. “Tom stood up
in front of him, and put his hands behind his
back. Then he carefully repeated all the
verses he could remember. The old man
listened as eagerly as though he had never
heard them before.

“Why, Benjamin,” cried Tom, when he
had quite finished; ‘‘if you’re so fond of the
Bible, ve a whole book full of Bible stories,
which [ll bring you to read. Tl go and fetch
them now, if you like.”

The old man smiled, and shook his head
slowly.

“Thank you, Master Tom,” said he;
“thank you all the same; but it’s the blessed
promises of God and not the stories that I’m
caring about.”

Tom looked at him a ‘moment.