10 ‘ ELSIE.

“What is your name, and where did you come from?”
asked the man. .

“My name is Elsie,” said the little girl, “and father kicked
me out, so I came here, and the shadows told me to go to sleep.”

The lady smiled. ‘So you saw the shadows too,” she said.
“ Have you no mother?”

“T had, in the country, but she died, and father came here;
then he married another woman-who had a shop, but she lost
all her money and used to send me out begging, but I could
not beg very well, and when I brought home nothing she
would beat me. She scolds so that father drinks all the time,
and to-night they said it cost too much to keep me, so I might
go where I could, and they kicked me out. It isn’t so very
cold under the bench,” she said, raising her blue eyes to the
lady’s face.

The man looked down at his wife. ‘Shall we try it?” he
asked.

“Oh, yes,” she answered. “Would it not be a good way
to greet the New Year? Oh, how those bells are chiming! as
if they still echoed the Christmas song ‘ Peace and good will.’
Can we listen to them and turn away from this little homeless
waif? And, Philip, she may be a great help to us.”

“ Will you go home with us, Elsie?” asked the man. “I
am a doctor; we have only a tiny house, but if you are honest,
and can help us keep it clean and neat, we shall be glad to give
you a home.”