She waved back the adieu as she sadly said, “Be not afraid, cousin. I shall be careful. How happy they are,” she said as she turned and went silently to the house, thinking how kind her cousins were to her, a poor, lonely girl of the metropolis. Thus she mused: “Mother told me my cousins would use me as if I was as well off financially as they were. Oh, if papa had lived perhaps we would not have been bankrupt. Oh, how times will change in a few short months; as soon as papa died nearly all of his creditors wished to have their pay. It was all right for them to have their dues. Poor mamma had to sell nearly all the property, only saving a small sum out of the wreck. We can get along, for ‘where there’s a will there’s a way.’ I am going to do something. One thing certain—my parents gave me a good common education and debts cannot take that away. I will try and turn it to good advantage when I can.” Thus she mused as she went slowly up the path. The tears were slowly trickling down her lovely features and falling on the little hands. She was deeply engaged in thinking and did not observe her aunt who was coming down to meet her. She was surprised when her aunt said, “Nettie dear, why those tears? Are you not happy? Have your cousins been unkind to you?” “No, auntie, I was only thinking of papa and what might have been.” “Yes, Nettie, I know what you are referring to, but God has willed it otherwise and you should be content. My dear, your papa did not know that he was so soon to die and leave his only child nearly penniless. If he was to know it would make him very unhappy, as he dearly loved you. It is well the dead do not know of the living, for if they did how unhappy thousands would be to see the troubles and sorrows of their friends on earth. This is a great mystery we cannot solve; we can only do our duty in helping one another, then, perhaps, we can meet them on that ‘evergreen shore.’” While her aunt was speaking Nettie was silently weeping. Her aunt said, “Cheer up, Nettie, you and your mother can have a home with us as long as we have one, and we will share the last morsel of food with you; your uncle said so a few days ago.” “Thank you, auntie, we can get along yet a while; something may turn up for us yet,” answered Nettie, kissing her aunt. “Remember, my dear, you have one true Friend, One who is always near. He will not forsake you in the hour of trial,” said her aunt. “I remember mamma telling me that God will never forsake one of his children if they will call on him for aid. It seems so strange, though, to be cast down from wealth to poverty, and have nearly all our friends turn from us,” said Nettie sorrowfully. “They are not your friends; they are only make-believers. No true friends would turn their backs to you because you had lost your wealth. They would help you in the hour of need.”