And then with many blushes she nestled herself closer to the old lady and told her all that was in her little innocent heart. She told her too of the day when she found she needed an Almighty Friend, and how her Saviour had appeared to her as one altogether lovely. From this time the tie between the two was very strong. The more Helen saw of Morrisville, the better she liked it. In her journal she gave Frederic an account of the long, wide street shaded with noble old elms—the handsome mansions which bordered it for nearly two miles, the large stone church half covered with ivy. She ended her description by saying: "If I could move Woodbine Cottage and the parsonage and all the people that I love from Maytown to Morrisville, I should be almost too happy." Only on the Sabbath was our young friend discontented. The clergyman who had ministered to the wants of the people for twenty years had been called to a position of greater responsibility, and the pulpit was now supplied for a few months by a younger man whose heart his hearers soon found, was not in his work. Indeed he confided to one of the Committee the fact that unless he could get a call from some wealthy church where the salary would support him in style, he should leave the pulpit for the bar. Mrs. Prescott had for many years been a liberal supporter of religious institutions, both in her native town and elsewhere. On account of her feeble state of health, she had never heard the new preacher; but she had invited him to her house, had talked with him on subjects connected with personal religion, and had listened to his prayers. She had done more, and by her Christian frankness proved herself a tried friend. She advised him to search his own heart, and take counsel of God in reference to his motives in preaching the gospel of Christ. If he found that worldly gain, ease or luxury were inducements stronger than the desire to win souls, she asked whether it would not be better for Christ's kingdom and for his own soul that he should leave the work in which he was engaged. [Illustration] CHAPTER XX. THE ANONYMOUS GIFT. THE next week after Helen's arrival in Morrisville, Mrs. Prescott sent Christopher to a neighbor to ask him to call upon her as soon as convenient. When the gentleman arrived, she sent Helen off for a long walk. The result of the neighbor's call may be seen in the following note, which was addressed to the Reverend Frederic Knowles, Maytown. "DEAR SIR: At the request of the gentleman who is engaged by the first church in Morrisville to supply our pulpit until January, I write to request you to preach on the last Sabbath in this month, it being his desire to be absent on that day. Our usual price per Sabbath is fifteen dollars. "If you can come, you are requested to put up at the house of Mrs. Martha Prescott on Elm Street. Please answer at your earliest convenience. "Yours, respectfully,