“Not so long as I can keep the two ideas--that Christ is her best friend, and that heaven is not meant for naughty girls--pre-eminent in her mind. And I sincerely believe that He would give her the very pink blocks which she anticipates, no less than He would give back a poet his lost dreams, or you your brother. He has been a child; perhaps, incidentally to the unsolved mysteries of atonement, for this very reason,--that He may know how to ‘prepare their places’ for them, whose angels do always behold His Father. Ah, you may be sure that, if of such is the happy Kingdom, He will not scorn to stoop and fit it to their little needs. “There was that poor little fellow whose guinea-pig died,--do you remember?” “Only half; what was it?” “‘O mamma,’ he sobbed out, behind his handkerchief, ‘don’t great big elephants have souls?’ “‘No, my son.’ “‘Nor camels, mamma?’ “‘No.’ “‘Nor bears, nor alligators, nor chickens?’ “‘O no, dear.’ “‘O mamma, mamma! Don’t little CLEAN--_white_--_guinea-pigs_ have souls?’ “I never should have had the heart to say no to that; especially as we have no positive proof to the contrary. “Then that scrap of a boy who lost his little red balloon the morning he bought it, and, broken-hearted, wanted to know whether it had gone to heaven. Don’t I suppose if he had been taken there himself that very minute, that he would have found a little balloon in waiting for him? How can I help it?” “It has a pretty sound. If people would not think it so material and shocking--” “Let people read Martin Luther’s letter to his little boy. There is the testimony of a pillar in good and regular standing! I don’t think you need be afraid of my balloon, after that.” I remembered that there was a letter of his on heaven, but, not recalling it distinctly, I hunted for it to-night, and read it over. I shall copy it, the better to retain it in mind. “Grace and peace in Christ, my dear little son. I see with pleasure that thou learnest well, and prayed diligently. Do so, my son, and continue. When I come home I will bring thee a pretty fairing.