"Then—well, I forgot all about it in the end, and had a very nice afternoon." "That is just the way I find the Lord Jesus does help," exclaimed Aunt Ruth. "To the old woman who is hungry, He sends bread and all she wants, and to the little girl who is worried about her shoes, He sends the best thing for her in His wisdom and love—an acquiescence in His provision, and then forgetfulness of what she thought would spoil her day!" They turned indoors now, and Jean with tear-filled eyes ran up to her bedroom, and knelt down for one instant. "Dear Lord Jesus," she whispered, "I know you know best; help me to trust you always!" CHAPTER XXII. KINDLED. "AUNT RUTH," exclaimed Jean, "do come and sit down by this fire. See! I've blown it into such a lovely blaze, because I know you love blazes." Aunt Ruth laughed. "Where did you find that nice pair of bellows?" she asked. "I never saw them before." "I should think you hadn't!" said Jean. "I was searching in the garret this afternoon for something mother wanted in that old chest of hers, and I came upon them, wrapped up in a sheet of old-fashioned paper, as yellow as yellow." "Among her treasures?" asked Aunt Ruth. "Yes; she would hardly let me use them, they were such a treasure! But I told her they did nobody any good up there, hidden away, and if I left them there they would be forgotten for another twenty years—" "Where shall you keep them?" asked Aunt Ruth. "Handy!" returned Jean, emphatically. With which words she began blowing up the wood fire with fresh energy, enjoying the effect to the full, as who does not? "Go it!" said Tom, coming behind, "Or let me." "Oh! Here you all are!" said Aunt Ruth. "Yes, just ready for a nice twilight story," said Rose. "They are getting the tea, and there is just time." Aunt Ruth was always willing, though she seldom suggested a talk unless they did. Often she seized upon a little lesson from what was passing at the moment, which the children were grateful for, and did not forget. "Well, come along, settle yourselves quickly," she said, "for if Rose is right about the tea, there will not be much time." They all gathered round her affectionately. "Well, auntie?" said Oswald, by way of a beginning. "Well," she responded, "it struck me as if by a flash when I saw Jean fanning the fire into that beautiful flame, how the dull fire was typical of our dull hearts, cold and dead, the spark of love and faith nearly extinguished by adverse circumstances—" "Yes, auntie," said Tom eagerly, "what then?" "Then comes a force outside ourselves, and with the breath of living power, He fans the little sparks till they brighten and grow warm, fanned by the love of God, and the breath of the Holy Spirit." "I don't understand much about the Holy Spirit," said Oswald, in a low tone, "it always seems too high a subject for me."