It was settled that during Frida's absence Mrs. Gower should live at Harcourt Manor, and together Mrs. Willoughby and she bid adieu to Frida as she set off three days after the marriage to meet her uncle and his bride at Dover, from whence they were to start for the Continent. Tears were in Frida's eyes—tears of gratitude—as she thought of the goodness of God in restoring her, a lonely orphan, to the care of kind relations since she had crossed the Channel rather more than a year before.
Frida endeared herself much to her uncle and his wife, and after a trip with them for some weeks, they left her with regret at Miss Drechsler's, promising toreturn soon and take her home with them after she had seen her friends in the Forest.
"Ah, Frida," said Miss Drechsler, when they were seated in the evening in the pretty little drawing-room, "does it not seem like olden days? Do you not remember the first time when Pastor Langen brought you here a shy, trembling little child, and asked me to see you from time to time?"
Ere Frida could reply, the door opened, and Pastor Langen entered, and Miss Drechsler introduced him to hisprotégé.
"Frida Heinz! Is it possible? I must indeed be gettingein Alterif this be the little girl who was found in the Black Forest."
He listened with interest whilst Miss Drechsler told him the history of her past years, much of which was new to him, although he had heard of Frida's gift as a violinist; but when she told of the wonderful way in which her relations had been discovered, he could refrain himself no longer, but exclaimed,—
"Lobe Herrn, He is good, very good, and answers prayer."
And ere they parted the three knelt at the throne of grace and gave thanks to God.
On the next day it was settled that Frida should go to the Forest and see her old friends, taking her grandmother's present with her.
"God's world is steeped in beauty,God's world is bathed in light."
"God's world is steeped in beauty,God's world is bathed in light."
"God's world is steeped in beauty,God's world is bathed in light."
IT was in the leafy month of June that Frida found herself once more treading the Forest paths. The smaller trees were clothed in their bright, fresh, green lining—
"Greenness shining, not a colour,But a tender, living light;"
"Greenness shining, not a colour,But a tender, living light;"
"Greenness shining, not a colour,But a tender, living light;"
and to them the dark, gloomy pines acted as a noble background, and once again the song of birds was heard, and the gentle tinkle, tinkle of the forest streams.
Memory was very busy at work as the girl—nay, woman now—trod those familiar scenes. Yonder was the very tree under which Wilhelm found her, a lonely little one, waiting in vain for the father she would see no more on earth.
There in the distance were the lonely huts of the wood-cutters who had so lovingly cared for the orphan child. And as she drew nearer the hut of the Hörstels,she recognized many a spot where she and Hans had played together as happy children, to whom the sighing of the wind amid the tall pines had seemed the most beautiful music in the world.
As she recalled all these things, her heart filled with love to God, who had cared for and protected her when her earthly friends had cast her off. The language of her heart might have been expressed in the words of the hymn so often sung in Scottish churches:—
"When all Thy mercies, O my God!My rising soul surveys,Transported with the view, I'm lostIn wonder, love, and praise."
"When all Thy mercies, O my God!My rising soul surveys,Transported with the view, I'm lostIn wonder, love, and praise."
"When all Thy mercies, O my God!My rising soul surveys,Transported with the view, I'm lostIn wonder, love, and praise."
Words cannot depict the joy of Elsie and Wilhelm at the sight of their dear woodland child. They had already heard of her having found her English relations, and heartily they rejoiced at the good news, although well they knew that they would seldom see the child they loved so well.
Many were the questions asked on both sides. Frida, on her part, had to describe Harcourt Manor and her gentle grandmother and her father's brother, Dr. Heinz, and his beautiful bride. She told also of the full-sized picture (which hung on the walls of Harcourt Manor) of her mother, which had been the means of the discovery of her birth, from her extraordinary likeness to it.
When the many useful presents sent by Mrs. Willoughby were displayed, the gratitude of those poor people knew no bounds, and even the little girl lookeddelighted at the bright-coloured, warm frocks and cloaks for winter wear which had been sent for her. Hans was by no means forgotten: some useful books fell to his share when he returned home in a few weeks from Leipsic for a short holiday.
It was with difficulty that Frida tore herself away from those kind friends, and went to the Dorf to see her friends there, and take them the gifts she had brought for them also. It was late ere she reached Dringenstadt, and there, seated by Miss Drechsler, related to her the doings of the day.
To Pastor Langen was entrusted a sum of money to be given to the Hörstels, and also so much to be spent every Christmas amongst the wood-cutters and charcoal-burners in the Dorf. The two Bibles Frida had herself given to the Hörstels, who had been delighted with them.
When, soon after that day, Dr. Heinz and his bride, accompanied by Frida, visited the Forest, they received a hearty welcome. Many of the wood-cutters recognized the resemblance Dr. Heinz bore to his brother who had died in the cottage in the Forest.
Many a story did Dr. Heinz hear of the woodland child and her brown book.
The marriage trip over, the Heinzes, accompanied by Frida, returned to their homes—they to carry on their work of love in the dark places of the great metropolis, taking with them not only comforts for the body, but conveying to them the great and only treasures of the human mind, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And to many and many a sin-sick, weary soul the words of Holy Scripture spoken bythe lips of those two faithful ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ brought peace and rest and comfort. And Frida, on her part, found plenty of work to do for the Master in the cottages near Harcourt Manor, in which her grandmother helped her largely.
Three years had passed since Frida had become an inmate of her grandmother's home, and they had gone for the winter to London in order to be near Frida's relations the Heinzes, and at Frida's request Ada Stanford, who was now much stronger, had come to pay her a visit. Many a talk the two friends had about the past, recalling with pleasure the places they had visited together and the people they had seen. The beauties of Baden-Baden and the sunny Riviera were often dwelt on, and together they loved to review God's wonderful love as regarded them both. They spoke also of their visit to the dying woman in the Glen, whom Frida had long before found out to have been a faithful nurse to her mother, and for whose little grand-daughter Mrs. Willoughby had provided since hearing from Frida of the old woman's death.
Then one day the girls spoke of a musical party which was to take place in Mrs. Willoughby's house that day, and in the arranging for which Ada and Frida had busied themselves even as they had done years before in Baden-Baden for the party at which Frida had played on the violin. A large party assembled that night, and Dr. Heinz and Frida played together; but the great musician of the night was a young German violinist who had begun to attract general attention in the London musical world. Hewas no other than Hans Hörstel, the playmate of Frida's childhood.
Very cordial was the meeting between those two who had last seen each other in such different circumstances.
And Sir Richard Stanford, who was also present, felt he was well repaid for what he had spent on young Hörstel's education by the result of it, and by the high moral character which the young man bore.
It was a happy night. Frida rejoiced in the musical success of the companion of her early years, and together they spoke of the days of the past, and of his parents, who had been as father and mother to her.
Long after the rest of the company had gone, Hans, by Mrs. Willoughby's invitation, remained on; and ere they parted they together gave thanks for all God's kindness towards them.
All hearts were full of gratitude, for Mrs. Gower was there rejoicing in the news she had that day received from Reginald, that he was about to be married to a niece of Sir Richard Stanford's, whom he had met whilst visiting friends in New York; and she was one who would help in the work for Christ which he carried on in the neighbourhood of his farm. He was prospering as regarded worldly matters, and he hoped soon to take a run home and introduce his bride to his loved mother and his kind friend Mrs. Willoughby. He added, "I need hardly say that ere I asked Edith to marry me I told her the whole story of my sin in concealing what I knew of the birth of Frida Heinz; but she said, what God hadevidently forgiven, it became none to refuse to do so likewise."
So after prayer was ended, it was from their hearts that all joined in singing the doxology,—
"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!"
And with this scene we end the story of the child found in the Black Forest, and the way in which her brown German Bible was used there for the glory of God.
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FREAKS ON THE FELL.
ERLING THE BOLD.
DEEP DOWN.
WILD MAN OF THE WEST, THE.
GOLDEN DREAM, THE.
RED ERIC.
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FIGHTING THE FLAMES.
CORAL ISLAND, THE.The author of "Peter Pan" says of "The Coral Island": "For the authorship of that book I would joyously swop all mine."
DOG CRUSOE AND HIS MASTER.A tale of the prairies, with many adventures among the Red Indians.
GORILLA HUNTERS, THE.A story of adventure in the wilds of Africa, brimful of exciting incidents and alive with interest.
HUDSON BAY.A record of pioneering in the great lone land of the Hudson's Bay Company.
MARTIN RATTLER.An excellent story of adventure in the forests of Brazil.
UNGAVA.A tale of Eskimo land.
WORLD OF ICE, THE.A story of whaling in the Arctic regions.
YOUNG FUR TRADERS, THE.A tale of early life in the Hudson Bay Territories.
"The best writer for boys who ever lived."
WITH AXE AND RIFLE.
CAPTAIN MUGFORD.
SNOW-SHOES AND CANOES.
HEIR OF KILFINNAN, THE.
BEN BURTON.
DICK CHEVELEY.A stirring tale of a plucky boy who "ran away to sea."
IN THE EASTERN SEAS.The scenes of this book are laid in the Malay Archipelago.
IN THE WILDS OF AFRICA.The adventures of a shipwrecked party on the coast of Africa.
IN THE WILDS OF FLORIDA.A bustling story of warfare between Red Men and Palefaces.
MY FIRST VOYAGE TO SOUTHERN SEAS.A tale of adventure at sea and in Cape Colony, Ceylon, etc.
OLD JACK.An old sailor's account of his many and varied adventures.
ON THE BANKS OF THE AMAZON.A boy's journal of adventures in the wilds of South America.
SAVED FROM THE SEA.The adventures of a young sailor and three shipwrecked companions.
SOUTH SEA WHALER, THE.A story of mutiny and shipwreck in the South Seas.
TWICE LOST.A story of shipwreck and travel in Australia.
TWO SUPERCARGOES, THE.An adventurous story full of "thrills."
VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.A young sailor's account of his adventures by land and sea.
WANDERERS, THE.The adventures of a Pennsylvanian merchant and his family.
YOUNG LLANERO, THE.A thrilling narrative of war and adventure.