178 THE PURPLE CROCUS. 



a little rural lane, carrying in his blue handkerchief 

 some portion that had been given him from the 

 larder of a rich person ; and kindly saluting him 

 by name, I asked, ' Are you travelling the safe and 

 pleasant road, with the Lord Jesus Christ for 

 company V He looked at me, the tremor of his 

 frame increasing greatly from emotion, and quietly 

 answered, ' I hope I am, lady, I hope I am : and 

 so are you;' and then, after a short pause, he 

 rather abruptly resumed, ' I have been thinkirrg 

 that we don't pray enough ; we should pray for all 

 — especially for the Lord's people. We should 

 pray particularly for those God loves— don't you 

 think so V I readily assented, and he continued ; 

 ' And for the wicked : there would not be so much 

 wickedness in the world, if we prayed as we 

 ought. God hears prayer : he hears my prayers 

 — and if I do not pray, I sin against him. But 

 particularly for the Lord's people — for praying 

 people,' — and with a respectful bow he went on, 

 evidently pursuing the same train of thought, 

 which had not been interrupted by my unexpected 

 address. 



After this, we never met without a cordial greet 

 ing ; and on one occasion I saw him, when fe turn- 

 ing from a scene to me most precious. A pooi 

 Romanist who had, under the power of the gospel, 

 declared in his own native Irish, renounced all his 

 fearful errors, and become a simple believer in 



