CH. X.] Nature's Gifts. 183 



and attended the boy. Till lately they gave 

 little hope, but, thank God, there has been 

 during the past year a slow but steady 

 improvement, and they now think in time 

 the boy may grow strong in health, but there 

 is no hope of his ever walking without his 

 crutches. 



" Fortunately nature has bestowed many 

 gifts on the poor child that compensate him 

 somewhat for his loss — first, an intensely 

 loving, unselfish nature ; and secondly, a 

 perfect voice and passionate love of music. 

 Already he is carried each Sunday to church 

 by his father, and his voice in the choir is 

 celebrated for many miles round, and has so 

 impressed the organist at the cathedral at 

 Marshford that he either comes himself, or 

 sends one of his pupils, to give the boy a 

 lesson once a week, and there is not a better 

 violinist within the bounds of the county 

 than our little Jack is. His father is so 



