“One day I lost my silver thimble, a gift from my mother when I was a young girl.  I prized it very highly.  I looked everywhere, long and faithfully.  The tears would come, at the best, it had been so long a constant companion.  I gave up the search after a while, thinking some one had taken it, or a child had lost it—­any way, it was gone.  Feeling sad over it, I sat down to console myself, and the thought came—­pray about it; so I did, and while I knelt there something whispered, ’Look on the bed,’ so plainly that I arose and went into my sister’s sleeping-room where I had turned the spread aside, and there nestled, in a fold of the quilt, my thimble.  I involuntarily said, ‘Thank God!’ out of the depths of my glad heart.  I had lain down a moment on this bed with baby Ernest, early in the morning, and the thimble had fallen out of my pocket.”

A PRAYER FOR $25.

    “God moves in a mysterious way
    His wonders to perform.”

“I had a present of twenty-five dollars once, which was a direct answer to earnest, pleading prayer.  I was entirely out of money for months—­I could not earn a dollar.  I had those who might have assisted me, but they did not.  I could have borrowed, but I might never be able to return it; I knew not what to do.  One evening, thinking it all over, scanning the dark cloud with anxious eyes, I said, ’If the Lord cannot help me, no one else can; I will ask Him.’  And so I did, bringing all the previous promises before Him, pleading my unworthiness, but my great need; asking first for ten dollars; then, as I grew more earnest, I asked for twenty-five, feeling almost frightened as the words came from my lips.  Sometimes the thought would intrude, ’How can you ask for any given sum—­how do you expect it will come?’ so I said, one day, to the Lord, ‘Any sum you choose; you know best; I will be content.’  Several weeks passed, and a sweet feeling of rest and assurance came, that, whatever came of it, would be all for the best.  But, by-and-by, when the anxious pleading feeling was all gone, one morning came a letter from one I had never seen, with $25—­just what I had asked for.  I cannot tell you just how I felt; I only know I held the check long in my hand, scarcely realizing it could be for me.”

PRAYING FOR OTHERS.

“My sister’s husband wished to raise a certain sum of interest money by a given time, but could see no way; was very much troubled about it; said he knew no one to whom he could apply.  I told him to pray for it.  He answered, ’God won’t hear the prayer of the wicked; suppose you ask him yourself.’  I did ask Him, earnestly and faithfully, and it was even given me the idea who my brother could ask to loan it him.  I spoke of the man to him—­said I thought he might get it; so he called on him one evening, and the way was made plain for my brother to introduce the subject; and when he came home that night, he brought with him the three hundred dollars.”