butshehadtheinvisiblethread,towhichshecouldholdfast;andshepossessedagiftwhichalltheotherslacked.thiswasadeterminationtothrowherselfentirelyintowhateversheundertook,anditmadeherfeelasifshehadeyesevenatthetipsofherfingers,andcouldheardownintoherveryheart.quietlyshewentforthintothenoisy,bustling,wonderfulworld,andwherevershewenttheskiesgrewbright,andshefeltthewarmsunbeam,andarainbowaboveintheblueheavensseemedtospanthedarkworld.sheheardthesongofthebirds,andsmeltthescentoftheorangegrovesandappleorchardssostronglythatsheseemedtotasteit.softtonesandcharmingsongsreachedherear,aswellasharshsoundsandroughwords-thoughtsandopinionsinstrangecontradictiontoeachother.intothedeepestrecessesofherheartpenetratedtheechoesofhumanthoughtsandfeelings.nowsheheardthefollowingwordssadlysung,-

"lifeisashadowthatflitsaway

inanightofdarknessandwoe."butthenwouldfollowbrighterthoughts:

"lifehastherose'ssweetperfume

withsunshine,light,andjoy."andifonestanzasoundedpainfully-

"eachmortalthinksofhimselfalone,

isatruth,alas,tooclearlyknown;"then,ontheotherhand,cametheanswer-

"love,likeamightyflowingstream,

fillseveryheartwithitsradiantgleam."sheheard,indeed,suchwordsasthese-

"intheprettyturmoilherebelow,

allisavainandpaltrycamealsowordsofcomfort-

"greatandgoodaretheactionsdone

bymanywhoseworthisneverknown."andifsometimesthemockingstrainreachedher-

"whynotjoininthejestingcry

thatcontemnsallgiftsfromthethroneonhigh?"intheblindgirl'sheartastrongervoicerepeated-

"totrustinthyselfandgodisbest,

inhisholywillforevertorest."