"What shall we do, Marie?”
"Do? Why, let the poor child come and live with us," said his wife, "But it is hard enough to make ends meet with just us two. What will it be with another mouth to feed?”
"True, Tom. It is little enough we can offer her—only a roof over her head and a share of our bread—but it will be a home and a shelter for the poor girl.”
So it was settled. The invitation was given and soon Anna Braden, homeless, almost friendless, found a home with the poor working-man and his wife.
Anna's new home was on the seacoast, and she was happy there with her warm-hearted friends. But she was a conscientious girl, and the thought of their poverty weighed on her. She could not bear to add to their burdens, and longed to be able to help them; and she knew to whom to go for help. She knew God as her Father, the Lord Jesus as her Savior, and she felt free to ask of them the deep desires of her heart. So down to the seashore she went and lifted up her heart in prayer. "O God," she prayed, "for The glory, send help to my poor friends in need.”
No voice spoke in answer to her cry, but in her heart a still small voice whispered: "Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Matt. 21:2222And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Matthew 21:22).
Gazing out over the mighty waves, Anna saw small objet' in the ocean. It was a bottle floating or the water and corning nearer and nearer the shore. In a little while it was washed up on the beach where she laid hold of it.
There was something in it, and when she drew out the cork she found no less than thirty slips of paper. Each slip contained a promise written to "the finder of the bottle." Amazed, Anna found that by sending her name and address to the names and addresses signed to the slips, they would send to her, the finder, the various things mentioned. On one slip she read: "Ten sacks of flour will be sent to the address of the finder of this bottle on application to—" then followed the merchant's name and address. On another slip the promise was five kegs of butter; on another ten cases of eggs; the others were items of apparel and household necessities. Anna read the thirty promises.
"It is too good to be true," she thought, "but I will just try one promise.”
Choosing the slip promising ten sacks of flour, Anna sent it and her own address to the merchant whose name was on it. Then she waited; but not a word did she utter to Tom and Marie of her strange find lest they should be disappointed.
A few days later a message came from the stationmaster: "Ten sacks are here waiting for you! Bring a wagon and take them away.”
The little cottage was a place of joy and praise and thanks to God on that wonderful day. Tom borrowed a horse and cart from a neighbor and brought home the treasure, while tears of joy and thanksgiving ran down the women's faces.
"Anna, Anna, what blessing you have brought!” said Marie. And Anna acknowledged to her friends her prayer to God and His wonderful answer. Thanksgiving and worship went up to Him from those three grateful hearts.
Poverty was now a stranger in the little house by the sea. One sack of the flour supplied their frugal needs, and the rest were sold for a welcome sum of money. This was not the end. Anna signed her precious slips of paper—twenty-nine now—and sent them all to their respective addresses.
A few days later the little station was a scene of great excitement. The station-master was astounded to find his platform covered with huge boxes of provisions of all kinds, all addressed to the same person.
"Well, well; this is very strange—and they are all addressed to Anna Braden. Truly it is wonderful!”
There was no mistake about it, and Anna Braden was a rich girl in the eyes of the wondering villagers. Excitement increased when, a few days later, a gentleman arrive; and, inquiring for Anna, was directed to where she lived. At the little cottage he explained the mystery of the bottle. He said: "You have heard of the new canal which has just been opened? Well, it was to celebrate this event that thirty of us merchants met at a banquet. There it was agreed—as a joke—that we should each put a promise on a slip of paper, and placing it in a well corked bottle, commit it to the waves and see where it would land.”
What these merchants had done purely for their own amusement, God had used for His own purpose in blessing to His child, and the waves of the sea had brought it to her very feet, even when her prayer was going up to Him. Truly before she called God had answered.