The Little Girl's Prayer

1915

This is a true story of a little girl named Alice, who had been surrounded with plenty and had known no care until she was about eight years old. Then her father decided to go west and try a new country. Everything was sold except a good wagon and a fine team of horses. With these the father decided to travel through the country to the place he wanted to go with his wife and five children.

After a long, tiresome journey they reached their destination. The country, of course, being new, was very thinly settled. As only a few people lived there, few crops had been raised. Soon the money of the newcomers was gone, one of the horses died, and one adversity followed another. The first year there was a drought. The next spring the father planted his crop, but it seemed as if there would be another drought.

When the father came in one evening he said, "If it doesn't rain soon, we won't raise anything this year, and we will all starve."

Oh, how this touched the heart of Alice, who was next to the oldest of the children! By this time there was another baby brother. How could she see these brothers and sisters whom she loved so dearly starve to death?

She went into a dark corner of the room and cried and prayed. Her mother had taught the children to pray that little prayer which begins, "Now I lay me down to sleep," but this time Alice prayed more than that.

When supper was ready the mother wanted to know where Alice was. She finally found her and asked what was the matter, but Alice would not tell. Nor would she eat any supper. Anxiously she waited for them to go to sleep. All the family slept in one room. When all was quiet she slipped out of bed.

She knelt by the side of the bed and began to pray. She asked God to let it rain so the children would not starve. While she prayed, a beautiful light brighter than diamonds came from heaven down to her bedside. It was like a shining path (lightning). Oh! how happy she was! She had asked the Lord for rain, and He was going to let it rain. She was so happy that she could scarcely keep still. She feared to make a noise that would awaken her father, for he was a very stern man and she was afraid of him.

She got in bed and listened for the raindrops. She knew it was going to rain. In a few moments raindrops pattered on the roof. She was so happy she could scarcely contain herself. Finally, she went to sleep.

Next morning there was a surprise for her father. He wondered why it had rained when there was no sign of it the evening before. Now there would be a crop and all would be well.