Beth blushed like a rose under the friendly look he wore , but she was not frightened now , and gave the hand a grateful squeeze because she had no words to thank him for the precious gift he had given her . The old gentleman softly stroked the hair off her forehead , and , stooping down , he kissed her , saying , in a tone few people ever heard ... `` I had a little girl once , with eyes like these . God bless you , my dear ! Good day , madam . '' And away he went , in a great hurry . Beth had a rapture with her mother , and then rushed up to impart the glorious news to her family of invalids , as the girls were not home . How blithely she sang that evening , and how they all laughed at her because she woke Amy in the night by playing the piano on her face in her sleep . Next day , having seen both the old and young gentleman out of the house , Beth , after two or three retreats , fairly got in at the side door , and made her way as noiselessly as any mouse to the drawing room where her idol stood . Quite by accident , of course , some pretty , easy music lay on the piano , and with trembling fingers and frequent stops to listen and look about , Beth at last touched the great instrument , and straightway forgot her fear , herself , and everything else but the unspeakable delight which the music gave her , for it was like the voice of a beloved friend . She stayed till Hannah came to take her home to dinner , but she had no appetite , and could only sit and smile upon everyone in a general state of beatitude . After that , the little brown hood slipped through the hedge nearly every day , and the great drawing room was haunted by a tuneful spirit that came and went unseen . She never knew that Mr. Laurence opened his study door to hear the old-fashioned airs he liked . She never saw Laurie mount guard in the hall to warn the servants away . She never suspected that the exercise books and new songs which she found in the rack were put there for her especial benefit , and when he talked to her about music at home , she only thought how kind he was to tell things that helped her so much . So she enjoyed herself heartily , and found , what is n't always the case , that her granted wish was all she had hoped . Perhaps it was because she was so grateful for this blessing that a greater was given her . At any rate she deserved both . `` Mother , I 'm going to work Mr. Laurence a pair of slippers . He is so kind to me , I must thank him , and I do n't know any other way . Can I do it ? ''
asked XXXXX , a few weeks after that eventful call of his .
Amy Beth Hannah Laurence Laurie Mother accident beatitude day evening