Children always ask, "Is this a truly story?" And this is a "truly" story.

"I don't want to take a job like that," said Janie. "I'm only just through college. Pamela is not a very agreeable little girl. Think of a child of five kicking and biting and scratching everyone who tries to be kind to her! Besides, her family are not Christian Scientists."

"Well, dear," her mother replied quietly, "the decision is in your hands. But remember Mrs. Eddy's words [Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 392], 'Your decisions will master you, whichever direction they take.' It is true that Pamela's mother is not a Christian Scientist; but why do you think she is so insistent in her desire to have you see if you can help Pamela? It seems to me that she must feel the power of Truth that is present in your thinking."

"Oh, all right," said Janie. "When you put it that way, you make me feel it is wrong of me not to want to help. I know it will be difficult; but I'll do my best. After all, Christian Science did heal me of lameness, and I think I owe it to God to show my gratitude to Him in some tangible way."

The first two weeks of Janie's new work in her attempt to help Pamela went fairly well. She was something new in Pamela's experience, and curiosity seemed to keep the child in a quieter state of mind than usual. One day, however, they were visiting at a neighbor's home. Janie and Pamela were alone in the garden by a large pond where there were many valuable birds. Pamela began throwing stones at the birds, and Janie told her to stop. Defiantly, Pamela continued. Janie spoke sharply to her. Pamela put down the stone she was just going to throw, and coming up behind Janie, she seized the skin of her bare arm between her nails and twisted it. In a moment, all Janie's resentment at being asked to look after Pamela returned. She suddenly felt so angry that she was afraid to speak or even to look at the child.

"Why was I so foolish as to come here?" she thought. "This child is impossible!"

Pamela was frightened at the silence, and looking up into Janie's face she said, "What are you thinking?"

Still Janie did not look at her.

"I'd like to give her the spanking she deserves," she thought, "but I'm not her mother, and I must not touch her."

Again the little frightened voice interrupted her.

"What are you thinking?"

"Anyway, I don't have to stay," she pondered. "They can get someone else to mind this horrible child."

For the third time, Pamela's voice broke in on her thoughts.

"What are you thinking?"

Then Janie looked down at the little one she had been asked to help. What she saw there was the now thoroughly frightened face of a child of five, and she noticed that her face had the hard, cold, cruel lines of an unnatural and unchild-like disposition.

"What, indeed, am I thinking?" she thought; and then over Janie there swept such a wave of compassionate love that her resentment toward this child, who seemed so lost in the mazes of false believing, was gone. This picture, after all, was not the true idea of God, and no child of God could be held in such bondage. Then, taking Pamela in her arms, she said, "I'm thinking that you are in reality the most lovable, the dearest, darlingest little girl I know."

Pamela, who had commenced by struggling and kicking, was so astonished at what she heard that she gradually grew quiet, and became still, listening. When Janie had finished speaking, Pamela looked up wonderingly and said, "Say it again!" So Janie repeated the loving words, and Pamela remained thoughtful.

Later that evening when Janie was preparing Pamela for bed, the little one was kneeling on her lap, facing her. Janie had her arms around her, untying the little garments at the back. Suddenly Pamela said, "Say it again."

"Say what again?" asked Janie, pretending she did not understand.

"That I'm lovable and dear and darling," she said.

So Janie repeated it all over again. Then she said: "Now, Pamela, this is our secret, but to make it a perfect secret, we must bring Mummie into it. Let's go and tell her about it."

They found Pamela's mother lying on a couch resting. Pamela ran to where she was lying, and jumped up on the couch. Her mother was startled. Janie put her finger on her lips and signed to her that it was all right. Pamela, putting her arms around her mother's neck, told her of the beautiful new lovable world into which she had been ushered.

That was the end of Pamela's tantrums. Needless to say, Janie was grateful that Christian Science had enabled her to make the right decision, and so to open wide the gates of harmony to this seemingly lost little girl. For did not Jesus say (Matt. 19:14), "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of suchis the kingdom of heaven"? She was grateful, too, to have been able to prove the truth of Mrs. Eddy's statement (Science and Health, p. 365), "If the Scientist reaches his patient through divine Love, the healing work will be accomplished at one visit, and the disease will vanish into its native nothingness like dew before the morning sunshine."

Pamela's mother was grateful for the good work and recognized it as the result of Janie's understanding of Christian Science. So Pamela was sent to a Christian Science Sunday School, that she might gain more of the truth that had healed her.