But Stineli was too much excited to be subdued by any thing. She ran on
towards her grandmother, and said, "You have no idea how beautifully
Rico can fiddle; and we have made a song of our own, for ourselves only.
We will sing it to you this very moment."
And before there was time to answer, they began and sang it all through;
and the good grandmother listened with real pleasure to their sweet,
clear voices.
She seated herself on the log; and, when the children had finished,
said, "Come now, Rico, I want you to play for me; and you and I will
sing together. Do you know the song that begins,--
"'I sing to thee with heart and voice?'"
Rico had probably heard the hymn, but he did not know it correctly, and
said that he wished first to hear it from the grandmother, and he would
follow her softly on his violin, and then he would be sure of it.
So they began; and first the grandmother repeated the words of a verse
to the children, and then they all sang it together,--
"I sing to thee with heart and voice,
Lord, whom my soul obeys.
I sing, and bid all earth rejoice:
Thou teachest me thy praise.
"I know that thou the fountain art
Of joy,--the eternal spring
Which, into every willing heart,
Healing and good dost bring.
"Why do we worry over sin?
Why sorrow night and day?
Come, bring thy load, cast it on Him
Who fashioned thee from clay.
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