Book excerpt: A grandfather gently persuades a reluctant little boy to wash both hands. A wise woman draws upon her knowledge of baking to teach an important lesson about life's empty places. A millionaire tumbles ingloriously down a flight of stairs because he is too haughty to take note of a scrublady and her bar of soap.Barton s winsome characters will charm you and his wry wit will entertain you" smoothing the way for his deft applications of timeless, biblically rooted wisdom. Assuming the voice of an ancient sage, but commenting on life in the early twentieth century, Barton captivated millions of readers with his extraordinary insight into everyday happenings. Half a century later, church historian Garth Rosell began reading these stories to delighted friends and students. Many who heard them at the dinner table, from the pulpit, and in the classroom wanted to share them with others. So Rosell, with the help of writer Stan Flewelling, sought out the now-rare original volumes in order to make the present collection available to a contemporary public that cherishes the power of a well-told story to speak truth straight to the heart.