CHAPTER IV.--A WELCOME LETTER.
Carol had been at the Manor a week before he received the eagerlyexpected letter from Cousin Alicia. Mrs. Mandeville brought it herselfto the school-room for him.
"What a lucky little boy to get such a fat letter! I wonder thepost-office didn't decline to bring it for a penny," she said smiling athis radiantly happy face. Then turning to Miss Markham, as lessons wereabout to commence, she asked:
"May he be excused for a little time, Miss Markham? I know he will liketo take it to his room and read it quietly there."
"Oh, thank you, Auntie; thank you, Miss Markham," as the asked-forpermission was quickly accorded, and he ran off with the treasuredletter. Half an hour later he sought Mrs. Mandeville in hermorning-room.
"Auntie, would you like to read my letter?"
"Indeed, dear, I should, if you would care for me to."
"Yes, Auntie. I would like you to read it very much. I knew CousinAlicia would help me to understand. It has been just like having a talkwith her. She always makes me feel happy."
He gave several sheets of closely written note paper into Mrs.Mandeville's hand.
"I must not be away any more lesson time, must I?"
He left the letter with her, and returned to the school-room. Mrs.Mandeville opened the pages, and read:
"WILLMAR COURT, S. DEVON.
"_My very dear Carol,_
"Until your first letter arrived it was difficult to realize that thetrain had carried you so far away from us. It seemed as if a spirit ofsadness were creeping over the household, even the dogs and birds feltthe subtle influence, and I had to dispel it by realizing that there canbe no separation in Mind. Nothing can come between loving thoughts. I amas near to you in thought, and you to me as if these human arms enfoldedyou. It rejoiced me to read that you felt my thoughts like loving armsaround you.
"Your first letter was awaited with eager expectation. I had to readparts to everyone. When Bob brought up your pony for his morning lumpof sugar, I caught him brushing a tear away with his coat sleeve, as heasked, 'Will it be long before Master Carol comes home again?' I toldhim that was a question I could not answer, but possibly you might havethe pony sent to Mandeville, and in that case he would no doubtaccompany it.
"The bright happy strain of your first letter made me glad. Before Ihad time to answer it came the second in a minor key. After reading it,a thought that something was wrong tried hard to creep in. But I knewit could not be. 'Love governs and controls all events with unerringwisdom.' So I just took my hat and went for our favorite walk by thestream, to think things out. I seemed to feel your little hand in mineas I walked. I sat down on the old tree-stump, where you used to restwhen you first began to walk; and do you remember the thrush which wasalways singing on the other side of the stream, how we used to think hesang a special song for you, and the words were, 'God is Love'? He wasthere on the same branch of the tree. I feel so sure now that it is thesame bird. 'What message have you for Carol this morning?' I asked, andit seemed that the notes changed and the message came so clearly: 'Allis right that seems most wrong.'
"Yes! I knew it I Of course it is! The bird flew off, and I walked on,thinking of a story I read many years ago. It was, I believe, anEastern allegory. That story has often helped me; perhaps it will helpyou. I will tell it briefly. The King of a great country had manysinging birds. They were to him as children, he loved them so. Theywere quite free to fly about the palace, or in the beautiful gardens ofthe palace, and when the King walked amongst them, they rested on hisshoulder, or on his hand, when he held it out to them. There was oneespecial favorite--a little brown bird. It had not gay plumage likesome of its companions, but its song delighted the King, and often hesaid: 'Sing--sing always.' One day the servants discovered the littlebrown bird was missing. Some one had stolen it from the palace. Wordwas brought to the King, and he quickly sent messengers all over hiskingdom to discover where the bird was. It was not long before theplace of confinement was known, and, to the surprise of everyone, theKing left his little favorite in captivity. But he strictly commandedhis messengers to watch over it, that no harm could come to it. Not afeather was to be ruffled.
"In partial darkness, beating its wings helplessly against the bars ofthe cage, the little brown bird yet remembered the King's command,'Sing, sing always'; and every day it poured forth the song which theKing loved. Strangers came from far to listen to the wondrous song ofthe little captive bird. Then, one day, the little bird looked upjoyfully, at the sound of a well-known voice. The King himself had cometo set the captive free. The cage door was quickly opened, and the birdflew forth, and rested on the King's shoulder, pouring forth such a songof joy as no one had ever heard before.
"'My priceless treasure!' the King exclaimed--the one note that wasmissing has come into your song.' And great was the King's joy as hecarried the little brown bird back to his palace.
"I remember, when I read that story as a girl, being sorry that it endedthere. I wanted to know that the wicked men were punished for stealingthe bird, and that it was never separated again from the King who lovedit so. But now I understand the story better, and the lesson itteaches. If the little bird had not been obedient to the King's commandto sing always,--even when it was in captivity, it would never havelearned that one missing note. And so, dear Carol, we have to learnunder all circumstances and at all times that we are bidden to rejoice.The words are: 'Rejoice--again I say rejoice.'
"Having the book taken from you, as you do not yet understand theantagonism so many people manifest towards it, was doubtless a greatsurprise, when you owe so much to its teachings. But, dearie, you mustnot let any thoughts of injustice, or of something not quite right,creep in. The book will be returned to you one day. Love can alwaysfind a way. It will not be detained one moment after it is needful foryou to have it again. You must put in practice, live up to, what youhave already learned. You have only one step to take at present, and Ithink that step is '_obedience_': cheerful, willing obedience, in everydetail of your life. You see, dear Carol, we are told only one thing ofthe Master when he was a boy of your age: that is, 'He was subject[obedient] unto them.' Had it been necessary, we should have been toldmore. So from you, and all children, looking unto Jesus, to follow inhis steps, one thing only is required--perfect obedience to those inauthority over you, parents or guardians.
"Try to picture that humble home at Nazareth, and the carpenter's shop.We can never know the trials _he_ had to bear in those early years,through those around him not comprehending his divine mission. From oneverse in St. Matthew's Gospel we learn that taunts and gibes were thrownat him, because his spiritual birth was not understood. Yet those wordshave come down through all the centuries to inspire and help the youngof all generations: _He was subject unto them_.
"The world has given an undue prominence to the wooden crucifix. Thecross that Jesus carried for us he carried for 33 long years--workingout each problem of life, and finally overcoming death, in order to showus the way to eternal life, then bidding us take up the cross--not thewooden crucifix--the cross of daily overcoming error with truth; andthus to follow him.
"When you are asked anything about Christian Science, and your ownhealing, if you are able, answer any questions quietly and courteously,but never obtrude the subject on anyone; or bring it forwardvoluntarily. Live Christian Science, dear Carol, not talk it. Becareful in all things to study your aunt's wishes; and as she evidentlydoes not wish the subject mentioned to your cousins, do not mention it.Following in the steps that Jesus marked--perfect obedience--can neverbe denying Christ, and by perfect obedience, dear, you will understand,loving, willing, cheerful obedience, never allowing any thought of wrongor injustice to find a resting place in your consciousness.
"Write to me as often as you can, dear. Now that you have commencedregular lessons, you will not have so much spare time. Your letterswill always be to me a joy, both to receive and to a
nswer. I rejoice inmy stewardship, taking care of this beautiful home for my dear boy.Colonel Mandeville wrote me that your dear father expressed his desireat the last that it should be so; and he himself also wrote a letterwhich was posted at Gibraltar. It had not yet reached me. I cannotunderstand it, as the letter from Colonel Mandeville which was evidentlyposted at the same time, bearing the Gibraltar post-mark, arrived, asyou know, before you left. But we know it cannot be lost, although itis long over-due.
"Please convey my kind regards to Colonel and Mrs. Mandeville, and toyourself, dear Carol, unnumbered loving thoughts, from
COUSIN ALICIA.
"_P.S._ How I should like to see the sweet Rosebud and your othercousins!"
----
A very grave, thoughtful expression deepened on Mrs. Mandeville's faceas she gathered the loose sheets of note paper together, and replacedthem in the envelope. "Surely," she said, sotto voce, "if this is whatChristian Science teaches, Raymond does not understand the book which hehas taken away from Carol."