CHAPTER XI.
"O blessed, happy child, to findThe God of heaven so near and kind!"
It was Sabbath afternoon. In the large dining-room at Ion a Bible-readingwas being held, Mr. Dinsmore leading, every member of the household, downto the servants, who occupied the lower end of the apartment, bearing ashare in the exercises; as also Lester, Elsie, and Evelyn from Fairview,and representatives from the other three families belonging to theconnection, and the Keith cousins, who had arrived at Ion a few daysbefore.
The portion of Scripture under consideration was the interview ofNicodemus with the Master when he came to Him by night (St. John iii.),the subject, of course, the necessity of the new birth, God's appointedway of salvation, and the exceeding greatness of His love in giving Hisonly-begotten Son to die "that whosoever believeth in Him should notperish, but have everlasting life."
Each one able to read had an open Bible, and even Gracie and littleWalter listened with understanding and interest.
She whom the one called mamma, the other Grandma Elsie, had talked withthem that morning on the same subject, and tenderly urged upon them--asoften before--the duty of coming to Christ, telling them of His love tolittle children, and that they were not too young to give themselves toHim; and Mr. Dinsmore addressed a few closing words to them in the samestrain.
They fell into Gracie's heart as seed sown in good ground. When thereading had come to an end and she felt herself unobserved, she slippedquietly away to her mamma's dressing-room, where she was not likely to bedisturbed, and sat down to think more profoundly and seriously than everbefore in her short life.
She went over "the old, old story," and tears stole down her cheeks asshe whispered to herself, "And it was for me He died that dreadful death;for me just as truly as if it hadn't been for anybody else; and yet I'velived all this long while without loving Him, or trying to do right forthe sake of pleasing Him.
"And how often I've been invited to come! Papa has told me about it overand over again; mamma too, and Grandma Elsie; and I haven't minded whatthey said at all. Oh, how patient and kind Jesus has been to wait so longfor me to come! And He is still waiting and inviting me to come; just askindly and lovingly as if it was the very first time, and I hadn't beenturning away from Him.
"He is right here, looking at me, and listening for what I will say inanswer to His call. Oh, I won't keep Him waiting any longer, lest Heshould go away and never invite me again; and because I do love Him fordying for me, and for being so good and kind to me all my life--giving meevery blessing I have--and keeping on inviting me, over and over, when Iwouldn't even listen to His voice.
"I'll go to Him now. Grandma Elsie said just to kneel down and feel thatI am kneeling at His feet, and tell Him all about my sins, and how sorryI am, exactly as if I could see Him, and ask Him to forgive my sins andwash them all away in His precious blood, and take me for His very ownchild to be His forever, and serve Him always--in this world, and inheaven when he takes me there. Yes, I will do it now."
With the resolve she rose from the chair where she had been sitting, andkneeling before it with clasped hands and closed eyes, from whichpenitent tears stole down her cheeks, said, in low, reverent tones, "DearLord Jesus, I'm only a little girl and very full of sin; I've done agreat many bad things in my life, and haven't done the good things I knewI ought to do; and I have a very bad heart that doesn't want to do right.Oh, please make it good; oh, please take away all the wickedness that isin me; wash me in Thy precious blood, so that I shall be clean and purein Thy sight. Forgive me for living so long without loving Thee, whenI've known all the time about Thy great love to me. Help me to love Theenow and forever more; I give myself to Thee to be all thine forever andforever. Amen."
Her prayer was ended, yet she did not at once rise from her kneelingposture; it was so sweet to linger there at the Master's feet; sheremembered and trusted His promise, "Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out," and almost she could hear His dear voice saying intenderest tones, "Daughter, thy sins, which are many, are forgiven thee."
"I love them that love Me, and those that seek Me early shall find Me."
She seemed to feel the touch of His hand laid in blessing on her head,and her heart sang for joy.
Meanwhile the older children had gathered about Aunt Chloe, now seated ina back veranda--the weather being still warm enough for the outer air tobe very pleasant at that time of day--and Rosie, as spokesman of theparty, begged coaxingly for stories of mamma when she was a little girl.
"It's de Lawd's day, chillens," answered the old woman in a doubtfultone.
"Yes, mammy," acknowledged Rosie, "but you can easily make your story fitfor Sunday; mamma was so good--a real Christian child, as you have oftentold me."
"So she was, chile, so she was; I's sho' she lub de Lawd, from de beryday her ole mammy fus' tole her how He lub her. Yes, you right, MissRosie; I kin tole you 'bout her, and 'twon't break de Sabbath day. Is yo'all hyar now?" she asked, glancing inquiringly about.
"All but Gracie," said Rosie, glancing round the little circle in herturn. "I wonder where she is. Betty," to a little negro maid standing inthe rear, "go and find Miss Gracie, and ask if she doesn't want to hearthe stories mammy is going to tell us."
"Yes, Miss Rosie, whar you s'pose Miss Gracie done gone?" drawled thelittle maid, standing quite still and pulling at one of the short woollybraids scattered here and there over her head.
"I don't know. Go and look for her," returned Rosie, somewhatimperiously. "Now hurry," she added, "or there won't be time for allmammy has to tell."
"Wisht I know whar Miss Gracie done gone," sighed Betty, reluctantlyobeying.
"I saw her going upstairs," said Lulu; "so it's likely you'll find her inMamma Vi's rooms."
At that Betty quickened her pace, and the next moment was at Violet'sdressing-room door, peeping in and asking, "You dar, Miss Gracie?"
"Yes," Grace answered, turning toward her a face so full of gladness thatBetty's eyes opened wide in astonishment, and stepping in she askedwonderingly, "What--what de mattah, Miss Gracie? yo' look like yo' donegone foun' a gol' mine, or jes' sumfin' mos' like dat."
"Better still, Betty: I've found the Lord Jesus; I love Him and He lovesme," Gracie said, her eyes shining, "and oh, I am so glad, so happy!"
"Whar yo' fin' Him, Miss Gracie?" queried Betty in increasing wonder andastonishment, and glancing searchingly round the room. "Is He hyar?"
"Yes; for He is God and is everywhere."
"Oh, dat de way He hyar? Yes, I knows 'bout dat; Miss Elsie tole me lotsob times. How yo' know He lub yo', Miss Gracie?"
"Because He says so, Betty.
"'Jesus loves me; this I know,For the Bible tell me so.'"
"Yo's wanted down stairs, Miss Gracie," said Betty, bethinking herself ofher errand. "Ole Aunt Chloe gwine tell 'bout old times when missus berylittle and lib way off down Souf. Bettah come right 'long; kase MissRosie she in pow'ful big hurry fo' Aunt Chloe begin dat story."
"Oh yes; I never get tired hearing mammy tell that; Grandma Elsie wassuch a dear little girl," Grace said, making haste to obey the summons.
The others had already gathered closely about Aunt Chloe, but the circlepromptly widened to receive Grace, and the moment she had taken her seatthe story began, opening with the birth of its subject.
There were many little reminiscences of her infancy and early childhood,very interesting to all the listeners. The narrator dwelt at length uponthe evidences of early piety shown in the child's life, and Aunt Chloeremarked, "Yo' needn't be 'fraid, chillens, ob bein' too good to lib: mydarlin' was de bes' chile eber I see, and yo' know she has lib to see herchillen and her gran'chillens."
"I'm not at all afraid of it," remarked Rosie. "People who are certainlydon't know or don't believe what the Bible teaches on that point; for itsays, 'My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart keep Mycommandments; for length of days, and long life, and peace shall they addto thee.'"
"And there's a promise of
long life and prosperity to all who keep thefifth commandment," said Max.
"'So far as it shall serve for God's glory and their own good,'" addedEvelyn, softly.
"Dat's so, chillens," said Aunt Chloe; "an' yo' ole mammy hopes ebery oneob yo's gwine try it all de days ob yo' life."
"Yes, we're goin' to, mammy; so now tell us some more," said Walter,coaxingly; "tell about the time when the poor little girl that's my mammanow had to go away and leave her pretty home."
"Yaas, chile, dat wur a sad time," said the old woman, reflectively; "itmos' broke de little chile heart to hab to leab dat home whar she beenborned, an' all de darkies dat lub her like dar life."
She went on to describe the parting, then to tell of the journey, and wasjust beginning with the life at Roselands, when the summons came to thetea-table.
"We'll come back to hear the rest after tea, mammy, if you're not tootired," Rosie said as she turned to go.
But on coming back they found no one on the veranda but Betty, who, inanswer to their inquiries, said, "Aunt Chloe hab entired fo' de night;she hab de misery in de back and in de head, and she cayn't tell no mo'stories fo' mawning."
"Poor old soul!" said Evelyn, compassionately; "I'm afraid we've tiredher out."
"Oh no, not at all," answered Rosie; "she likes nothing better thantalking about mamma. You never saw anything like her devotion; I verilybelieve she'd die for mamma without a moment's hesitation."
Most of the house-servants at Ion occupied cabins of their own at nogreat distance from the mansion, but Aunt Chloe, the faithful nurse ofthree generations, was domiciled in a most comfortable apartment not farfrom those of the mistress to whom she was so dear; and Elsie never laidher own head upon its pillow till she had paid a visit to mammy's room tosee that she wanted for nothing that could contribute to ease of body ormind.
This night, stealing softly in, she found her lying with closed eyes andhands meekly folded across her breast, and, thinking she slept, wouldhave gone away again as quietly as she came; but the loved voice recalledher.
"Dat yo', honey? Don' go; yo' ole mammy's got somefin to say; and de timeis short, 'kase the chariot-wheels dey's rollin' fas', fas' dis way tocarry yo' ole mammy home to glory."
"Dear mammy," Elsie said with emotion, laying her hand tenderly on thesable brow, "are you feeling weaker or in any way worse than usual?"
"Dunno, honey, but I hear de Master callin', an' I's ready to followwhereber He leads; eben down into de valley ob de shadow ob death. I'sclose to de riber; Is hear de soun' ob de wattahs ripplin' pas'; but deeberlastin' arms is underneath, an' I sho' to git safe ober to de oderside."
"Yes, dear mammy, I know you will," Elsie answered in moved tones. "Iknow you will come off more than conqueror through Him who loved you withan everlasting love."
"'Peat dat verse to yo' ole mammy, honey," entreated the trembling,feeble voice.
"What verse, mammy dear? 'Who shall separate us'?"
"Yes, darlin', dat's it! an' de res' dat comes after, whar de 'postle sayhe 'suaded dat deff nor nuffin else cayn't separate God's chillen from delove ob Christ."
Elsie complied, adding at the close of the quotation, "Such preciouswords! How often you and I have rejoiced over them together, mammy!"
"'Deed we hab, honey; an' we's gwine rejoice in dem togeder beside degreat white throne. Now yo' go an' take yo' res', darlin', an' de Lawdgib yo' sweet sleep."
"I can't leave you, mammy if you are suffering; you must let me sitbeside you and do what is in my power to relieve or help you to forgetyour pain."
"No, chile, no; de miseries am all gone an' I's mighty comfor'able, beryhappy, too, hearin' de soun' ob de chariot-wheels and tinking I's soon bein de bressed lan' whar de miseries an' de sins am all done gone foreber;an' whar ole Uncle Joe an' de bressed Master is waitin' to 'ceive me widsongs ob joy and gladness."
Thus reassured, and perceiving no symptom of approaching dissolution,Elsie returned to her own apartments and was soon in bed and asleep.
In accordance with an Ion rule which Lulu particularly disliked, thechildren had gone to their rooms an hour or more in advance of the olderpeople.
Grace still slept with her mamma in her father's absence, but often madeher preparations for bed in her sister's room, that they might chatfreely together of whatever was uppermost in their minds.
To-night they were no sooner shut in there, away from other eyes andears, than Grace put her arms round Lulu's neck, saying, while her faceshone with gladness, "Oh, Lu, I have something to tell you!"
"Have you?" Lulu answered. "Then it must be something good; for in allyour life I never saw you look so very, very happy. Oh, is it news frompapa? Is he coming home on another visit?" she cried with a sudden, eagerlighting up of her face.
The brightness of Grace's dimmed a trifle as she replied, "No, not that;they would never let him come again so soon. Oh, how I wish he was here!for he would be so glad of it too; almost as glad as I am, I think."
"Glad of what?" asked Lulu.
"That I've given my heart to Jesus. Oh, Lulu, won't you do it too? it isso easy if you only just try."
"Tell me about it; how did you do it?" Lulu asked gravely, her eyes castdown, a slight frown upon her brow.
"I did just as Grandma Elsie told us this morning. You know, Lu?"
"Yes, I remember. But how do you know that you were heard and accepted?"
"Why, Lulu!" was the surprised reply, "the Bible tells us God is thehearer and answerer of prayer--it's in one of the verses I've learned tosay to Grandma Elsie since I came here. And Jesus says: 'Him that comethunto Me I will in nowise cast out;' so of course He received me. Howcould I help knowing it?"
"You've got far ahead of me," Lulu said, with petulance born of an uneasyconscience, as she released herself from Grace's arms and beganundressing with great energy and despatch.
"You needn't feel that way, Lu," Grace said pleadingly; "Jesus is just aswilling to take you for His child as me."
"I don't believe it!" cried Lulu, with almost fierce impatience; "you'vealways been good, and I've always been bad. I don't see why I wasn't madepatient and sweet-tempered too; it's no trouble to you to behave and keeprules and all that, but I can't; try as hard as I will."
"Oh, Lulu, Jesus will help you to be good if you ask Him and try as hardas you can, too," Grace said in tender, pleading tones.
"But suppose I don't want to be good?"
Grace's eyes opened wide in grieved surprise, then filled with tears."Oh, Lulu!" she said; "but I'm sure you do want to be good sometimes. Andcan't Jesus help you to want to always? won't He if you ask Him?"
"I'm tired of the subject, and it's time for you to go to bed," was theungracious rejoinder.
Usually so unkind a rebuff from her sister would have caused Grace a fitof crying, but she was too happy for that to-night. She slipped quietlyaway into her mamma's rooms, and when ready for bed came to the dooragain with a pleasant "Good-night, Lulu, and happy dreams!"
Lulu, already repentant, sprang to meet her with outstretched arms."Good-night, you dear little thing!" she exclaimed with a hug and kiss."I wish you had a better sort of a sister. Perhaps you will some day,--inlittle Elsie."
"I love you dearly, dearly, Lu!" was the affectionate rejoinder,accompanied by a hearty return of the embrace.
"I wish mamma would come up, for I want to tell her; 'cause I know itwill make her glad too," Grace said to herself as she got into bed. "Imean to stay awake till she comes."
But scarcely had the little curly head touched the pillow ere its ownerwas fast asleep, and so the communication was deferred till morning.
When Violet came into the room she stepped softly to the bedside, andbending over the sleeping child gazed with tender scrutiny into the fairyoung face.
"The darling!" she murmured, "what a passing sweet and peacefulexpression she wears! I noticed it several times during the evening; alook as if some great good had come to her."
A very gentle kiss was laid on the chil
d's forehead, and Violet passed oninto Lulu's room, moved by a motherly solicitude to see that all was wellwith this one of her husband's children also.
The face that rested on the pillow was round and rosy with youth andhealth, the brow was unruffled, yet the countenance lacked the exceedingsweet expression of her sister's.
Violet kissed her also, and Lulu, half opening her sleepy eyes, murmured,"Mamma Vi you're very good and kind," and with the last word was fastasleep again.
Mrs. Elsie Travilla rose earlier the next morning than her wont,--a vagueuneasiness oppressing her in regard to her aged nurse,--and waitingonly to don dressing-gown and slippers went softly to Aunt Chloe'sbedside; but finding her sleeping peacefully, she returned as quietlyas she had come, thinking to pay another visit before descending to thebreakfast-room.
Only a few minutes had passed, however, when the little maid Betty camerushing unceremoniously in, her eyes wild with affright. "Missus,missus," she cried, "suffin de mattah wid ole Aunt Chloe; she--"
Elsie waited to hear no more, but pushing past the child, flew to therescue.
But one glance at the aged face told her that no human help could avail;the seal of death was on it.
A great wave of sorrow swept over her at the sight, but she was outwardlycalm and composed as, taking the cold hand in hers, she asked, "Dearmammy, is it peace?"
"Yes, chile, yes," came in feeble yet assured accents from the dyinglips; "an' I's almos' dar; a po' ole sinnah saved by grace. Good-by,honey; we's meet again at de Master's feet, neber to part mo mo'!"
One or two long-drawn gasping breaths followed and the aged pilgrim hadentered into rest.
At the same instant a strong arm was passed round Elsie's waist, while amanly voice said tenderly, "We will not grieve for her, dear daughter,for all her pains, all her troubles are over, and she has been gatheredhome like a shock of corn fully ripe."
"Yes, dear father, but let me weep a little; not for her, but formyself," Elsie said, suffering him to draw her head to a resting-placeupon his breast.
In the mean while Violet and Grace had wakened from sleep, and the littlegirl had told of her new-found happiness, meeting with the joyfulsympathy which she had expected.
"Dear Gracie," Violet said, taking the little girl in her arms andkissing her tenderly, "you are a blessed, happy child in having so earlychosen the better part which shall never be taken away from you. Jesuswill be your friend all your life, be it long or short; a friend thatsticketh closer than a brother; who will never leave nor forsake you, butwill love you with an everlasting love, tenderer than a mother's, and bealways near and mighty to help and save in every time of trouble anddistress."
"Oh, mamma," said Grace, "how good and kind He is to let me love Him! Iwish I could do something to please Him; what could I do, mamma?"
"He said to His disciples, 'If ye love Me, keep My commandments;' and Hesays the same to you and me, Gracie, dear," Violet answered.
"I will try, mamma; and won't you help me?"
"All I can, dear. Now it is time for us to rise."
They had nearly completed their toilet when a tap at the door wasfollowed by the entrance of Violet's mother, looking grave and sad, andwith traces of tears about her eyes.
"Mamma, what is it?" Violet asked anxiously.
"Our dear old mammy is gone, daughter," Elsie answered, the tearsbeginning to fall again; "gone home to glory. I do not weep for her, butfor myself. You know what she was to me."
"Yes, mamma, dearest, I am very sorry for you; but for her it should beall joy, should it not? Life can have been little but a burden, to herfor some years past, and now she is at God's right hand where there arepleasures forever more."
Elsie assented; and sitting down, gave a full account of what had passedbetween Aunt Chloe and herself the previous night, and of the death-scenethis morning.
"What a long, long journey hers has been!" remarked Violet; "but she hasreached home at last. And here, mamma," drawing Grace forward, "is alittle pilgrim who has but just passed through the wicket-gate, and begunto travel the strait and narrow way."
"Is it so, Gracie? It makes my heart glad to hear it," Elsie said, takingthe child in her arms in a tender, motherly fashion. "You are none tooyoung to begin to love and serve the Lord Jesus; and it's a blessedservice. I found it such when I was a child like you, and such I havefound it all the way that I have traveled since."