"Well?" questioned Mrs. Seymour, as Miss Hobson paused.
"Well--Kittie she comes in and stands just where I couldn"t see her, but I could see Cherry and d.i.c.kie as I lay, and she says in a low voice, "Cherry, was you at the Mission Room this mornin"?--but there, I know as you was--well, Cherry, mother said as I should have a turn to go to-night, and she"d put the little "uns to bed. So I puts on my things and goes; leastways, I set out to go, but when I got a little way--Cherry! I met one o" my schoolfellers, and she said as it was nonsense what was talked there, and I should be a silly girl if I went.
So I turned t"other way with her, and we went a walk instead. And after a bit I felt so wretched, and all at once I said good night all in a hurry, and ran home. But when I got to the door I couldn"t make up my mind to go in and tell mother how bad I"d been, and she so kind in smartenin" me up and all, and I came up to ask you if you could ever have done such a thing?"
"Cherry, she looked up from hugging of d.i.c.kie, and she says as gentle as anythink, "I expect I could have, Kittie, only you see I don"t want to do nothing bad just now, "cause I"m so happy."
""Yes," says Kittie, "but if you wasn"t happy, Cherry?"
"Cherry nodded, and she says, "That"s what I mean. When I used to be so miserable, and we was so hungry--d.i.c.kie and me--I used to tell dreadful stories to quiet him sometimes."
""Oh!" says Kittie.
""I didn"t _mean_ to be so wicked," says Cherry, "and I didn"t think much about it then; the words used just to slip out, anything as come first; but since I"ve come back here to this nice home, I"m awful sorry as I could ha" said such things, "cause, ye know, I did love the Lord Jesus, even then!--and think o" telling lies and lovin" _Him_ at the same time!"
"Cherry"s eyes was droppin" tears all this time and then Kittie comes runnin" to her side, and throws her arms round her neck and begins to cry, and says, "I thought as I loved Him, too, but I"m sure I don"t, or I couldn"t ha" turned my back on Him as I done to-night! You should "a heard what Pollie says, against Him!"
""But you runned away from her," says Cherry, "and you"re sorry now, and want Him to forgive you, don"t ye, Kittie?"
""I don"t know," says Kittie sorrowfully; "I don"t see as how He can, for I can"t go down and tell mother about it."
""Why not?" says Cherry.
"""Cause I _can"t_; it ain"t no use, Cherry."
""Shall we ask Jesus to help you do it?" says Cherry, huggin" of her.
"They was quiet after that, and at last Kittie, she says, "Ask Him then," and Cherry she bends over her head and whispers somethin". Then, d.i.c.kie, who"d been listenin" all the time, says to her, ""Ou mus" go down now, Kittie, "cause Jesus "ull help "ou, now."
"So Kittie got up without another word and left the room, but when she got to the door she ran back and kissed them both over and over again.
"I do love Him," she says, "and I _will_ try to do as He likes!" And then she runs down in good earnest. After that Cherry begins to sing that one about the snow--"Wash me in the Blood of the Lamb, and I shall be whiter than snow." That was just before you come in, Mrs. Seymour, and I was, as I says, sittin" nigh the gate of Heaven: for it seems to me, when we come to think o" His forgivin" love, as we mount up, and up, and up, till we are a"most lost in wonder!"
Mrs. Seymour did not answer beyond a gentle "Yes--yes--yes," as she busied herself in preparing her invalid"s supper; but the story sank down into her heart, and many a time little Kittie got a kind smile or a word of encouragement, where before she would have pa.s.sed her with a nod. And thus she gave "a cup of cold water" to another of His little disciples.
A day or two after this Jem and Meg bade Cherry good-bye, and left her under Mrs. Seymour"s wing, proud to be of some use in the world. For Mrs. Seymour"s last words as she placed her hand upon the girl"s shoulder were--
"She"s my grandchild, you know, Meg, and I couldn"t spare her now for anything."
[Ill.u.s.tration]
[Ill.u.s.tration]
CHAPTER XX.
EARTH"S SONG AND HEAVEN"S ECHO.
While Cherry was busy all day long, from early morning, when she cleaned the doctor"s step, till evening, when she read poor suffering Miss Hobson to sleep, little Kittie Blunt was learning her life-lessons too.
"Kittie," said Mrs. Blunt one day, as she and the little girl stood over their washing-tub, "I shouldn"t like you to grow up like Pollie, and them girls, as is never satisfied unless they"re at their doors gossipin"."
"Well, I don"t, mother," answered Kittie, a little sulkily.
"No, you don"t; but if you go so much with Pollie it won"t be long afore you do."
"I don"t go with Pollie now," said Kittie. "I should ha" thought as you"d seen that I didn"t, mother, since--that Sunday."
"I"m glad on it," said Mrs. Blunt heartily. "That"s good news, Kittie.
You"ll grow up to be a comfort to me yet."
Kittie wrung out a towel very hard, but she half shook her head.
"Yes, you will, Kit. It may be a deal easier to you now to go out on the step, and see folks pa.s.sin", and have a grumble with Pollie; but by-and-by, if you"re steady, you"ll find it a deal easier to sit down with mother to a bit o" work, and have a chat or a bit o" readin"."
""Tain"t that I care so much for _Pollie_," answered the girl rather dolefully; "but you don"t know how dull it seems in "ere, instead of outside, mother; leastways when you"re used to goin" out."
Mrs. Blunt did not answer, for Kittie"s words gave her a pang. If her child only would believe that she knew best!
But Mrs. Blunt had some one to consult now in all her difficulties. She raised her heart to Him with an earnest prayer, that Kittie might be kept from the first steps of danger. So it was with a quieted trust that she bent over her tub once more; she knew but little, but that little was so real, that it made her life a perfectly different thing.
Was she puzzled how to guide her boys?--she asked Jesus about it. Was she worried with Kittie?--she asked Jesus to make it right. Was she cast down at their small means and many wants?--she told Jesus about it. Was she afraid that the food would run short?--she told Jesus about it.
And she found, as thousands have found before, that He could supply _all_ her need.
Did she watch and see that the boys were quieter than she expected, after that telling Jesus? Did she notice that Kittie cheered up and was good? that some one sent a frock for the baby unexpectedly? that her husband brought home an extra shilling for an extra bit of work he had done?
Ah! they that ask, expecting an answer, from the faithful G.o.d, shall receive abundantly.
Her thoughts were broken in upon by Kittie"s drawing a pinafore out of the water, and saying--
"My! ain"t this dreadfully old, mother? It ain"t worth gettin"-up, that it ain"t."
Mrs. Blunt shook her head.
"It "ull have to serve another turn, Kit."
"I was a-thinkin"--" said Kit, hesitating.
"Well, Kittie, what was you a-thinkin"?" answered her mother, kindly.
"Why, there"s Cherry Seymour, she earns two shillings a week."
"So she does, but she ain"t you, and she"s left school."
"But she don"t earn that in school-time, mother."
"Of course she don"t."