The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-02-18
you know. Brudder, are you sure you
oan find haavan oO


stoutly; "don't you see that silver light
far away there over the waves? That's
where the angels are walking-that's
where we've got to get!"
Says Linnie, softly, "How long will it
take, dear brudder, before we get there"
"Not long; o not long, LiDnie; I'll
pull 80 hard. Now, don't you be afraid.
It's getting dark, but I'll pull for the sill
yer light"
Mrs. Hurst has risen now, and the
moonlight shows her the little group.
She sees boy, barefoot and ragged, with
yellow curls sire aiming beneath latter
ed cap; within an old boat is seated
tiny lassie, with short, hoss-like hair, and
broad hat OF broken straw. The little
maid carries young baby wrapped in
an old jacket, and inclined to be fearful
in the chill of twilight.
Their loneliness, their look OF helpless
innocence, stir strange, warm, yearning
feelings in the desolate heart. Mrs.
Hurst draws near and lays her hand on
the shoulder of the boy.
"My child. who are you who would
fsin float further away to heaven9 1t is
further-oh how much further off, dear
boy, than you think"
Its there" says the lad, pointing de-
cisively to the white glory beyond; land
I'm Evan Lister; but, please, we can't
stay. Please lady, don't you stop us; it's
so dreadful lonesome here"
Evanl the name thrills Der like sweet
music; her husbands name. And the
boy is fair, as he was, and the curls of
gold are much as her own lost boy gave
promise OF possessing.
She sits down beside Linnie in the
boat, and questions the little ones till she
learns that another and dad are in heav-
en-" and now they have no home. They
have plenty Of friends-all the people in
Shingledown are their friends-but they
belong to nobody, and they want to "ssil
away to heaven and belong to God"
Mrs. Hurst takes the boys cold hands
in hers, and as gently as she can she tells
him that the silver light is but the glim-
mer OF the moon, and he and Linnie and
baby can never reach to heaven save
when God shall call.
"Never mind, dear brudder," says lit
tie Linnie, 1--WE can't sleep no more at
old Dams cause his dodgers want all his
rooms now; but we can lie here in Dams
boat, and maybe. if we listen all night,
and tell Him we're very lonesome, God
will come"
"You need not Elie in the boat, little
children" says Mrs. Hurst, in broken
voice. 81 will shelter you 20 night l.,
too, am very lonely-come home with
me-
They gaze at her wonderingly, uncer-
tainly, and she finds herself pressing her
invitation with an earnestness that seems
to warm her own heart. She tells them
of picture papers and Mrs. Kibb's parrot
and warm bread and milk and cozy
nest for baby; and presently they are all
climbing the rocks together, she watch
ing them as though these little homeless
|
Mrs. Kibbs comes softly to her side,
when, later on, she is sitting with tear
dewed eyes watching little Evan asleep.
1t seems as though her baby were hers
again, grown to boyhood-as though this
brave little lad with her husbands name
were in very truth her own property
Gods gift of pity to her solitude.
"Every body knows them," says Mrs.
Kibbs; they're the boatmen's pets; but
what's to become of them in the end,
often puzzles my heart, Their father
and mother came here for their health,
and rented little cottage among the
hills; heard they had come down in the
world, and were very poor. The mother
went first, and then Capt. Lister-they
said he was sea-faring man, and he was
always fond of the water. First one took
the little ones in, and then another; old
Dan, the boatmsn, has sheltered them of
late, but l expect in the end they'll have
to go the Union, for they've nothing Of
their own, and Shingledown folks have
nothing to spare out of the season."
Ere morning the widows resolution is
made; che holds little Evans hands, and
tells him of her loneliness, and offers to
adopt him, and call him her son.
The boys face hushes. "Td like to get
some learning" he says frankly, "but
there's Lnnie to think about. l am a
boy. I've got to take care of Linnie.
She's only a girl. wont be 'dopted,
thank you; I'd rather stick to Linnie."
The widow hesitates awhile-can she
make up her mind for two? Why, she
would have to take another home, and
actually arrange nursery, and make all
sorts of preparations for this new element
in her life. How busy she will be- and
only yesterday there seemed nothing left
on this earth to do.
well, little Linnie," she says, touch
ing the lassies sweet face, 81 will make
room for you, and you two shall grow up
together"
"No, lady, can't, how could leave
my babyP'
The child turns to the infant with
clasp of passionate love, and the little
fellows satisfied cooling in her arms gives
emphasis to her cry.
Motherly Mrs. Kibbs looks at her lodg-