National Baptist world., 1894-10-12


say: You and T.. "-OLIvE SCHREINER
"God IN HIS mercy spared her from &0-
eng on!h'
The words-he had read them some
where marched round and round.
over and over, till every corner Of his
being, mental and physical, was beat
en- to numbness by their weary, sense
less tramp.
"His mercy?" Yes, for the child
there might be mercy: but for him
when had there been any? How
many years was it since he had ceased
to expect it? No-that was not in
Gods plan for him.
And now the child-the little, hu
man child, at whose first quivering
wall responsibility fully weighted
took possession of her fathers breast,
not lightly throned there, easily to be
dismissed when early charm departs
and parenthood yields neither credit
nor delight, but to endure through
time, and change, and death-this lit
tie child was dying.
Outside the mountain wind tore the
young leaves and scattered the weep
ing petals Of the child's flowers; the
roses among which her white sunbon-
net was wont to flash SO busily, the
helpless pinks tied to broken backed
sticks by eager, inexperienced little
fingers. The May rain came bounding
in wild leaps out of the east, and dug
unsightly holes in the neatly raked
border, beside which the small rake
had been flung down that last day
when the sun was SO hot, and her
father had come in at the gate, and
she had run into his arms to nestle her
golden head against his cheek and tell
him how it ached.
Yet there were some who said: ''If
the child dies, it will be a Judgment. )"
So we mete out judgments and bless
ings by the accidents of failure or sue
cess; in one breath cringing in an
aba sement which goes perilously near
to forfeiting the dignity conferred on
us when we were made children Of the
Father, in the next presuming to in
terpret the thoughts and intentions Of
our inscrutable God-the God of 81
lence.
The child was only seven years old
when the doctor was finally beaten
Knowing not fear. he had been
soldier than whom few were more
gallant; he had held death, for HIM
self and others, calmly in the hollow
of his single hand; but against subtle
ty, and passive obstinacy, and a re-
ligion which is that of the devil rather
than of God being devoid of the love
without which silver-tongued piety is
but sounding brass-he had no sutfic-
ing weapons. So he sat down and en-
dured all things; there was no other
way.
The child was only seven years old,
as have said; but some divine in
stinct led her to cross the room timid-
ly, and slip her tiny hand into his big,
lonely one.
my father she cried, softly-for
that was how she had called upon him,
from the hour that she could speak.
Once she looked back over her
shoulder, with quivering lip and eyes
like blue flowers drowned in dew.
But her father was to her the
embodiment of all that was noble,
Just and tender; and her little heart
momentarily defed anyone who, in
the name of any God, could thus
wound and humiliate such father
After that he would not let her go,
even had she desired it, which she did
not Appeals and approaches from
other quarters touched him no more.
He was poor; the unselfish toll OF
half lifetime is not apt to result well
financially. But the child must not
lack for the best. 1t is doubtful if she
guessed at single one of the sacri
fees he made for her; bnt her life was
sunshine, and in it he drew the breath
of life.
II tell you, the doctor will see me
he never has refused to help yet, and
he amt goin' to do it now"
Man," replied the old nanny
who had nursed the doctor as child
any of her own dark-skinned brood
Nam, 'tain't no use fur ter ask
Little miss mighty low this night, an6
he amt gwine leave her side tel de
Lor' takes her to Hisself.'
But my child will die, tell you
Aunt Mandy" was the agonized re
sponse Hes all l hev,' and the doe
tor can save him. He can't save his
child by not savin' mine"
The mountain woman, in a passion
of maternal selfshness, bent forward
on her streaming horse, straining hel
hollow eyes through the damp dark
ness of the back porch into the dimly
lighted room beyond.
Thar he isl she suddenly ex
claimed, exultantly, and at sigr
from him the old colored woman la
bored gently away toward the upper
chamber where the child lay.
Hes all | hev', doctor, and you car
save him if you will
Yes, it was true, he could
The woman rode splashing away
through the night. The doctor stole
to the chamber door, and beckoned tt
the nurse within. and spoke few lcw
words to her.