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+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of Charlie Scott;, by Unknown.
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+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Charlie Scott, by Unknown
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Charlie Scott
+       or, There's Time Enough
+
+Author: Unknown
+
+Release Date: May 10, 2008 [EBook #25415]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHARLIE SCOTT ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was made using scans of public domain works in the
+International Children's Digital Library.)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 362px;">
+<img src="images/imgcover.jpg" width="362" height="550" alt="" title="cover" />
+</div>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 386px;">
+<img src="images/illus_001.jpg" width="386" height="600" alt="CHARLIE RESCUED." title="" />
+<span class="caption">CHARLIE RESCUED.</span>
+</div>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;">
+<img src="images/illus_002a.jpg" width="200" height="71" alt="" title="decoration" />
+</div>
+
+<h1>CHARLIE SCOTT;</h1>
+
+<h4>OR,</h4>
+
+<h2>THERE'S TIME ENOUGH.</h2>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 220px;">
+<img src="images/illus_002b.jpg" width="220" height="175" alt="" title="decoration" />
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY,<br />
+
+<span class="smcap">56, Paternoster Row; 65, St. Paul's Churchyard,<br />and 164, Piccadilly.</span></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 220px;">
+<img src="images/illus_004a.jpg" width="220" height="54" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+
+<div class='centered'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="CONTENTS">
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.&mdash;A SHIP AT LAST.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.&mdash;GOING HOME.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.&mdash;ADELAIDE ROW.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.&mdash;GOOD RESOLUTIONS NOT KEPT.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.&mdash;TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.&mdash;GOING OUT TO TEA.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.&mdash;A SAD BIRTHDAY.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.&mdash;DOWN THE MINE.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.&mdash;NOT ALONE.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.&mdash;A NEW FRIEND.</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.&mdash;SORRY, HUMILIATION, AND REPENTANCE.</a></td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2>
+
+<h3>A SHIP AT LAST.</h3>
+
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;">
+<img src="images/illus_t.jpg" width="75" height="125" alt="" title="T" />
+</div>
+<p>HIS has been a hard month for me," thought Morley Scott, the pilot, as
+he stood shading his eyes from the sun, and gazing anxiously out at sea.
+He hoped to have caught a glimpse of ships in the distance, for the
+winds had been very contrary lately. Many ships had been obliged to pass
+by the harbour, unable to get in, and the pilots had found very little
+to do.</p>
+
+<p>"That looks well," he thought, brightening up, as he saw a busy little
+steam-tug puffing along with a ship in tow; he knew a pilot would soon
+be wanted to bring it safely into the docks. He had not stood many
+minutes, trying to make out the ship, when he heard his name called, and
+turning round, he saw a boy running towards him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Here's the <i>Refuge</i> at last, Morley Scott," said the boy; "they want
+you on board directly, because they are coming in to-night."</p>
+
+<p>Morley Scott put his hand in his pocket, and gave the lad the customary
+sixpence for his good tidings. "It's almost the last," he said with a
+smile, pointing to the sixpence; "but still the news is cheap at that."</p>
+
+<p>"I should think it is," said the boy, as he ran off laughing.</p>
+
+<p>Morley Scott walked quickly along the pier until he came up to a row of
+boys, who were sitting on the edge of the wall, fishing. He stood for a
+moment to watch them with an expression of amusement in his good-natured
+face. They sat perfectly still, afraid to speak or move, and scarcely
+daring to breathe, lest they should frighten away the fish; each boy
+watching his own and his neighbour's line with feverish anxiety.
+Suddenly one little fellow, in a state of great excitement, began
+tugging at his line.</p>
+
+<p>"Now then, Charlie Scott," called a big boy, who seemed to be the head
+of the party, "what are you pulling in that line for again? That is the
+third time in less than ten minutes; how is it likely we can catch
+anything?"</p>
+
+<p>All the boys joined in a low chorus of "Yes, indeed!" "A pretty fellow
+he is to fish!" "Serves us right for letting him come with us." The fact
+was, the boys had been very unsuccessful that afternoon; they had taken
+nothing, and it was a relief to have some one to lay the blame upon.</p>
+
+<p>"I am sure there's something this time, though,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> said Charlie, still
+pulling away. His manner was so confident, that the boys became
+interested in spite of themselves, and several nearly lost their
+balance, craning out their necks to see beyond each other.</p>
+
+<p>At last up came the hook, with a jerk that sent Charlie backwards; it
+had been entangled in a large piece of seaweed, that gave way suddenly
+just as he got it to the surface. "It's very strange," he said, as he
+examined the hook minutely, longing to find something alive, no matter
+how small. "It's very strange; I'm always feeling something, and yet I
+never catch anything."</p>
+
+<p>"I tell you what it is, young Scott, if you don't mind what you're
+about, you'll both feel something and catch something soon that you
+won't like, perhaps," grumbled the big boy.</p>
+
+<p>"Here, Charlie," called Morley Scott, seeing there was likely to be a
+quarrel, "I want you to run on an errand for me."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie looked round, and seeing his father, he jumped up readily. To
+tell the truth, he was not sorry of the excuse to give up his fishing;
+he had been thoroughly tired of it for the last quarter of an hour,
+although he did not like to own it to the other boys. He was a bright,
+happy-looking little fellow, about eight years of age, with light,
+waving hair, merry blue eyes, and sunburnt face.</p>
+
+<p>"What is it, father?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>"I want you to run and find uncle John; tell him that the <i>Refuge</i> is
+lying off at sea, waiting for us. Ask him to come with you, because they
+want to be into the docks to-night."</p>
+
+<p>Away ran Charlie with his message, and soon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> returned with uncle John.
+All three then made their way to the docks, where a number of small
+boats were moored.</p>
+
+<p>"Do take me with you, father," pleaded Charlie, as the two men jumped
+into one of the boats and prepared to push off.</p>
+
+<p>"No, no, Charlie, not this time," said his father; "remember you have
+your lessons to learn; besides, I dare say you have not had your tea."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I can learn my lessons when I come back, and I've got a large bun
+here," he said, lifting up his jacket to show it; "uncle John bought it
+for me as we came along. Please do let me go, it's so miserable now,
+when you are away; I never like to go home, Mrs. Wood is so cross."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, jump in then," said his father, with a sigh; he knew how the boy
+missed his kind, gentle mother. She had been dead nearly six months, and
+since then Charlie and he seemed to have been without a home. When his
+wife died Morley Scott scarcely knew what to do for the best. He had no
+relation who could take charge of Charlie and of his house, so he
+thought it would be best to sell his furniture and go to lodgings. It
+seems he had not been very fortunate in his choice, for according to
+Charlie's account Mrs. Wood, the landlady, was often ill-tempered.</p>
+
+<p>The two men took their oars, and began to pull in the direction of the
+ship that was lying out some distance from the harbour. Charlie had
+found himself a snug little corner in the stern of the boat, and was
+enjoying himself thoroughly in a quiet way, catching at the bits of
+floating seaweed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> and chips, spreading his fingers out like the arches
+of a miniature bridge, and letting the water rush through them,
+occasionally munching at his huge bun by way of variation.</p>
+
+<p>For a wonder Charlie's busy tongue was still; he saw by his father's
+countenance that he was not in a mood for talking. It wore a troubled,
+saddened expression; he was living over the old sorrow that Charlie's
+words had called up. His uncle, too, seemed in deep thought, and rowed
+on in silence; although they were unconscious of it, perhaps, there is
+no doubt that all three felt the influence of that beautiful calm summer
+evening.</p>
+
+<p>The rich hues of the setting sun were gradually fading out from the sky,
+yet wonderful shades of crimson, rose colour, and gold, still lingered
+lovingly amongst the clouds, and rested upon the waters. All the bustle
+of the town had been left far behind; there was nothing to break the
+silence but the measured plash of the oars, and the soft rippling and
+murmuring of the water as the little boat rode lightly over the waves.</p>
+
+<p>As Charlie gazed up at the glorious sky, he began to wonder where the
+sun went to every night, and how it was that there were always such
+lovely colours in the sky just where it disappeared; at last he came to
+the conclusion that the sun went into heaven, and that beautiful golden
+and rose-coloured light streamed out when the door was opened.</p>
+
+<p>Charlie liked this idea so much, that he was quite disappointed when he
+learned afterwards that it was not the case.</p>
+
+<p>"What a grand place heaven must be!" thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> Charlie, remembering what
+he had heard at Sunday school. "How splendid God's angels must look,
+floating about in that beautiful light, with their white robes and
+crowns of gold!" Charlie went on thinking and thinking much in the same
+strain, until at last the ship was neared.</p>
+
+<p>Morley Scott brought in his oars with a sudden movement, and springing
+up in the boat, hailed the ship, "<i>Refuge</i> ahoy!"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2>
+
+<h3>GOING HOME.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 54px;">
+<img src="images/illus_i.jpg" width="54" height="119" alt="" title="I" />
+</div>
+<p>T is more than hour since we left Morley Scott hailing the <i>Refuge</i>.
+How is it that the ship has not been moved yet? And here is the little
+boat turned homeward, and strangers have the charge of it.</p>
+
+<p>Is Charlie asleep, that he lies there so pale and still? he has not
+moved once since we looked. And that something lying in the boat,
+covered by a ship's colour, what can it be? The night air is damp and
+chill, and the sea looks grey and deadly in the twilight.</p>
+
+<p>One of the sailors leans forward to look at Charlie. "Poor little one,"
+he murmurs, in a kind but sad tone.</p>
+
+<p>"I wish we were yonder," said the other sailor, moving his head in the
+direction of the town. "I don't like the look of that boy at all; it may
+only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> be fainting, but it looks to me more like death than anything
+else."</p>
+
+<p>It was almost dark when they reached the harbour.</p>
+
+<p>"You stay with the boat," said the sailor who spoke just before, "and
+I'll go up into the town and see about help."</p>
+
+<p>A man who had noticed their arrival sauntered up, curious to know if
+anything was the matter.</p>
+
+<p>"Morley Scott and his brother are drowned."</p>
+
+<p>In answer to the man's anxious questions, the sailor told him that when
+Scott's boat came along-side the ship a rope was thrown to them as usual
+to be made fast, and, unfortunately, both Scott and his brother sprang
+forward to catch it; the boat gave a violent lurch, and in a moment they
+were plunged into the sea, Morley Scott's head striking the ship's side
+as he fell. His brother was never seen again; they supposed he must have
+come up underneath the ship, and so met certain death.</p>
+
+<p>Morley Scott's body they recovered, and had brought with them in the
+boat.</p>
+
+<p>The sad news that two men had been drowned soon spread, and before long
+many anxious, awe-stricken faces were gazing down into the boat at the
+object which lay terribly still, covered by the ship's colour.</p>
+
+<p>When poor little Charlie was lifted up, many a mother, with tears in her
+eyes, love in her heart, and thoughts of the little ones at home,
+pressed forward with offers to take the boy. One woman was even more
+eager than the rest: "Let me have him," she said; "he is like my own
+child that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> I lost last year come back again," and trembling with,
+emotion, she took poor Charlie, who was still unconscious, in her arms.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll carry him home for you, Mrs. Heedman," said one of the men,
+kindly; "it's a good way to your house, and you'd find him heavy before
+you got there."</p>
+
+<p>When Charlie awoke, as he thought, from sleep, he found himself, to his
+great astonishment, in a neat little bed with white curtains and
+counterpane. A small table stood near, with a glass, and bottles of
+medicine, such as he remembered to have seen when his mother was ill;
+and opposite his bed hung a picture of the finding of Moses.</p>
+
+<p>It was very strange: Charlie rubbed his eyes, thinking he could not be
+quite awake, surely, and looked again; but the things were still there.
+Then he tried to remember what happened before he went to sleep, but his
+head felt so weak and light that he could not think. He put his hand out
+and felt the curtains; they were real enough. Just as he was making up
+his mind that he would try to sit up and look about the room, the door
+was gently opened, and a pleasant face peeped in. Charlie remembered at
+once that it was good, kind Mrs. Heedman, who used to come and see his
+mother when she was ill.</p>
+
+<p>She seemed surprised and glad to see that he knew her, and coming
+quickly up to him, gave him a kiss, put his pillow to rights, and told
+him he must not get up yet.</p>
+
+<p>"I feel very tired, Mrs. Heedman," said Charlie languidly; "have I been
+asleep long?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You have been very ill, dear," she answered, gently, "so ill that you
+did not know any one for a few days. Are you glad I brought you here to
+this nice little bed, to take care of you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh yes, thank you," said Charlie, earnestly. Mrs. Heedman saw that he
+was thinking and trying to remember something, so to change the current
+of his thoughts she poured out his medicine, and handed it to him. "Now
+drink this up, like a good boy," she said, "then I will bring you some
+beef tea soon."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie rather unwillingly, and with a wry face, drank the mixture. As
+he gave her back the glass, his eye rested on a picture that had been
+hidden before by the curtain; it was a ship and some small boats at sea.
+In a moment the something that he had been trying to remember flashed
+upon him, and burying his face in the pillow to shut out the picture, he
+sobbed out, "Oh, father, father!"</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Heedman stood quietly by, waiting until the first burst of grief
+was over, and asking in her heart for the help of God's Holy Spirit to
+teach her what she had best say to comfort him. Presently the heavy sobs
+almost ceased; but Charlie did not move or speak. She took his hand in
+hers smoothing and caressing it, as if to assure him of her sympathy.</p>
+
+<p>"Charlie dear," she said gently, "it is very sad, and very hard to bear,
+is it not?" Charlie did not speak. She sat down beside him, still
+keeping his hand in hers, and went on speaking.</p>
+
+<p>"Last year, when my own dear little boy died&mdash;you remember Tom, don't
+you, Charlie? Well,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> when he was taken from me, I thought my heart would
+have broken; it seemed as if I should never be happy again. I felt sad
+and ill, and weary of everything, just as you feel now." Charlie turned
+towards her, and looked interested. "For some weeks I was very unhappy,
+and thought no one had such a trouble as mine; but afterwards I learned
+how wrong it was of me to find fault with God's will; and when I began
+to count up all the blessings I had received, and remembered all that my
+dear Lord Jesus Christ had done and suffered for me, I felt sure that He
+who loved me so much would not let me suffer any pain or sorrow that was
+not necessary for my good."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie was listening attentively; he quite understood all Mrs. Heedman
+said. His mother had often read to him out of the Bible, and spoken to
+him of the Saviour.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Heedman went on: "You must remember, Charlie, that you are now one
+of God's very dear children. We are all His children, but He has
+especial love and care for those whom He has been obliged to leave
+without any earthly parents. God promises in His own holy book, the
+Bible, that He will be 'a Father to the fatherless;' that He will
+relieve the fatherless; that He will help the fatherless; and that if
+the fatherless cry unto Him, He will surely hear their cry. When you are
+stronger, I will find the passages and read them to you, and many others
+that are very comforting. Now it is quite time that you had your beef
+tea; I will get it for you, and then we can talk again."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie thought the beef tea was delicious; he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> was already beginning to
+feel that relish for savoury food that most fever patients experience
+when they are recovering.</p>
+
+<p>"It's very nice," he kept repeating; and every now and then Mrs. Heedman
+met his blue eyes gazing into hers with a thoughtful, inquiring sort of
+look. At last he said, "Mrs. Heedman, do you think it was God who put it
+into your heart to bring me here and be so kind to me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, Charlie, I am sure of it."</p>
+
+<p>"Then I'm quite sure that God loves me," said Charlie, energetically. "I
+can't help crying when I think about father," as he burst into another
+flood of tears; "but," he added, "I will try not to think any more that
+it was not kind of God to let him be drowned and leave me by myself. I
+was thinking so a little while since;" and dropping his voice, he went
+on, "I want you, please, to tell me all about it&mdash;where father is, and
+uncle John. I saw them lift some one out of the water, dead, but I
+forget what happened after."</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Heedman told him as gently and as kindly as she could about his
+father's funeral; who arranged it, and where he was buried, and that his
+uncle's body had not been found. "When you are better, Charlie, we will
+go and see the grave, and you shall set some flowers on it."</p>
+
+<p>"When I am a man," burst in Charlie, "I shall buy a beautiful tombstone
+for it."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well," said Mrs. Heedman, getting up. "Now you must try to sleep a
+little. How very good and merciful God has been to you, Charlie, to
+spare your life in this illness! If it is His will,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> I trust I shall be
+able day by day to teach you how to devote the life He has given you to
+His service."</p>
+
+<p>"Am I going to be with you always, Mrs. Heedman?" cried Charlie, opening
+his eyes very wide.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I hope so," she answered. After a little more talking, principally
+on Charlie's side, who confided to her his private opinion of the cross
+Mrs. Wood, and his pleasure to think he was not going back to her any
+more, Mrs. Heedman left the room, and Charlie went to sleep.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2>
+
+<h3>ADELAIDE ROW.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;">
+<img src="images/illus_t.jpg" width="75" height="125" alt="" title="T" />
+</div>
+<p>HE house of the Heedmans was the end cottage of a long row, built for
+and occupied by the miners employed at the colliery that you might see
+in the distance. There were several rows of these cottages, but Adelaide
+Row, in which the Heedmans lived, was certainly the best in appearance.
+It was farthest from the mines, and was sheltered from the coal dust by
+its less fortunate neighbours. The houses looked cleaner and brighter
+altogether, and the little gardens flourished better.</p>
+
+<p>John Heedman's garden was the pride of his heart, and the admiration and
+envy of the rest of "the Row." It certainly did look very gay and
+pretty. There were bright China-asters, sweet-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>scented stocks, French
+marigolds, rose bushes laden with blossoms, little clusters of
+candytuft, Virginia-stock, mignonette, and many other flowers,
+contrasting well in colour, and grouped in such good taste.</p>
+
+<p>If John Heedman took a pride in his garden, Mrs. Heedman certainly took
+a pride in her house. Not that their furniture was more expensive than
+that of many of their neighbours, but it was in good order and neatly
+arranged. Nice white curtains were up at the windows; a few
+sweet-smelling flowers stood in a glass; and in a corner were some
+bookshelves, made and painted by John Heedman himself, after work-hours,
+and very well stocked with good books; altogether there was an air of
+cleanliness, comfort, and refinement over all that made you wish to know
+the owners.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Heedman often said in answer to her neighbours' remarks "that she
+must spend a deal of money over her house."&mdash;"It costs me nothing but a
+little thought and extra work. The poorest of us may indulge in order
+and cleanliness indeed, when you come to think of it, dirt and disorder
+cost the most, because your furniture gets soiled, and knocked about,
+and destroyed."</p>
+
+<p>After Mrs. Heedman left Charlie, she began to prepare her husband's tea
+in the next room; and nicely she looked, as she moved lightly about in
+her clean light-print dress and white collar, her dark hair smoothly and
+plainly arranged, and a smile on her face. It was a face that made you
+look twice. Her eyes were so calm, so full of peace, you felt
+instinctively it was that peace which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> God alone can give. Some people
+do not believe that Christianity can make them happy; that is, because
+they have never felt it in their hearts. It is a peace which passeth all
+understanding. She was thinking of Charlie; how he would learn to love
+her, and please God; what a scholar he would be, and how carefully she
+would train him. She was trying to picture what he would be like if he
+lived to grow up, when John Heedman opened the door.</p>
+
+<p>"Tea will be ready in a minute, John," she said, looking up; "I've been
+sitting with that dear child, and the afternoon has flown I scarcely
+know how. He got a turn for the better about one o'clock, and woke up
+quite conscious and sensible;" and stepping softly to the door, she
+beckoned him to follow. They both stood looking at Charlie as he slept.
+He was very pale, traces of tears were still on his face, and one little
+thin white hand hung listlessly over the side of the bed. John Heedman
+stooped and touched it gently with his own rough, strong hand. "Poor
+little one!" he murmured.</p>
+
+<p>That night, as John Heedman and his wife sat at tea, they determined to
+adopt Charlie, and make him as their own.</p>
+
+<p>"I think," said John Heedman, "we ought to accept this child as a sacred
+charge from God, sent to us to be taken care of and trained for Him. Our
+duty seems plain enough; it is true we shall not be able to save so
+much, but perhaps there was a danger of our getting too fond of our bit
+of money; and God has seen this and sent the child, that, through it we
+may lend the money to Him. We<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> shall have our treasure in heaven,
+instead of laying it up on earth."</p>
+
+<p>"That is true," said Mrs. Heedman. "We shall be no poorer for what we
+spend on the child; and as for our old age, we will trust to the
+Lord&mdash;He will provide."</p>
+
+<p>In a week's time Charlie was able to sit up; his favourite seat was at
+the open window, looking out into the pretty garden. He would sit for
+hours watching the gay butterflies and busy bees, roving from flower to
+flower, and gazing up at the ever-changing sky. The soft, fleecy clouds
+that sailed along so gracefully, Charlie liked to think were the robes
+of angels on their way to heaven with little children.</p>
+
+<p>In a few weeks' time, to his great joy, he was strong enough to go back
+to school; he was fond of learning, and the Heedmans were anxious for
+him to have as much schooling as they could possibly afford.</p>
+
+<p>John Heedman had enjoyed a good plain education himself; he was intended
+for a tradesman, but his father died suddenly, and his mother and young
+sister being left dependent upon him, he went to work down the mine, as
+the wages were higher than he could get at any other employment. It was
+a great disappointment and trial to him, you may be sure; but he very
+wisely made the best of it, and thought to himself, "Well, if I am only
+to be a miner all my life, it does not follow that I need neglect my
+learning: it will always give me pleasure, and occupy my mind; and I
+shall be serving God better by improving myself, and using the powers He
+has given me."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>He carried out this idea, and became a thoughtful, intelligent,
+well-informed man, respected both by his employers and fellow-workmen,
+and, what was better than all, he found favour in the sight of God. By
+the grace of God he was led to feel himself a poor sinner, and sought
+forgiveness through the precious blood of Christ. For a long while he
+groped in the dark, with the burden on his shoulders; but reading one
+day that passage in the third chapter of John,&mdash;"For God so loved the
+world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
+Him should not perish, but have ever-lasting life. For God sent not His
+Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him
+might be saved," the light burst upon his mind, his prayers were
+answered, and he became an earnest Christian, a faithful soldier and
+servant of the Lord Jesus Christ; and he was rewarded&mdash;not with any
+great earthly riches, but with much peace in his heart, with great
+strength and comfort in time of trial; with home happiness, and much
+that might have made him the envy of princes, who had shut themselves
+out from the love of God.</p>
+
+<p>He made the good choice in his <i>youth</i>. He sought the Lord <i>early</i>, and
+found him, and He escaped the terrible anguish and suffering that
+attends repentance after a long life of careless sin.</p>
+
+<p>All through life he had the love of the Saviour to help and cheer him on
+his way; in temptation he had God to look to for strength; in sorrow he
+had the Saviour to turn to for sympathy and help. Each night he asked
+forgiveness for the sins of the day, and each morning he sought a
+blessing and pre<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>servation, and went forth with a light heart, praising
+God, and full of thankfulness to Him for His mercy.</p>
+
+<p>There was no anxious care for the future, in his heart he knew that his
+heavenly Father would guide him and care for him day by day.</p>
+
+<p>It seems most unaccountable that any one should willingly refuse all
+this happiness; and yet how many boys and girls there are who never
+pause to think what choice they have made, and which master they are
+serving. You must be serving one, either God or the world. Which it is
+your own heart will tell you. Remember God will have no half-service. He
+has said, "He that is not with Me is against Me."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+
+<h3>GOOD RESOLUTIONS NOT KEPT.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 80px;">
+<img src="images/illus_f.jpg" width="80" height="121" alt="" title="F" />
+</div>
+<p>OUR years of Charlie's life soon passed swiftly away in his pleasant
+and happy home. He is now twelve years of age, and has grown a tall,
+strong, healthy boy. His blue eyes are just as merry, and his frank,
+fearless face as sunburnt, as when we first made his acquaintance on the
+pier. He is generous, grateful, and affectionate, and John Heedman and
+his wife&mdash;his good "father and mother," as he calls them now&mdash;are very
+dear to him.</p>
+
+<p>I need scarcely tell you that they have never<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> regretted adopting him,
+and could not love him better, or be more proud of him, if he were their
+own son. They have found him from the first clever at his learning, and
+painstaking; full of gratitude and love to themselves; honest and
+truthful; anxious to serve God, and really trying to do so in his way.
+But one thing has troubled them: for the last two years they have seen
+him gradually giving himself up more and more to the dangerous habit of
+"putting off." He had become, unconsciously, a very slave to it; it
+required quite an effort on his part to do any duty at once.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps some boys who read this are inclined to exclaim, "Was that all?"
+But if they think for a moment, I am sure they will see that it is very
+dangerous, <i>because</i> they are inclined to think lightly of it.</p>
+
+<p>Procrastination, or the habit of "putting off," is one of Satan's great
+temptations. Many a boy may be tempted to give way to it who would
+shrink from telling an untruth, or committing any flagrant sin; but
+Satan knows well enough how soon and how surely it will <i>lead</i> them into
+sin.</p>
+
+<p>Unfortunately, Charlie had no idea how this habit was creeping upon him;
+he always contrived to find some excuse for putting off that satisfied
+himself if it did not satisfy others; and when it led him to do wrong,
+or into misfortune of any kind, he always fancied that something or some
+one else was to blame.</p>
+
+<p>"Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman one morning, just before school-time, "did
+you learn your lessons last night?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"No, mother," answered Charlie; "I can learn them this morning; there's
+time enough."</p>
+
+<p>"Do get your books then, and begin; you have only a quarter of an hour."</p>
+
+<p>"All right, mother dear," he answered, gaily; "I'll get them in a
+minute; there's time enough;" but Charlie was very much interested in
+teaching his dog Jumper to sit up, and kept putting off until at last
+the quarter of an hour was gone, and he found he had only just time to
+get to school. Grumbling at the time for flying so quickly, he snatched
+up one of his school books, threw his satchel with the rest over his
+shoulder, and started off at a quick pace, learning his lesson as he
+went. Of course he could not always look where he was going, and the
+consequence was he knocked up against people, and trod on their toes,
+and so far from apologizing in his ill-humour, he declared to himself
+that "it served them right; why didn't they get out of his way?"</p>
+
+<p>The clock struck nine: Charlie was desperate; he quickened his pace
+almost to a run, and taking a last glance at his lesson as he turned the
+corner, he came with a crash against a lamp-post, that sent him
+backwards, his book flying out of his hand, his forehead bruised, and
+his nose bleeding.</p>
+
+<p>Poor Charlie sat on the ground almost stunned, and scarcely knowing for
+the moment what it was, or where he was. At last he got slowly up,
+gathered his books together, and turned towards home, holding his
+handkerchief to his bruised face, and feeling very miserable.</p>
+
+<p>"It was all that stupid old lamp-post, mother!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> he said angrily, when
+he was telling his tale to her.</p>
+
+<p>"No, no, Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman; "was it not that stupid Charlie
+Scott, who did not look where he was going?"</p>
+
+<p>It was no use going to school that morning. The bruises were doctored,
+and Charlie, after learning his lessons, took up an interesting book. He
+was fond of reading, and was soon deep in the contents.</p>
+
+<p>"Just run into Mrs. Brown's, next door, Charlie, will you, and ask if
+she can let me have the bread tin I lent her yesterday," said Mrs.
+Heedman.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, mother, in a minute," answered Charlie, still reading on, and
+thinking, "There's time enough; I dare say the bread is not ready."
+After a short time she spoke again, "Come, Charlie, I'm waiting."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, mother, I'm coming," said Charlie, getting half off his chair, but
+still keeping his eyes on the book. "I'll just finish this chapter," he
+thought; there were only two sentences to read. When it was finished, he
+looked up, and saw his mother had gone herself for the tin. She came in,
+looking weary and tired, for she had had a busy morning, and Charlie's
+conscience smote him.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, mother, I'm so sorry," he exclaimed. "I thought I had time enough
+to finish the chapter."</p>
+
+<p>"Charlie, I do wish you would learn to do a thing at once. I cannot bear
+to hear you so constantly saying 'There's time enough,'" said his
+mother; "it makes me tremble for your future. A cousin of mine was led
+into sin, and misery, and poverty, and at last died at enmity with his
+father,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> and unreconciled to God, through 'putting off.' He gave way to
+the habit when he was a boy, and it grew up with him unchecked."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie was rather frightened at hearing this, and inwardly made some
+good resolutions; but as they were made in his own strength alone, you
+will not be surprised to hear they were soon swept away: however, he
+made, as he thought, a very fair beginning. When he was called to
+dinner, he laid down his book and went at once&mdash;I am afraid there was
+not much credit due to him for that, for he was very hungry,&mdash;and he got
+ready and set off in good time for afternoon school.</p>
+
+<p>"Be sure you come straight home, Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman as he was
+going out; "your father's cough was worse this morning, and I want you
+to run along to the pit with some warm wrappings for him; the evenings
+are chilly now, and he feels the cold when he comes up."</p>
+
+<p>"All right, mother dear, I'll not forget," said Charlie, waving his cap
+to her as he went out of the gate. He was in an extra good humour with
+himself for having made the good resolutions we told you of, and for
+having done so well since, quite forgetting that even the desire to do
+better came from God.</p>
+
+<p>The moment school was over, one of the boys caught hold of Charlie's
+arm, and launched into a glowing description of a ship "nearly two feet
+long," that had been made a present to him, finishing off with "She's
+splendid, and that's just all about it. I am going now to name her, and
+launch her in that big pond in Thompson's field.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> Come along," he said,
+drawing Charlie in the direction of the field as he spoke; "you shall
+give her the name, and I'll launch her."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm afraid I can't go," said Charlie, looking miserable, and making a
+faint effort to get his arm from Tom Brown's grasp.</p>
+
+<p>"Why?" asked Tom.</p>
+
+<p>"Because I promised to go straight home; and I have to take some clothes
+for father to the pit."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, that's it, is it?" exclaimed Tom. "Well, then, look here, your
+father won't be ready for nearly half an hour yet&mdash;I know what time they
+come up,&mdash;and you'll be wandering about there, cooling your heels, when
+you might as well be here."</p>
+
+<p>"If I hadn't promised," thought Charlie, with a longing look in the
+direction of the pond.</p>
+
+<p>"You needn't stay long," urged Tom. "The ship is close by; I hid her
+amongst some bushes so as not to have to go home again."</p>
+
+<p>"Don't go; remember your promise," whispered Charlie's conscience. "But
+I want to go so much," answered Charlie's selfish little heart.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't go, it would be ungrateful: think of your father's kindness to
+you," whispered the voice again. "I'm not ungrateful, and I mean to take
+the clothes," Charlie's heart answered, angrily.</p>
+
+<p>The voice began to whisper again, something about it being a temptation,
+and he ought to ask God's help, but Charlie turned a deaf ear.</p>
+
+<p>Tom Brown, seeing Charlie hesitate, felt pretty sure he would give in.
+Leaving loose of his arm, and moving off towards the field, he said, in
+a careless tone, "Come, make up your mind; do one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> thing or the other.
+I don't care whether you go or not, only I can tell you you'll not have
+such a chance again; Joe Denton would have jumped at it."</p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 437px;">
+<img src="images/illus_026.jpg" width="437" height="600" alt="CHARLIE AND THE TEMPTATION." title="" />
+<span class="caption">CHARLIE AND THE TEMPTATION.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p>This had just the effect Tom intended. Charlie hurried after him,
+saying, "Well, let us be quick then. I'll just stay five minutes; I
+daresay there's time enough."</p>
+
+<p>The scruples of Charlie's conscience were silenced. Conscience is a
+dangerous thing to play with, and it should be the prayer of every youth
+that God would strengthen him to keep his conscience tender; never mind
+if it be difficult sometimes to maintain a good conscience: in the end,
+as years go on, you will be thankful to find that it preserves from many
+a snare, and gives a pleasure, and gains the confidence of those around
+you.</p>
+
+<p>The launching went off most successfully, but the time had flown much
+quicker than the boys had any idea of. Charlie was in full enjoyment of
+the honour of guiding the <i>Fairy</i> on her trial trip round the pond, when
+he was terribly startled at hearing the church clock strike five. In a
+moment he had dropped the string, caught up his satchel of books, and
+started off towards home.</p>
+
+<p>"Here, I say, wait a bit," called Tom after him; "what's the use of
+hurrying now? Your father would be at home long since; you may as well
+stay another hour now." Charlie did not even stay to listen, but tore
+along the dusty road, angry with himself, and still more angry with Tom.
+He reached home out of breath, and found that his father and mother had
+just begun tea.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Charlie, my boy, you're late," said his father, in his usual kind tone.
+His mother did not speak, and Charlie noticed that she looked sad; but
+she was as kind as ever, and picked out one of his favourite little
+well-browned cakes for him as he sat down to tea. Charlie felt unhappy
+and repentant as he thought how ill he deserved all their care.</p>
+
+<p>His father's cough was very troublesome; it was a loud, hollow,
+consumptive cough, most painful to hear, and still more painful to
+suffer; but not a word of complaint escaped John Heedman's lips.
+Charlie's unhappiness and repentance increased as he sat listening to
+it, and heard his father say, in answer to a remark made by Mrs.
+Heedman, "Yes, I think the cold air has seized my chest; that makes the
+cough worse just now."</p>
+
+<p>Tea was out of the question with Charlie, and the little crisp cake lay
+untouched. "If they would only scold me, or punish me, or do something
+to me," he thought, "I should feel better."</p>
+
+<p>"How is it you are not getting on with your tea?" said Mrs. Heedman,
+looking at his plate.</p>
+
+<p>Charlie immediately laid his head on the table, regardless of tea-things
+and everything else, and burst into a flood of tears. "Oh, mother," he
+sobbed out, "I have been such a bad, wicked fellow to-day. Why don't you
+and father scold me or do something to me? you are far too kind; it
+makes me hate myself. I wish somebody would take away my new cricket
+bat, or steal Jumper, I do." There was a great sobbing after this,
+partly, we think, at the mere thought of the terrible nature of the
+punishment his imagination had suggested.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>He went on&mdash;"I'm sure I meant to come straight home, but Tom Brown took
+and persuaded me to go and see his ship launched, and I only meant to
+stay five minutes, and I thought there was time enough, and it seemed as
+if the clock struck five directly. I'm so sorry&mdash;oh dear!" and down went
+his head on the table again.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm very sorry too," said John Heedman, seriously&mdash;"very sorry. I am
+afraid when you were making your good resolutions about coming straight
+home, you forgot that you might be tempted to break them, and did not
+ask for His help who alone can give you strength to resist temptation
+and choose duty before pleasure. Don't you remember the words, 'My son,
+if sinners entice thee, consent thou not,'and the exhortation to pray
+lest ye enter into temptation? Wipe away your tears now, and get some
+tea; we will talk about it afterwards."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2>
+
+<h3>TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 93px;">
+<img src="images/illus_c.jpg" width="93" height="124" alt="" title="C" />
+</div>
+<p>HARLIE'S heart felt a little lighter for the explanation. When the
+tea-things were cleared away, and a nice little bright fire made up&mdash;for
+it was a chilly evening&mdash;Mrs. Heedman sat down to her needlework, and
+Charlie drew his chair close to his father's, waiting for him to speak.</p>
+
+<p>Taking Charlie's hand in his, he began in a kind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> tone, "I want you to
+tell me just how you felt while Tom Brown was persuading you, as you
+call it, to go with him."</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Charlie, hesitatingly, "I felt I wanted to go very much,
+and I thought I would only stay five minutes, there would still be
+plenty of time to meet you; and something in my heart kept on
+whispering, 'Don't go;' but I did go, you know," he went on, in a
+saddened tone, "and then the little voice did not whisper again."</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said his father, "you must think well, and tell me what sins your
+sad way of thinking there's time enough has led you to be guilty of in
+one short hour."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie thought a moment, and then answered, without looking up,
+"Disobedience and ingratitude."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said his father; "but there is one more&mdash;presumption. You know
+quite well, Charlie, that warning voice in your heart was placed there
+by God to teach and guide you; yet you would not listen; you turned a
+deaf ear; you knew better than the great God who made you; you put your
+own will before His, and treated His Holy Spirit with contempt. It is a
+most solemn and awful thought that God's Holy Spirit will not always
+strive with us.</p>
+
+<p>"What a terrible fate!" exclaimed Mrs. Heedman, "to be left entirely at
+the mercy not only of the temptation of the world, but the sinful wishes
+and inclinations of our own evil hearts!"</p>
+
+<p>"Terrible indeed," said John Heedman. "Now listen here, Charlie: The
+captain of a ship was warned by the pilot on board that the port that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>
+they were making for was almost surrounded by rocks, sandbanks, and
+other hidden dangers, and that it would be certain shipwreck, sooner or
+later, for the captain, as a stranger, to attempt the direction of the
+vessel without the advice and guidance of the pilot, who was aware of
+every danger, knew exactly what was best to do, and could alone bring
+them safely into the haven. What would you think, Charlie, if I were to
+tell you that that captain, after being warned of his danger, refused to
+allow the pilot to help him, turned his back upon him, would not listen
+to his advice, treated him with contempt, and determined to take his own
+way; taking the helm himself, and steering straight for the very rocks
+he had been warned to avoid?"</p>
+
+<p>"I should think he was mad," exclaimed Charlie.</p>
+
+<p>"Not one bit more mad than those who risk the shipwreck of their souls
+by refusing the help and advice of the Holy Spirit in passing through
+this world, so full of danger and temptation."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I see now, father; that is what my Sunday school teacher calls an
+illustration."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," answered his father; "and now let us have a little talk about
+'there's time enough.' I dare say you will be surprised when I tell you
+it is really selfishness that makes you so fond of putting off."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, mother!" said Charlie, quickly, "I didn't think I was selfish. Do
+you think I am?"</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Heedman could scarcely help smiling at his tone of injured
+innocence. "I think I shall wait and hear what your father has to say
+before I give an answer."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>John Heedman went on: "You remember, Charlie, the French marigolds we
+set, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, I do remember indeed; it was so odd, mother, it was all the same
+sort of seed, but when it grew up there was such a difference in the
+form and shade of the flowers, we could scarcely find two alike."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then, you will understand me when I tell you that in the heart of
+every one there is the seed of selfishness, which, as it grows, shows
+itself in a different form in each person. In some it shows itself as
+pride; in others as envy, greediness, jealousy, covetousness,
+procrastination, indolence, and so on. Every sin, if we trace it, we
+shall find that it springs from the seed selfishness&mdash;from love of self.
+It is love of self that makes us forget to feel for others&mdash;careless,
+disobliging; indeed, it would take me an hour to go through the list of
+evils that spring from that same love of self. Learn these things, my
+boy, when you're young. People seldom change their character and habits
+after they get men and women. It is easier to bend this twig than that
+tree in the road; and as you place it, so it will grow."</p>
+
+<p>"What are we to do then, father?" asked Charlie.</p>
+
+<p>"Ask God to help you to watch for it; and as it sprouts up, keep cutting
+it down, trampling upon it, and rooting it up, as you would some noxious
+weed that threatened to spread over your garden, smothering and stealing
+away the nourishment from your flowers."</p>
+
+<p>"What would you call the flowers of the heart, father?" Charlie asked,
+with a smile.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Faith, hope, charity, peace, love, gentleness, goodness," answered his
+father, readily; "one can imagine all these flowers, and many more,
+perhaps, that I have not mentioned, clustering round the fountain of
+prayer, depending upon it for their life; and just as the crystal stream
+of the fountain must ascend, before it can shower down its clouds of
+glistening and refreshing spray upon the parched and thirsty flowers
+round its brim, so prayer must go up to heaven before it can bring down
+life and strength to the flowers of our hearts."</p>
+
+<p>"I understand it all, father," said Charlie, for he loved to "work out"
+illustrations, as he called it. He went on, "And if the fountain were
+neglected, and ceased to flow, how soon the flowers would be scorched up
+by the sun! they would droop, and wither, and die. And so will the
+flowers of our hearts if we neglect prayer."</p>
+
+<p>"That is very well said, Charlie; but we must take care not to be
+satisfied with just <i>knowing</i> all this. We must have 'deeds, not words.'
+I hope to-day has been a lesson to you that good resolutions, made in
+your own strength, are of no use. If the failure of to-day has not
+humbled you, and shown you your own weakness, God's lesson has been
+thrown away upon you. Let me see you make a fresh beginning; turn a new
+leaf over, and set to work in earnest to overcome this darling fault of
+yours, in the strength of the Lord&mdash;not in your own. It will not be all
+plain walking along a smooth road; you may often fall, through want of
+trust, or some failing of your own: but do not be discouraged; remember
+'the greatest honour consists,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> not in never falling, but in rising
+every time we fall.' You know how often we have watched the tide rising,
+and how you wondered at first that it did not come rolling on without
+any stoppage; but then we noticed that although each wave fell back a
+little, it gathered strength to come on with redoubled energy much
+further up the beach than it had reached before, often catching up some
+lovely seaweed or shell in its backward course, to bring with it and
+leave at our feet. Each time you fall, then, remember the waves, and
+determine, with God's help, to rise again, and reach a higher mark in
+your onward course than you had attained before, bringing with you
+increased humility, trust, and love, to lay at your Saviour's feet."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you, dear father; I will try indeed," said Charlie.</p>
+
+<p>"And now you had better learn your lessons; after then you can amuse
+yourself as you like. I don't think we have any locks or anything to oil
+or put to rights to-night," said his father, with a smile, "so you had
+better have your new paint-box out, I think."</p>
+
+<p>"Mrs. Brown wants you to look at a lock in her house to-morrow, Charlie;
+it will neither lock nor unlock. And the bottle-jack has gone wrong; it
+went off with such a noise when she was winding it up yesterday: she
+wants you to see if you can do anything to it."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie's face crimsoned with pleasure: his great delight was in locks,
+clocks, engines&mdash;anything mechanical, in fact; but the only way in which
+he could indulge his love for such things was in taking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> off, oiling,
+putting to rights, and screwing on again all the locks in their own
+house, or any of the neighbours that would let him. As he often
+conquered refractory locks, he became quite of importance in "the Row,"
+and was often sent for. He had an old timepiece that some one had given
+him, and would spend hours in taking it to pieces and putting it
+together again; but he could not prevail upon his mother to let him
+touch "the clock."</p>
+
+<p>The lessons were soon learned, and then Charlie got to his painting.
+What a happy night he had, cutting out pictures from some illustrated
+papers, colouring them, and chattering incessantly, unless he was
+putting in any particular touches that he seemed to think required
+profound silence and holding of the breath!</p>
+
+<p>"There, mother!" he exclaimed, holding up in triumph a picture of a very
+stylish lady that he had finished, "that's the way you should be dressed
+if I had my way; isn't she a beauty?"</p>
+
+<p>"She looks gay indeed, Charlie," said his mother, smiling; "but I'm
+afraid that style of dress would not quite suit me. Let me see, what has
+she on? A bright blue dress, a scarlet cloak"&mdash;"Like Mrs. Greenwell's,
+you know, mother," interrupted Charlie, "and a blue bonnet with a green
+feather on it."</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't a blue feather or a black one have looked better?" said his
+father, looking up from his newspaper; "blue and green are not
+considered pretty together."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I don't know why they shouldn't, father." Charlie felt touched at
+his taste being called into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> question. "The forget-me-nots, the
+bluebells, and the blue hyacinths grow amongst green leaves and grass,
+and I'm sure God would not have put them there if they didn't look
+beautiful."</p>
+
+<p>"You have conquered me there, Charlie," said his father, laughing;
+"still I am not reconciled to the blue bonnet with the green feather."</p>
+
+<p>When it was Charlie's bedtime, he gathered up all the cuttings of paper
+and burned them, washed his paint-brushes, and put everything tidily
+away into a drawer that his mother had given him to himself, so that he
+might have no excuse for leaving things about. The contents of that
+drawer were miscellaneous indeed. There lay his pet the old timepiece,
+surrounded by bits of string, screws, old nails, a hammer, a
+screw-driver, old tops, bits of coloured glass, odd pieces of tin,
+brass, and wire, two or three apples, a pair of pincers, an old
+padlock, curious pebbles, a dog's collar, packets of flower seeds, a
+couple of door-knobs, two or three rusty keys, and many other treasures.</p>
+
+<p>When the putting away was finished, he brought the Bible to his father
+and quietly took his seat. They made it a rule to have prayers before
+Charlie went to bed, that he might join them; and special mention was
+always made of him, that he might realize that every little thing
+connected with his spiritual life was of the same consequence to God as
+if he was a grown-up person. To-night there was much to ask for
+him&mdash;pardon for the past and help for the future; and Charlie's heart
+was very full as he listened to the simple, earnest prayer that was sent
+up on his behalf.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Good-night, my boy," said his father as Charlie came round to him; "when
+you are dressing in the morning, remember that you must also 'put on the
+whole armour of God,' for you are going out to do battle, 'not with
+flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers;' not with an enemy
+that you can see, but with the spirit of darkness. 'Resist the devil,
+and he will flee from you.' 'Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to
+you.'"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+
+<h3>GOING OUT TO TEA.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 93px;">
+<img src="images/illus_o.jpg" width="93" height="118" alt="" title="O" />
+</div>
+<p>NE evening, about a month after the events of the last chapter, Charlie
+was sitting near the window reading, when, to his astonishment, he saw a
+lady open the garden gate and walk to the door. It was Mrs. Greenwell,
+who lived in the large house with the beautiful garden, that was
+Charlie's great admiration. He knew Mrs. Greenwell quite well, because
+she had often stopped to speak to him, and ask him about his school, and
+the garden, and other things; indeed, she was Charlie's favourite
+lady&mdash;he was sure there was not another in the place like her.</p>
+
+<p>You must not think he was vain, if we tell you that he gave a hasty
+glance in the glass to see if his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> hair was tidy, and his face and
+collar clean. He need scarcely have done so, for it was seldom that
+either was untidy or dirty; he had so often heard his mother say it was
+no disgrace to be seen in old clothes, so long as they were well brushed
+and mended, but it was a very great disgrace to be seen with dirty hands
+and face, and unbrushed hair.</p>
+
+<p>Charlie ran to the door, wondering very much what Mrs. Greenwell could
+have called about. She spoke a few kind, pleasant words to him, and
+asked to see his mother. Charlie ushered her into the best room, placed
+a chair for her with great state, closed the door quietly, and then
+hastened upstairs to find his mother, taking two stairs at a time,
+missing one, and coming down on his hands and knees in a lump.</p>
+
+<p>"Dear me, Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman, who had come in at the back door,
+and was standing at the foot of the stairs looking on in amazement at
+his extraordinary scrambling; "what ever are you doing? is it a mouse?"
+remembering he had once chased a mouse upstairs with much the same sort
+of noise.</p>
+
+<p>"A mouse! no, mother," said Charlie, coming down very mildly. "I wanted
+to tell you that Mrs. Greenwell is here, and waiting for you."</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Greenwell's errand was to ask if Charlie could be spared to attend
+a Bible class at her house twice a week. As well as instruction in the
+Bible and catechism, she intended to read instructive books to them on
+different subjects: natural history, travels in foreign lands, English
+history, the lives of good and noble men who had risen from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> working
+classes, and on many other subjects that would be interesting and give
+them a taste for reading. Charlie was younger than most of the boys she
+expected, but she knew he was more intelligent and thoughtful than the
+generality of boys of his age, principally because he had such good home
+training.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Heedman very gladly agreed for him to attend regularly. As for
+Charlie himself, his delight knew no bounds, especially when he heard
+that they were all to have tea, and spend the evening at Mrs.
+Greenwell's the next day. The moment she had left and the door was
+closed, Charlie broke into a dance of triumph round the room that would
+have done credit to a wild Indian, and kept it up so long that Jumper
+became seriously concerned: he stood at a safe distance, barking, as if
+asking for an explanation, or expostulating with his master; but Charlie
+only snapped his fingers at him, and went on with his dance. Poor Jumper
+thought it was an order to sit up, and sat up accordingly, but soon
+finding his mistake out he dropped his fore-feet disconsolately. At
+last, as if a bright thought had struck him, he made a sudden rush at
+poor puss, who was sitting very upright with her tail over her toes,
+gazing innocently at the fire, and I am sorry to say he caught her
+rather savagely by the ear. Jumper knew puss to be his own particular
+enemy, and whenever anything went wrong he always seemed to conclude
+that she must be at the bottom of it.</p>
+
+<p>This brought the dance of triumph to an end, much to Mrs. Heedman's
+satisfaction.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>You should have seen Charlie the next day, when he started for Mrs.
+Greenwell's, in his best suit, a shining white collar, and new necktie;
+his brown hair arranged in his best style, and his bright face lit up
+with happy expectation. It was the first time he had ever formally gone
+"out to tea."</p>
+
+<p>It would take two or three chapters to tell you all that Charlie saw and
+thought and heard on that eventful evening, but we must be content with
+a hasty sketch.</p>
+
+<p>When Charlie first went into the room with its beautiful pictures, its
+handsome furniture, its bright lights, and many strange faces, he felt
+quite dazzled; but Mrs. Greenwell came up to him, and taking him by the
+hand, led him up to a boy about two years older than himself, who was
+lying on a couch. "This is my son," she said, kindly; "he is quite
+anxious to know you, Charlie, so you had better sit down beside him."
+Harry Greenwell shook hands heartily, and made room for him, but did not
+rise from the couch.</p>
+
+<p>"He must be very proud or very idle," thought Charlie; and yet, as he
+looked admiringly at him, he felt that he did not look as if he were
+either one or the other. Charlie had seen him out driving sometimes with
+his mother, but had never been close to him before. Harry lay there
+quite unconscious of Charlie's opinion and admiration, his delicate,
+expressive features full of animation, and his eyes sparkling with
+pleasure as he watched the boys talking and looking about them. He had
+begged very hard that they might come into the drawing-room. Harry liked
+to have pictures and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> ornaments and beautiful things round him, and he
+thought they would enjoy it too.</p>
+
+<p>"How happy he must be," thought Charlie, "in this beautiful house, with
+servants to do everything for him, a carriage to ride in, and I dare say
+he chooses his own clothes, and can have whatever he likes for dinner!
+It must be very nice to be him," thought Charlie, rather enviously.</p>
+
+<p>Just then a move was made for the room where tea was prepared. "You go
+on, Charlie," said Harry, in a kind tone; "don't wait for me; I'll
+follow." Charlie happened to glance back.</p>
+
+<p>Harry Greenwell was lame.</p>
+
+<p>He told Charlie later in the evening how it happened. The two boys were
+standing together at a small table apart from the rest; Harry, who had
+taken a great fancy to Charlie, was showing some of his drawings. There
+was genuine admiration in Charlie's face and tone as he exclaimed, "How
+splendid they are, Master Harry! They must have taken you a long time to
+do."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, yes," answered Harry; "you see I have had a good deal of quiet
+time to occupy ever since my hip was hurt; I haven't been able to play
+at any outdoor games like other boys, or even to walk much. You can't
+think how thankful I am that I have a taste for drawing; one cannot
+always be reading, and it makes the time pass so pleasantly."</p>
+
+<p>"Was it long since? How did it happen?" asked Charlie, full of sympathy,
+and wondering almost that Harry could be thankful for anything under
+such circumstances.</p>
+
+<p>"It was about three years ago, when I was eleven<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> years old. I was out
+riding; something startled the pony, and he threw me. You see my leg is
+not deformed," holding it out as he spoke, "but I walk lame; the doctor
+says I must rest well now, and not overtax my strength, or I shall never
+be any better. It pains me a good deal even now sometimes."</p>
+
+<p>"Did you always feel as&mdash;as quiet about it as you do now?" asked
+Charlie, rather at a loss for the right word.</p>
+
+<p>"No," said Harry; "for a whole year all sorts of wicked, bitter thoughts
+were in my heart. I thought God was behaving hardly and unkindly to me.
+I wanted to die, rather than live to be a cripple. I almost hated people
+who were well and strong. When mamma had visitors I kept out of the way.
+Sometimes I stayed in my own room for weeks together. I couldn't bear
+any one to see me. It was a great trouble to mamma." Harry was carried
+away by the recollections of that sad time, and had spoken in a low
+rapid tone, more to himself than to Charlie.</p>
+
+<p>The boys turned over the contents of a portfolio in silence for a few
+moments.</p>
+
+<p>Harry placed before Charlie a beautiful engraving of our Saviour on the
+cross. "He bore all that for me, and I am trying to bear my pain
+willingly and patiently for His sake, because I love Him; and I know He
+loves me, and helps me to bear my pain, and would not let me suffer it
+at all if it was not for my own good in the end," said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>I have let you listen to this little bit of quiet talk between Charlie
+and Harry that you may determine, as Charlie did, to try to follow
+Harry's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> example, not to be discontented and impatient in sickness, or
+trial of any kind; to be often thinking of, and feeling thankful for,
+the blessings God has granted you; to love the Lord Jesus, and trust
+Him.</p>
+
+<p>You must not suppose that the evening at Mrs. Greenwell's was passed in
+talking only. After tea, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the boys, they
+looked at pictures, books, shells, and other things. Mrs. Greenwell had
+so many little histories to tell about them, and talked so pleasantly,
+that the boys enjoyed it very much; but the great wonder and attraction
+was a microscope, or "magnifying glass," as Charlie called it.</p>
+
+<p>Many of the boys had never seen or even heard of one before, and it
+puzzled them very much to be told that what looked to them very like a
+small lobster's claw was the foot of a fly.</p>
+
+<p>"What beautiful little feathers!" exclaimed one boy.</p>
+
+<p>"You know the sort of dust that sticks to your fingers if you touch the
+wings of a moth or a butterfly, don't you?" asked Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir,"' answered the boy.</p>
+
+<p>"Then that is some of it, magnified; the wings are covered with those
+beautiful little feathers, although we cannot distinguish them without
+the microscope."</p>
+
+<p>But I cannot attempt to tell you one half of the wonders that the
+microscope revealed to them that night, or the lessons it taught them of
+the power and wisdom of the Creator. Mrs. Greenwell pointed out to them
+the immense inferiority of man's best and most careful work when
+compared with the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> simplest work of God, A piece of delicately woven
+silk, of the finest texture, that looked perfect to the eye, when placed
+under the microscope appeared rough, coarse, and uneven&mdash;rather like a
+common door-mat, in fact; but the wing of a fly, the hair of a mouse,
+the eye of an insect, the scale of a fish, the dust of a moth's wing,
+the leaf of a plant&mdash;anything made by God, and owing nothing to the hand
+of man&mdash;the more it was magnified, the more beauties you discovered.
+Examine by the microscope the humblest and most minute of God's
+creations, and you will always find beauty, order, and perfection.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+
+<h3>A SAD BIRTHDAY.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 54px;">
+<img src="images/illus_i.jpg" width="54" height="119" alt="" title="I" />
+</div>
+<p>T is Charlie's birthday: two years have passed away since the great
+going out to tea at Mrs. Greenwell's, and he is now fourteen years old.
+It is a very quiet and a very sad birthday for Charlie. His father is
+ill&mdash;his good, kind father. This illness had been coming on for the last
+six months. Many of his neighbours and fellow-workmen had noticed for
+some time that "John Heedman had a bad look," and would shake their
+heads and look significantly at each other as he passed by, with his
+slow gait, his stooping shoulders, and loud, hollow cough, now almost
+constant, and more painful than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> ever. Often when Charlie awoke in the
+night he would hear his father pacing the room, unable to rest, or even
+lie down. The first time he heard him, he thought "Father must be ill;
+he has gone downstairs," and springing out of bed, he crept lightly down
+to see what was the matter.</p>
+
+<p>The shutters were thrown open, and the blind pulled up to the top.
+Charlie saw it was a calm, still night, and that every part of the sky
+visible from the window was spangled with a countless multitude of
+brilliant stars. His father stood at the window&mdash;he was leaning slightly
+forward&mdash;with clasped hands, and gazing up with eager, questioning eyes.
+Charlie felt that he was praying, and crept softly back. He sat down at
+the foot of the stairs to wait, feeling cold and shivering, and with a
+strange fear at his heart. He had not sat many minutes when he heard his
+father moving; then he called softly at the door, "Are you ill, father?
+can I do anything for you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why, Charlie, how is this?" said his father, taking him by the hand and
+bringing him into the room.</p>
+
+<p>"I heard you down here, and I was afraid you were ill. Are you ill?"
+asked Charlie, anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Not altogether ill, perhaps, Charlie, and yet not well. My cough is
+very bad to-night, I can get no rest; when I lie down I feel as if I
+should be suffocated. But how cold you are, my boy! run away to bed," he
+said, trying to speak more cheerfully, "or we shall be having you laid
+up next."</p>
+
+<p>The cheerful tone did not deceive Charlie; he clung to him. "Father, you
+are worse than you say<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>&mdash;tell me all; do not treat me like a little
+child; I am nearly fourteen years old."</p>
+
+<p>His father stood for a moment undecided, then he sat down and drew
+Charlie to him and told him all; how he had felt lately that his cough
+was getting worse and worse, and his whole frame weaker; that he was
+afraid some disease of the lungs had taken a firm hold, and that he
+intended to take a rest the next week and see a doctor if he did not
+feel any better. "You must not think I am going to die at once," he
+said, feeling Charlie tremble; "even if I have disease of the lungs I
+may live a long while yet, if it is God's will. I want you to be a brave
+boy, and not let your mother see you going about grieving and looking
+sad, and adding to her sorrow, but do all you can to help and comfort
+her. If you love me, you will try to do this." Charlie promised to try,
+and after a few more words of comfort and encouragement John Heedman
+persuaded him to go to bed. "My dear boy," he said, "you know that your
+love is a great happiness to me, but you must not come down again if you
+hear me up in the night; it will make me unhappy if I think I keep you
+awake."</p>
+
+<p>After this, although Charlie often heard his father of a night, he never
+came down again; but he crept softly out of bed and knelt down and
+prayed for him. He asked God to grant&mdash;if it were His will&mdash;that his
+father might get better; if not, that He would help him to bear his
+pain, for Jesus Christ's sake. It was not at all a grand, well-worded
+prayer, but it was simple, earnest, and heartfelt&mdash;just the sort of
+prayer God loves to listen to.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>On the morning of Charlie's birthday, about a fortnight after that night
+he went down to his father, John Heedman was quite unable to go out to
+his work; he had been obliged to give up at last, and the doctor was
+called in. When Charlie was sent out of the room until the doctor's
+visit was over, he rushed out of the house, unable to bear the suspense,
+and wandering down to the beach, he lay down to think with his face
+hidden in his cap, as if to shut out the too joyous sunlight.</p>
+
+<p>As he listened to the low, mournful surging of the waves, all his past
+life seemed to rise up before him; he remembered with bitter
+self-reproach how ill he had repaid the love and kindness of those dear
+ones at home; how often he had caused his mother hours of anxiety by his
+carelessness and procrastination; for Charlie had not altogether
+succeeded in conquering his great fault; how selfish he had been in
+every way. He remembered with shame how he had begged and worried for
+things without caring or thinking whether they could afford it; he had
+denied himself nothing, and now all this expense of his father's illness
+was coming upon them. If they had not taken him to keep when he was
+friendless, they would have had plenty of money saved, and would have
+wanted for nothing.</p>
+
+<p>As Charlie thought of all this, he determined that he would be a burden
+to them no longer, he would try to earn some money; there were boys far
+younger than himself, he knew, at work, and if he only earned a small
+sum at first, it would help. Full of this determination he made his way
+home. The doctor was just leaving as he went in, and Charlie heard<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> from
+his mother that he held out no hope of his father's recovery; the
+disease had gone too far. He was on no account to go down the mine
+again, even if he fancied he felt strong enough; the impure air had
+already aggravated the disease. The doctor had said that if he took
+great care of himself he might, perhaps, be spared to them for some
+time.</p>
+
+<p>Charlie's heart was too full then to speak to his father; he went into
+his own room, shut the door, and stood for a moment as if uncertain what
+to do. "If only Mrs. Greenwell had been at home," he thought, "I could
+have told her all about it, and she would have advised me."</p>
+
+<p>"Tell it to God, He is always to be found, and can help as well as
+advise," something within him seemed to whisper. He listened to the
+voice, and kneeling down, poured out all his trouble, and sorrow, and
+anxiety, asking God to help him for Jesus Christ's sake. He then got up,
+bathed his face in cold water, for his eyes were swollen with tears, and
+started off to the chemist's with the doctor's prescription that his
+mother gave him.</p>
+
+<p>"Wait for the medicine," she said, "and bring it home with you."</p>
+
+<p>He was waiting in the shop until it was ready, and turning over all
+sorts of plans for the future in his mind, when one of Mrs. Greenwell's
+servants came in. "Is that you, Charlie Scott?" she exclaimed. "Master
+Harry was just inquiring after you, if you had been at the house
+lately."</p>
+
+<p>"How long have they been at home?" he asked in surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"About two hours; they came this morning."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Charlie picked up the medicine that the chemist had placed before him,
+and set off home as hard as he could run.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm just going to Mrs. Greenwell's, mother dear," he said, giving it in
+at the door; "I'll soon be back."</p>
+
+<p>Harry Greenwell saw in a moment by Charlie's face that he was in
+trouble, and asked anxiously what was the matter. He liked Charlie, and
+from the first they had been as close friends as the difference in their
+station and education would allow. Charlie always went to Mrs. Greenwell
+and "Master Harry" when he was in trouble; indeed, Mrs. Greenwell had
+succeeded in making all the boys who went to her Bible class feel that
+she was their <i>friend</i>, and interested in all concerning them; and many
+of them were thankful for her advice and kind, encouraging words, when
+they were in trouble or anxiety.</p>
+
+<p>Charlie told them of his father's illness, of his own selfishness, his
+repentance, his self-reproach, and his anxiety to do something to help
+at home.</p>
+
+<p>"My dear boy," said Mrs. Greenwell, "I am so glad you have come to me;
+but I trust you have already laid all this before your great Friend and
+Father in heaven."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh yes, ma'am," answered Charlie; "but I feel so ashamed of having so
+often to ask God to forgive me; I feel almost afraid that He will be
+tired of me, and refuse to listen."</p>
+
+<p>"We might be afraid of that," said Mrs. Greenwell, "if we asked
+forgiveness in our own unworthy names&mdash;if the Saviour had never died for
+us. But<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> as you know, He came into the world to save sinners. He gave
+Himself for our sins. 'He was wounded for our transgressions: He was
+bruised for our iniquities, and with His stripes we are healed.' 'The
+blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.' He has said,
+'Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you;'
+and if we doubt His word we are lost. If we repent, and are sincerely
+sorry for our sin, and ask God to forgive us, for Jesus Christ's sake,
+He will do so, no matter how often we go to Him. It is Satan who tries
+to put hard thoughts of God into our hearts. And now, in your trouble,
+Charlie, you do not know how the Saviour loves you and sympathizes with
+you. He knows what it is to suffer. He is waiting at the door of your
+heart, longing to come in and help and comfort you. He says, 'Behold, I
+stand at the door and knock;' do not refuse Him entrance, Charlie."</p>
+
+<p>Tears stood in Charlie's eyes when Mrs. Greenwell finished speaking,
+tears of thankfulness for such a Saviour, and of gratitude to Mrs.
+Greenwell.</p>
+
+<p>When they began to talk of what Charlie could do to help at home, and
+earn some money, Harry asked him what he would like to do best.</p>
+
+<p>"I should best like to be amongst engines, and machines, and those
+things," said Charlie. "Father meant me to be an engineer&mdash;a working
+engineer, if all had gone on well; he meant to apprentice me. But, of
+course, that is all over now," he said, with a sigh; "it would be so
+long before I could earn anything like good wages."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Greenwell, turning over all sorts of plans in
+her mind. "You see," she went<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> on, "errand boys get so little, and
+tradesmen will not give wages to inexperienced boys for shop work, when
+they can get apprentices. Haven't you thought of anything yourself?" she
+asked, after a pause.</p>
+
+<p>"There's the pit," answered Charlie, with a sigh; "I could get six
+shillings a week, as trapper, directly. Joe Denton gets more than double
+that now."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Charlie!" exclaimed Harry, "surely you will not have to go down
+those terrible mines?"</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Greenwell reminded Harry that was not the way to help Charlie. "I
+know he will feel it hard at first if he goes; but still I am sure he is
+a brave boy and will not shrink from it, if he feels it to be his duty.
+You would not have him idling about at home, thinking only of his own
+comfort, and picking and choosing his work, when his father, who has
+done so much for him, is suffering from a lingering illness, and wanting
+so many little comforts that cannot be bought without money?"</p>
+
+<p>After a good deal of thought, Mrs. Greenwell said, "I believe, Charlie,
+it is the only thing for you. It will be a great trial to you, I know,
+to give up all your dreams about engines and machines, and being a
+clever man, and getting rich, and having instead to go down into a dark,
+dreary coal-pit day after day, to a life of hard toil; but it appears,
+as far as we can see, to be God's will and your duty. You remember those
+words of our Saviour,&mdash;'If any will come after Me, let him deny himself,
+and take up his cross and follow Me.' We have all a cross of some kind
+to bear, and this is your cross, Charlie; take it up patiently, bravely,
+and willingly. He will not give you more than you can bear. Trust<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> Him.
+There is no doubt some great blessing is in store for you, if you do not
+shrink from this trial of your faith."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie had two or three very busy days before Saturday night came. As
+soon as he had decided to go down the mine, he went to a fellow-workman
+of his father's, Hudson Brownlee, and asked him if he would let him go
+down with him the first time. Brownlee was a kind-hearted man, and took
+an interest in Charlie. He promised to see about his work for him, and
+call on Monday morning at ten o'clock. Charlie kept it quite a secret
+from his father and mother until Saturday night, then, putting on some
+of his oldest clothes that he had routed out ready for Monday, and
+taking his father's lamp in his hand, that he used in the mine, he
+walked into the room where they were, made a bow, twisted himself round
+in front of them, and with a cheery face and merry tone said, "Do I look
+like work, father? shall I do?" At first they looked at him in
+amazement, but gradually his meaning came upon them.</p>
+
+<p>"My dear boy," said Mrs. Heedman, laying down her knitting, "what do you
+mean?"</p>
+
+<p>"I mean this," said he, putting down his lamp, and taking each of their
+hands in his, "I am not going to be an idle, selfish fellow any longer.
+It's all settled and done. I am going down the pit on Monday, with
+Hudson Brownlee, and I shall have six shillings to bring home on
+Saturday night; think of that, mother, and I shall soon get twice as
+much. Father shall want for nothing."</p>
+
+<p>Tears of love and pleasure stood in John Heed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>man's eyes, for he knew
+what it must have cost Charlie to make up his mind to it. "You know how
+happy it makes your mother and myself to hear you speak so bravely and
+gratefully," he said; "but are you quite sure, Charlie, that you have
+counted the cost? Take another week to think of it; thank God, we are
+not likely to want for some time, there is a little store put by.
+Remember it is a hard and dreary life to a young ambitious spirit; think
+it over again."</p>
+
+<p>"I have thought of it, father, ever since the doctor came to see you on
+Tuesday; it is quite settled. Mrs. Greenwell and Master Harry both seem
+to think it is my duty. They say I can serve God the same, and I shall
+be just as dear to Him as if I was ever such a rich engineer; and no
+honest work is a disgrace."</p>
+
+<p>"That is true," his father began; he was going to say something else,
+but Charlie seemed anxious to finish his say.</p>
+
+<p>"Master Harry says, father, I must think of what I have been taught, and
+try to do my duty in that state of life to which it has pleased God to
+call me. He says if I am obliged to work with my hands, I can work with
+my head too. Master Harry has offered to give me lessons in the morning
+before I go to work, and he will lend me books to read, and I shall have
+that to think about whilst I am down the pit. It won't seem half so
+dreary when I have busy, pleasant thoughts. And, father, Mrs. Greenwell
+says I have had such good training at home, and been able to get to
+Sunday school and Bible class so regularly, that I ought to be quite a
+missionary<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> amongst the boys I shall meet, who have not had such
+opportunities."</p>
+
+<p>Application was made for him to be engaged at the pit, and it was agreed
+that Charlie should begin his new duties on Monday.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>DOWN THE MINE.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 100px;">
+<img src="images/illus_a.jpg" width="100" height="129" alt="" title="A" />
+</div>
+<p>LL boys and girls know the pleasure of drawing up to a nice, bright,
+sparkling fire on a cold winter night. They give little shivers of
+comfort, and say, "What ever should we do without a good fire, such
+weather as this?" But we dare say very few give a thankful thought to
+the miner, whose hard toil has procured this comfort for them.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps some who read this do not live in a mining country, and have not
+read or heard much about coal mines. If so, we think they will like to
+follow Charlie as he goes to his work on Monday morning. Hudson Brownlee
+called, as he promised, but we are sorry to say Charlie kept him waiting
+full five minutes whilst he searched for a comforter. His mother had
+told him to get it ready on Saturday night, but he put off until Monday
+morning, then he put off until he got back from Harry Greenwell's. Harry
+kept him longer than he expected, and he came tearing along just as
+Hudson Brownlee reached the door; then the comforter had to be found.
+At<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> last they started. When Charlie stood near the great, dark, gaping
+mouth of the pit, and remembered that he had to go down there, he
+certainly felt as he afterwards described it, "very queer"&mdash;not afraid,
+oh no, but queer.</p>
+
+<p>The cage, as it is called, had just been let down, with its number of
+sixteen men; when it came up again, Hudson Brownlee, Charlie, and some
+other men and boys got in. If Charlie felt "queer" before, he felt still
+"queerer" now, and when the cage began to descend, he felt almost sick
+with the motion; it seemed to him as if they were never going to reach
+the bottom. Down, down, down they went; the clatter of the engine above,
+and the creaking of the cage, making Charlie fancy every now and then
+that the rope was giving way, and that in another second they would all
+be dashed to atoms. Whenever he looked up, and remembered that all their
+weight was bearing upon that rope, he screwed himself up into the
+smallest possible compass, as if that would make him lighter. He could
+scarcely see anything at first, the change from broad daylight to the
+glimmering light of the lamps that the men carried was so great.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you all right, my boy?" said Brownlee's cheery voice; "keep up your
+heart, we shall soon be out of this. He's a new hand," he said, turning
+to the others.</p>
+
+<p>"Who is it?" they asked.</p>
+
+<p>"Why," said Brownlee, lowering his voice, "it's that young one that John
+Heedman took to keep; his father was drowned, you'll remember&mdash;Scott,
+the pilot."</p>
+
+<p>On hearing this most of them were silent, but one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> boy thrust his lamp
+forward, and stared rudely in Charlie's face.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, if it isn't that Miss Nancy fellow, Scott!" he exclaimed, in
+either real or pretended astonishment. "But it can't be," he went on, in
+a mocking tone, "and yet it is; why, how ever has it happened that such
+a nice, good boy, the ladies' pet, has come down amongst us roughs? I
+thought he was going to be made a gentleman of&mdash;dear, dear! and he
+hasn't got his white collar on; and his mother isn't with him."</p>
+
+<p>"Come, hold that saucy tongue of yours, White Bob," said Brownlee, in an
+angry tone, "or it will be worse for you."</p>
+
+<p>The boy's proper name was Bob White. He was a tall, thin,
+singular-looking lad, about fifteen years old, with a pale face. When he
+first went to work in the mine some of the boys called him White Bob, in
+nonsense, and the name had stuck to him.</p>
+
+<p>He was certainly silent after Brownlee spoke to him, but he kept
+throwing back his head, lifting up his hands, turning up his eyes, and
+expressing his mock astonishment in so many odd ways, that the rest of
+the boys, although they bore no ill-will to Charlie, were convulsed with
+laughter. As for Charlie himself, he was in a great passion; it was
+fortunate that just at this moment the cage reached the bottom, and in
+the general scramble to get out he lost sight of Bob.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, my boy, keep close to me," said Brownlee, "never mind those
+fellows: keep your temper, and they'll soon tire of it. Now look about
+you; you are many hundred feet under ground." It was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> strange scene to
+Charlie. Look where you would, nothing but black met the eye&mdash;black
+walls, black floor, groups of black men standing about&mdash;every one and
+every thing was covered with the bright coal dust that glittered and
+sparkled in the rays of the lamps, like black diamonds.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said Brownlee, "we must get to work. I'll take you to your place,
+as it is in my way;" and they turned up a sort of road or gallery that
+had been cut out of the slate and coal. On each side of this branched,
+right and left, other roads or galleries that had been formed by the
+taking away of the coal; from these again branched other roads, and so
+on, that you might walk for miles under ground, in and out of the
+workings of the mine. As the coal is hewn away the roof is supported by
+props of wood. In some places it was so low that Brownlee had to walk
+stooping. Of course Charlie did not find all this out at first, for they
+only had the light given by their lamps to guide them and relieve the
+intense darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"What is that?" asked Charlie, as a little spark of light like a
+glowworm appeared in the distance, and a low rumbling noise met their
+ears.</p>
+
+<p>"You'll see in a minute," said Brownlee, smiling at Charlie's wonder.</p>
+
+<p>The light came gradually nearer and nearer, and then Charlie saw it was
+a lamp carried by a boy who had charge of a little pony and some coal
+tubs&mdash;sort of square tubs on wheels. Brownlee told him that the boys who
+had that work were called putters; they were occupied in taking empty
+tubs to the men who hewed the coal, and in bringing away the full<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> tubs,
+and that they earned good wages: they had a shilling a score for the
+tubs they removed.</p>
+
+<p>"I should think the poor ponies have a hard life of it," said Charlie.
+"Do they take the tubs right away to the mouth of the pit?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, they only go so far, then the engine pulls them to the shaft, and
+they are drawn up to bank, to be emptied and sent down again."</p>
+
+<p>"We seem to have come a long way," said Charlie.</p>
+
+<p>"About a mile," answered Brownlee; "but we've worked a deal further out
+that way," pointing to the left. "We're either under the sea or close at
+the edge, out there."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie gave a little shudder. "Where is my work, please?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, we've passed your place; the door we came through last is the one
+you have to take care of. I'm just taking you round a bit, as you're new
+to it. Mind your head," he called, as they turned up a low gallery to
+the right, and they both went along stooping. "Stop there," said
+Brownlee, creeping along by himself a little further, and sitting on his
+heels opposite a wall of bright coal. "There," he said, "how would you
+like to sit cramped up like this for six hours, hewing coal, and hearing
+the stone above you crack like a gun, and move about as you work,
+expecting every moment you'll have to run for your life&mdash;that is, if you
+have the chance? I had a narrow escape last winter," he said, as he
+joined Charlie again; "two of us were working together, and all of a
+sudden there was an awful crack, like a cannon going off. It was who
+could scramble up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> and run quickest, I can tell you. It was my luck to
+be last, and down came a tremendous piece; the end of it just dropped on
+my foot as I was running, and it held me as fast as if a mountain had
+been on the top of me, although I was free all but my foot. None of them
+durst venture to me for a good bit, for there was an awful noise going
+on round me, and there I laid as fast as could be, expecting every
+moment would be my last."</p>
+
+<p>"What dangerous work!" exclaimed Charlie. "I should think nobody durst
+do it if they didn't know they had God to protect them and take care of
+them."</p>
+
+<p>"I'll see you to your work now," said Brownlee, turning the subject.
+"Here we are," he said; "do you see this seat behind the door? then all
+you've got to do is to sit here and pull that rope that opens the door
+when the putters or any of the men want to come through. The boys stay
+down twelve hours, but I'll see you again before I go up. It'll be
+lonely for you at first," he said, kindly.</p>
+
+<p>"Rather," said Charlie; "but I must remember that I am not alone."</p>
+
+<p>Brownlee looked at him inquiringly.</p>
+
+<p>"I mean, you know, that we are <i>never</i> alone; that He is always with
+us," said Charlie, simply, with an upward glance and movement of the
+head.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, aye," said Brownlee, hesitatingly, and moving off, as if he felt it
+was a subject he could not say much upon.</p>
+
+<p>It was strange how that thought clung to the miner&mdash;not alone; not
+alone! It haunted him, and often as he worked he glanced uneasily over
+his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> shoulder into the darkness beyond, with a sort of feeling that he
+was being watched&mdash;that there was a presence, an invisible something or
+some one hovering near, and listening to his very thoughts.</p>
+
+<p>It was quite a relief when a putter or any one came near that he could
+speak to. Hudson Brownlee had known perfectly well ever since he was a
+child that "God is everywhere," but he had never thought about it; he
+was <i>realizing</i> His presence for the first time, and it made him nervous
+to feel that he was alone with God, who was powerful, and whom he had
+neglected.</p>
+
+<p>We must now go back to Charlie. His duty, if it was dull and lonely, was
+simple and easily attended to. He had opened the door for a great many
+boys and men, but he had not seen anything more of Bob White. Charlie
+remembered he was an old enemy, and had often waylaid himself and the
+other boys on their way to Mrs. Greenwell's class, and ridiculed them.
+His saucy, mocking tongue made him the terror of most of the boys in the
+mine. He had had the run of London streets for ten years, before his
+mother removed into the north, and was more than a match for most of the
+north country boys in a battle of words.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2>
+
+<h3>NOT ALONE.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 93px;">
+<img src="images/illus_c.jpg" width="93" height="124" alt="" title="C" />
+</div>
+<p>HARLIE'S morning had passed away pretty well, and he began to think it
+must be dinner time; at any rate he felt hungry, so he sat down and
+looked to see what his mother had packed up for his dinner. There was a
+nice little beefsteak pie, just about as much as he could eat, and two
+or three of his favourite little round cakes to finish with; so Charlie
+in high glee, spread the cloth they were wrapped in over his knees, said
+grace, asked himself very politely if he would take a little pie, said
+thank you, and took the dish. He had eaten about half of it, and was
+enjoying himself very much when who should he see coming along but Bob
+White. What should he do? Should he try to wrap his dinner up and put it
+out of sight, or go on eating? but before he could decide, Bob was upon
+him.</p>
+
+<p>"Why," exclaimed Bob, pretending to start with surprise, "if here isn't
+the ladies' pet! and getting his dinner too," said Bob, stooping down to
+look curiously in the dish that was on Charlie's knee.</p>
+
+<p>"Pie," he remarked, "and very good it looks; what else? Oh, cakes! well,
+I'm in luck's way to-day, I am," breaking a piece off one and putting it
+in his mouth. "What's in the can?" he asked, pointing to it with his
+foot.</p>
+
+<p>"Water," answered Charlie, trying hard to keep his temper.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you're a one to know manners," said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> Bob, "never to offer one a
+place to sit down on&mdash;move along. I'll hold the dish;" and suiting the
+action to the word, he snatched it up, and before Charlie had recovered
+himself, the rest of the pie was half eaten.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 434px;">
+<img src="images/illus_062.jpg" width="434" height="600" alt="CHARLIE AND THE PIE." title="" />
+<span class="caption">CHARLIE AND THE PIE.</span>
+</div>
+
+
+<p>"Give me that dish," said Charlie, trembling with passion.</p>
+
+<p>Bob paused, and put on an injured countenance. "Can't you wait until
+I've finished? shouting out for the dish like that."</p>
+
+<p>Unseen by them both a gentleman was standing in the shade, watching the
+whole affair, and just as Charlie was rushing upon Bob like a little
+whirlwind, he stood out in front of them in the lamplight. Bob dropped
+the dish in his fright, and stood with his hands hanging down and his
+mouth open, staring in dismay at Mr. Carlton, the viewer.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Carlton took out his note-book, and turning to one of the pages,
+quietly said, "This is the third time, White, that I have found you
+quarrelling with and tantalizing boys younger than yourself, and
+neglecting your work. Now this shall be the last time; you leave on
+Saturday night."</p>
+
+<p>All the impudence had faded out of Bob's face. "Oh, sir," he begged,
+clasping his hands in his earnestness, "please look over it this once.
+What shall I do if you turn me off? I dare not tell my mother; you know,
+sir, that she is ill, and what I earn is all we have. I deserve it
+perhaps, sir, but she doesn't&mdash;just this once!" he pleaded.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Carlton felt some one touch his sleeve; it was Charlie. "I beg your
+pardon, sir," said Charlie, in a low tone, "but will you please forgive
+him this time?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Mr. Carlton looked at him with surprise. "Are you begging for him? have
+you forgiven him?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," answered Charlie. "I am very sorry I lost my temper so. I
+have been well taught, and perhaps he hasn't."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Carlton considered for a moment.</p>
+
+<p>Bob could not hear what Charlie was saying, but he fancied from his
+manner that he was telling his wrongs, and a sullen, angry expression
+spread over his face.</p>
+
+<p>"Come here, White," said Mr. Carlton. "I have consented to look over
+your bad conduct once more; but remember you owe it to this boy,"
+putting his hand on Charlie's shoulder; "he has pleaded for you; he has
+returned you good for evil: see that you are not ungrateful." He then
+left them, after asking Charlie his name.</p>
+
+<p>Bob stood still, feeling and looking very awkward. Charlie went up to
+him, and held out his hand. "You'll shake hands and be friends, Bob,
+won't you?"</p>
+
+<p>Bob shook hands shyly, and turned away to his work without speaking; but
+Charlie fancied he saw tears in his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after it was time for the men to leave. They came pouring out in
+all directions from the workings of the mine, and Charlie was kept busy.
+Hudson Brownlee came nearly last.</p>
+
+<p>"How do you get on?" he asked kindly.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, pretty well; I'm getting more used to it already."</p>
+
+<p>"Good-bye," said Brownlee, taking a step for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>ward, and then standing
+still. "What was it you were saying about not being alone?" putting on a
+careless, off-hand tone.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," said Charlie, "I meant I should not feel lonely or afraid, because
+I knew God was with me. I remember father reading out of the Bible,
+'Fear not, for I am with thee;' and I know it is true, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"No," said Brownlee, thoughtfully, "I can't say that I do."</p>
+
+<p>"If I had my Bible here, I think I could find the words directly."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah," said Brownlee, "that's a book I don't know much about. You see I'm
+no scholar. I was careless about learning when I was young, and what
+little I did know I have almost forgot. It takes me such a while to
+spell out the words that I lose the meaning."</p>
+
+<p>"What a pity!" exclaimed Charlie, "You see it's almost impossible to get
+on right at all without the Bible, because God tells us in it what we
+are to do, and what we're not to do," he went on impetuously. "I was
+just thinking, as we came along down here with our lamps, about that
+text, 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.' If we
+had not had lamps we should have been groping about in the dark,
+stumbling over things, knocking up against the props, hurting ourselves,
+and losing our way; but our lamps showed us the right path, and how to
+keep out of danger. And we should go groping and stumbling through the
+world in darkness, too, falling into all sorts of sin and temptation,
+hurting our souls, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> losing ourselves altogether, if we had not the
+light of God's word to guide us."</p>
+
+<p>"Where do you get all your learning from? you seem to know a deal for a
+boy," said Brownlee.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, father reads these things from the good book every day. I dare say
+he feels them comforting to himself when he's in the pit. Besides, I've
+been to a Sunday school."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, they are true," said Brownlee, thoughtfully; he held up his lamp
+and looked at it. "For twenty years this has been the only sort of lamp
+I've troubled myself about, but please God, if it's not too late&mdash;&mdash;"
+Charlie could not hear the rest, for he waved his hand and followed the
+other men.</p>
+
+<p>At the end of the twelve hours Charlie was preparing to follow some men
+and boys to the shaft, when Bob White made his appearance. "It's rather
+queer," said Bob, shyly, "finding your way about here; will you go up
+with me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you," said Charlie heartily, setting off with him, and talking
+away as freely as he could to put Bob at his ease.</p>
+
+<p>You may be sure Charlie was very glad to get home and rest after he had
+told his father and mother what he had seen and done. So ended his first
+day down the mine.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2>
+
+<h3>A NEW FRIEND.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 100px;">
+<img src="images/illus_a.jpg" width="100" height="129" alt="" title="A" />
+</div>
+<p>FTER the conversation with Brownlee about the Bible, Charlie took his
+pocket Bible down the mine regularly; his father wished him to read a
+little every day at his dinner-time. He was one of those people who
+never like to waste a minute, and in his dinner-time he managed
+generally to have something to read that was worth reading. Bob was
+really grateful to Charlie for interfering in his behalf, and lost no
+opportunity of showing it. It was astonishing how he improved: so much
+good in him that had been lying dormant was called out under Charlie's
+better influence. Sometimes he seemed half ashamed of his good
+behaviour, and would break out for a time into the old reckless way; but
+one night on their way home Charlie was talking in his own loving way
+about his dear father and mother, and their kindness to him; how his
+plans for being an engineer had been put aside by his father's illness;
+how he hoped soon to get more wages for their sakes, and so on, when in
+some unaccountable way Bob's whole nature seemed softened; and as if he
+could not help it, he poured out to Charlie his home troubles and all
+his old life; how he had fallen amongst bad companions, and grew up to
+be hardened and reckless, almost without even a wish to be better.
+Sometimes, when he saw Charlie and the other boys going to Mrs.
+Greenwell's class, looking so happy and clean and orderly,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> the wish
+that he was like them would creep into his heart; but he drove it away,
+and called after them with mocking words. All this and much more he told
+Charlie with tears streaming down his face, and his voice broken by
+sobs.</p>
+
+<p>It almost frightened Charlie to see mocking, reckless Bob give way so
+completely. He was just wondering what he had better say to him, when
+Bob bid him good-night abruptly, and turned off home.</p>
+
+<p>After that night Bob never again attempted to keep up his
+care-for-nothing-or-nobody tone before Charlie. He generally brought his
+dinner now to eat beside Charlie. The first time the Bible was brought
+out, when they had finished, which required a little courage at first,
+Bob got up and sauntered away; the second time he sat still and whistled
+popular song tunes in a subdued tone, while Charlie read to himself; the
+third time he sat quietly; the fourth day the Bible was brought out he
+shuffled about uneasily, and at last said, "You may as well read out if
+you must read; it's dull sitting here without anybody to speak to."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie gladly agreed. "Let us read in turns," he said.</p>
+
+<p>Bob did not object, for he read well, and was rather proud of it. After
+this the Bible reading was an established custom, and Bob got very much
+interested as he read the history of Joseph, Moses, and others. Hudson
+Brownlee, happening to pass one day, stopped to listen when he saw how
+they were occupied, and soon a third was added regularly to the little
+party. After a parable or any striking passage had been read they would
+each give their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> own idea of its meaning and teaching, spending much
+thought upon it in their eagerness to give it in the best and clearest
+way. Often during their work Hudson Brownlee, Bob, and Charlie too,
+would ponder over some passage they had heard or read, comparing the
+different opinions upon it, applying it, thinking it out, and turning it
+over in their mind, until some great truth would stand out from the
+rest, fixing itself immoveably in their hearts and understandings. And
+so this study of the Bible, begun without any real religious feeling (on
+Bob and Brownlee's part, at any rate), led them to higher things&mdash;to a
+knowledge of God's holiness, of their own sin and unworthiness, and
+their need of a Saviour.</p>
+
+<p>But this was a work of time, and we must now go back a little in our
+history.</p>
+
+<p>When Charlie had been two months down the mine as a trapper, he was
+advanced to a higher post and better wages as a putter. He might have
+had the increase of wages quite a month before, but he put off applying
+for the place until it was too late, and another boy had been appointed.
+Harry Greenwell lent him some elementary books on mechanics, for his old
+love for such things was as strong as ever, and now that he was putter
+he had many opportunities of examining the working of the engine
+stationed down the mine. Those were glorious days for Charlie when it
+was out of order, and the engineer had to come down; he would hover
+round him, holding the tools for the men, helping to lift or carry
+anything, glad of any excuse to be near. His questions were so sensible
+and thoughtful, and his suggestions sometimes, for a youth, so good,
+that the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> engineer became quite interested in him, and explained to him
+thoroughly the working of the engine, giving him really valuable
+teaching in mechanics; and this knowledge stood him in good stead, as
+you will hear.</p>
+
+<p>On coming down to his work one morning he was surprised to find his
+favourite, the engine, at a stand-still. A number of the miners were
+near it, all talking together, trying to account for the accident, and
+deploring the absence of the engineer, who was away for a day or two's
+holiday.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Carlton, the viewer, looked vexed and annoyed; he was asking the
+overman to send to a mine a few miles off for their engineer. Charlie
+made his way to the engine, and soon saw what was wrong. It was not
+much, and he felt sure that if he had the help of a pair of strong arms
+he could get it into working order.</p>
+
+<p>In his excitement he pushed his way to Mr. Carlton, and exclaimed, "I
+know what is wrong with her, sir; if you will just come and look, sir,
+I'll show you."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Carlton, surprised and amused, followed him, and Charlie, stooping
+down and pointing up, full of animation, explained so clearly and
+intelligently the nature of the misfortune, and how it might be
+remedied, that Mr. Carlton, no longer with the amused expression on his
+face, called to one of the men, "Come here, Shields, and help him."</p>
+
+<p>In an hour's time Charlie's pet was working away as hard as ever.</p>
+
+<p>"Well done, my boy," said Mr. Carlton; "tell me where you picked up all
+this knowledge."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The men were gone off to their work, and Mr. Carlton soon drew all
+Charlie's little history from him. He made no remark, excepting that
+when Charlie made his polite bow and turned off to his work, he asked
+him where his father lived.</p>
+
+<p>In the evening, when Charlie got home, he thought his father and mother
+looked very smiling and mysterious, and after they had kept him guessing
+what was the cause for a little while, they told him that Mr. Carlton
+had been there; he thought they would like to hear of Charlie's success
+with the engine. "And here's good news for you," said his mother. "Mr.
+Carlton says that if you like to work as a putter six hours a day you
+may help the engineer, and learn all you can, the other six, and he will
+give you the same wages as you earn now."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie threw himself into a chair, and sat quite still for a few
+moments. "Isn't it wonderful, mother?" he said at last&mdash;"isn't it
+wonderful? When I went down the pit there seemed no chance of my ever
+doing anything else all my life. The <i>other</i> seemed impossible; and yet
+how God has brought it all about! I shall be an engineer after all, and
+I have good wages too to begin with. If I hadn't given up all thoughts
+of it, and gone quietly down the pit because God made me feel it was my
+duty, I should have lost all this. I hope I shall never doubt Him after
+this. Won't it be capital, father?" he went on, getting excited. "When I
+get plenty of money you shall have such a beautiful garden and
+greenhouse! I think you're feeling better for the rest already, are you
+not?"</p>
+
+<p>John Heedman could not bear to damp Charlie's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> happiness, so he turned
+off the question by saying, "Mr. Roberts, the clergyman, was here
+to-day. I told him about Brownlee and Bob White; he was very pleased to
+hear about you all meeting for Bible reading, and he is going to look
+out for them, and get them to a Bible class he has every week, and to
+the house of God."</p>
+
+<p>The only drawback to Charlie's happiness now was the increasing illness
+of his father. Sanguine and hopeful as he was, he could not blind
+himself to the fact that every day his father got weaker and weaker.</p>
+
+<p>A visit to John Heedman was a lesson in Christianity to any one,&mdash;his
+wonderful patience under suffering, his perfect trust in the Saviour,
+his quiet waiting for the end&mdash;happy to go, yet happy to stay and suffer
+so long as it pleased God.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2>
+
+<h3>SORROW, HUMILIATION, AND REPENTANCE.</h3>
+
+<div class="figleft" style="width: 129px;">
+<img src="images/illus_w.jpg" width="129" height="117" alt="" title="W" />
+</div>
+<p>E are quite sure that you have been very glad to read of the progress
+which Charlie has made since we first met him on the pier a little
+sunburnt boy only eight years old. You have seen what good, kind friends
+he met with; how well he was trained; how nobly he came out when his
+father was ill in denying himself and going down the mine, and how he
+was rewarded; and you have seen, too, how he tried to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> do something for
+God in helping Brownlee and Bob White; and yet we are so sorry to have
+to tell you that all this time his old habit of putting off was still
+growing up with him, and latterly a good deal of self-righteousness had
+crept into his heart. Unconsciously he began to have a very high opinion
+of himself, and would often think with pride how different he was from
+many boys that he knew.</p>
+
+<p>Unfortunately he seemed to have no idea how completely he was in the
+power of his old enemy, procrastination. It would have made our story
+much too long if we had told you every instance in which he gave way to
+it, but we think you will see that this habit of putting off was his
+besetting sin, the one flaw in his character. The ship was sailing
+pleasantly along, with decks clean swept, with colours flying, and all
+looking well and prosperous; but there was a leak, one little
+treacherous leak, which, if it remained unnoticed and unstopped, would
+soon bring confusion and destruction upon the ship, gay and gallant
+though she looked.</p>
+
+<p>We may often be deceived in ourselves, and think that we are going on
+well, but God cannot be deceived. He sees us as we really are, not as we
+appear to ourselves and to others. He is training each one of us, and He
+saw in Charlie's case that a fiery trial was needed to burn out of him
+that besetting sin that had been so long indulged. Just as gold is
+purified by being passed through a fiery furnace, so our hearts need to
+be purified sometimes by great sorrows, by fiery trials; and so it was
+that Charlie had to suffer a most bitter, a most sad and humiliating
+fall.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Eleven months had passed since John Heedman first called in the doctor;
+he had lingered so long, but now the end was very near. He would not
+hear of Charlie staying away from his work, although Mr. Carlton had
+kindly offered to let him have a few days at home.</p>
+
+<p>One evening when Charlie came in from work his mother gave him a letter.
+"You had better go straight to the post with it," she said, afraid that
+he would put off. "Your father is very anxious it should go by
+to-night's post. Now, Charlie, <i>do</i> take care," she said, anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>Charlie's good opinion of himself&mdash;his pride&mdash;was touched.</p>
+
+<p>"I wish, mother, you wouldn't talk to me as if you thought I didn't know
+what I was about," he said, in an angry tone, slamming the door after
+him as he went out. He had not gone far when he met Bob White, who was
+going with a note from the clergyman to get some books out of the
+library. "Come with me," said Bob, "and we'll have a look through the
+books."</p>
+
+<p>"I've got to go to the post office," said Charlie, "but there's time
+enough yet; I'll go with you." He argued with himself, "What's the use
+of putting the letter in ever so long before post-time if it won't go a
+bit the quicker." He was in an irritable humour, angry to think that
+<i>he</i> should have been doubted. If he had been like Tom Brown, or Joe
+Denton, or any of those careless fellows, it would have been a different
+thing.</p>
+
+<p>Arrived at the library, both the boys were soon interested in looking
+over the books, and the time<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> flew rapidly. "I'll just glance at these,"
+thought Charlie, taking out two more with very attractive titles, "and
+then I must be off to the post."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie took up a third, determined that it <i>should</i> be the last, when
+Bob said, "I think you had better inquire how the time goes."</p>
+
+<p>"It's nothing like time for the post to close yet, is it, sir?" he asked
+of the librarian.</p>
+
+<p>"It only wants three minutes to the time; it is not possible for you to
+save it, I am afraid."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie dashed down the broad steps and along the streets as hard as he
+could run; but he was too late, the post had just gone, and he was
+obliged to drop the letter into the empty box. He walked slowly home,
+out of breath and out of temper, hoping no questions would be asked. "I
+don't see why I should say it was too late unless I'm asked," he argued,
+shrinking from confessing to his mother that she was justified in
+doubting him. Nothing was said about the letter that night; his father
+was much worse, and everything else was forgotten. Charlie was almost
+heartbroken to see him so ill, and miserable at the thought that he was
+deceiving him about the letter.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning, as he was leaving the room to go out to his work, his
+father called him back. "Charlie," he said, "I am expecting a sister of
+mine to-night, and I want you to go to the train and meet her; she would
+get the letter you posted last night this morning, and will have time to
+get here by the half-past eight train to-night." He paused for a moment.
+Why did not Charlie undeceive him about the letter <i>at once</i>? He made
+up<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> his mind to tell him, but put it off until his father had finished
+all he had to say.</p>
+
+<p>"I have not seen my sister for years," said John Heedman; "she is the
+only relative I have living, but some misunderstanding rose up between
+us after my mother's death&mdash;at least, she took offence, and I do not
+know the reason even now. I wrote several times, but she did not answer.
+That letter you posted last night was to her; she will come, I know,
+when she hears that I am so near death. There must be something to
+explain away, and I am anxious for a reconciliation before I die;
+indeed, it is the only earthly wish I have left." He said this so
+earnestly, and with such an anxious, longing expression in his eyes,
+that Charlie was obliged to turn away; he could not bear it.</p>
+
+<p>How <i>could</i> he tell him that she had not got the letter? If only he had
+confessed his neglect the same night, before he knew the contents of the
+letter, it would not have been half so bad.</p>
+
+<p>"You had better go now, my boy," said his father, kindly, "or you'll be
+late at work."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie went. I need not tell you that he had a miserable day.</p>
+
+<p>At night his father called him into his room and gave him as careful a
+description of his sister as he could to guide him in knowing her.
+Charlie dressed and went to the station, and walked up and down the
+platform until the train came in, gazed at the people, and walked home
+again. It seemed as if he could not help it; instead of recovering
+himself after the first false step, he had gone on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> sinking deeper and
+deeper into sin and deception; he seemed powerless to help himself.</p>
+
+<p>"Hasn't she come?" exclaimed his mother, seeing he was alone. "Oh dear,
+what will your father do? he has been almost living upon the expectation
+of seeing her these last few hours; he has watched the door ever since
+you went out. I'm afraid the disappointment will throw him back sadly."</p>
+
+<p>Charlie could not trust himself to speak, but turned into the sick room.
+His father was propped up with pillows, and looked eagerly to the door
+when Charlie entered; he still waited in expectation until Mrs. Heedman
+came in and closed the door. "Where is she?" he asked; "where is Jane?"</p>
+
+<p>"She has not come," said Mrs. Heedman, gently; "perhaps to-morrow
+morning will bring her.&mdash;You posted that letter in time, Charlie?" she
+asked.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, mother," Charlie answered, in desperation, and in a very low
+voice.</p>
+
+<p>"It will be too late to-morrow," said John Heedman, sinking back on his
+pillows exhausted&mdash;"it will be too late." He lay so still for about an
+hour that Charlie thought he slept; after that he called Charlie to him,
+and wished him to sit up that night with his mother. He spoke very
+tenderly and lovingly, and told Charlie how happy his gratitude and love
+and obedience had made him, and how he thanked God that Charlie had
+never told him an untruth or deceived him, although he had still grave
+faults to overcome. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> spoke for some time, every word sending a pang
+to Charlie's heart, who knew how unworthy he was of his confidence and
+praise. He sobbed hysterically, but was unable to speak.</p>
+
+<p>What a night that was for Charlie, as he sat there with his mother hour
+after hour in the still and darkened room! His anguish and remorse
+became unbearable. How could he let his father die without undeceiving
+him and asking his forgiveness? He could not&mdash;he must not. Oh! if he had
+only spoken at first, when the first false step was taken, he would not
+have been led into all this sinful deceit, and that terrible lie would
+never have been told. Now it was such a difficult task&mdash;and yet he must
+do it. He glanced at the timepiece: when the hour-hand reached one he
+would tell him; he would think now what he had better say&mdash;how he should
+begin. How fast that hour seemed to fly! It was one o'clock, and he had
+nothing ready to say; he dare not begin; he would wait until two,
+perhaps his father would be awake then. Two o'clock came; his father
+still slept, looking so calm and peaceful&mdash;how could he disturb him to
+listen to his sad tale of sin and shame?</p>
+
+<p>Soon after his father awoke; he started up and looked anxiously round.
+Charlie and his mother felt instinctively that it was death. In his
+terror, Charlie sprang towards him. "Father, forgive me," he burst out,
+in an imploring tone. "I did <i>not</i> post the letter in time. I told a
+lie&mdash;forgive me&mdash;speak to me! pray forgive me!" A look of unutterable
+anguish passed over his father's face. Charlie<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> waited for an answer,
+but none came. His father was far away from him&mdash;he was at rest; he was
+in that home where sin and sorrow cannot come.</p>
+
+<p>It is useless attempting to describe Charlie's misery, it was so great.
+His father, who had so loved and trusted him, had at last died, with his
+hope in him crushed, his confidence in him broken. His father had died,
+listening to his confession of sin and deception, and without being able
+to judge whether his repentance was sincere. The confession came too
+late for his forgiveness or counsel.</p>
+
+<p>The thought of all this completely crushed Charlie. For hours he sat
+crouching on the floor in his own room, without a single comforting
+thought. He had not only deceived his father, he had offended God. He
+sat in his misery, feeling careless whether he lived or died. No tears
+came, but his heart throbbed with a dull, aching pain that was
+unbearable.</p>
+
+<p>It was a bitter, bitter lesson to Charlie, but it did its work; it led
+him to think and pray more earnestly, and to watch; and by degrees the
+darling sin that had been so long indulged was crushed and rooted out.</p>
+
+<p>You will be glad to know that he grew up to manhood, admired and
+respected by those who knew him not only for his talent as an engineer,
+but for his upright Christian character. One thing he was noted for,
+that was punctuality. "No fear of Scott being behind time or putting
+off," would often be said of him.</p>
+
+<p>His good mother lived many years to see and share his happiness; and
+Harry Greenwell, who had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> always insisted that Charlie would come out
+well in the end, was delighted to see his prophecy fulfilled.</p>
+
+<p>Yet, in the midst of his prosperity, how often Charlie's thoughts went
+back to that sad, sad time! all the old feelings of pain and regret
+would come back at the remembrance of his sin, and that look of anguish
+on his father's face, that could never be forgotten. Yet, although these
+thoughts left him saddened for a while, they also left him full of
+thankfulness to the Saviour, whose blood cleanseth from all sin, and
+grateful to the all-wise and merciful God, who had sent the trial to him
+in kindness and love. He saw clearly that if he had only humbly watched
+<i>at first</i>, that bitter day would have been spared.<br /><br /></p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;">
+<img src="images/illus_081.jpg" width="250" height="159" alt="" title="decoration" />
+</div>
+
+
+<div class="trans-note">
+<p class="center">Transcriber's note:</p>
+
+<p>There was no Table of Contents in the original, one has been added in this etext.
+</p>
+      </div>
+
+
+<p class="center">J. AND W. RIDER, PRINTERS, LONDON.</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Charlie Scott, by Unknown
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHARLIE SCOTT ***
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+</body>
+</html>
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@@ -0,0 +1,2561 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Charlie Scott, by Unknown
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Charlie Scott
+       or, There's Time Enough
+
+Author: Unknown
+
+Release Date: May 10, 2008 [EBook #25415]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHARLIE SCOTT ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was made using scans of public domain works in the
+International Children's Digital Library.)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+CHARLIE SCOTT;
+
+OR,
+
+THERE'S TIME ENOUGH.
+
+
+THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY,
+
+56, PATERNOSTER ROW; 65, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, AND 164, PICCADILLY.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+[Illustration: CHARLIE RESCUED.]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+A SHIP AT LAST.
+
+
+"This has been a hard month for me," thought Morley Scott, the pilot, as
+he stood shading his eyes from the sun, and gazing anxiously out at sea.
+He hoped to have caught a glimpse of ships in the distance, for the
+winds had been very contrary lately. Many ships had been obliged to pass
+by the harbour, unable to get in, and the pilots had found very little
+to do.
+
+"That looks well," he thought, brightening up, as he saw a busy little
+steam-tug puffing along with a ship in tow; he knew a pilot would soon
+be wanted to bring it safely into the docks. He had not stood many
+minutes, trying to make out the ship, when he heard his name called, and
+turning round, he saw a boy running towards him.
+
+"Here's the _Refuge_ at last, Morley Scott," said the boy; "they want
+you on board directly, because they are coming in to-night."
+
+Morley Scott put his hand in his pocket, and gave the lad the customary
+sixpence for his good tidings. "It's almost the last," he said with a
+smile, pointing to the sixpence; "but still the news is cheap at that."
+
+"I should think it is," said the boy, as he ran off laughing.
+
+Morley Scott walked quickly along the pier until he came up to a row of
+boys, who were sitting on the edge of the wall, fishing. He stood for a
+moment to watch them with an expression of amusement in his good-natured
+face. They sat perfectly still, afraid to speak or move, and scarcely
+daring to breathe, lest they should frighten away the fish; each boy
+watching his own and his neighbour's line with feverish anxiety.
+Suddenly one little fellow, in a state of great excitement, began
+tugging at his line.
+
+"Now then, Charlie Scott," called a big boy, who seemed to be the head
+of the party, "what are you pulling in that line for again? That is the
+third time in less than ten minutes; how is it likely we can catch
+anything?"
+
+All the boys joined in a low chorus of "Yes, indeed!" "A pretty fellow
+he is to fish!" "Serves us right for letting him come with us." The fact
+was, the boys had been very unsuccessful that afternoon; they had taken
+nothing, and it was a relief to have some one to lay the blame upon.
+
+"I am sure there's something this time, though," said Charlie, still
+pulling away. His manner was so confident, that the boys became
+interested in spite of themselves, and several nearly lost their
+balance, craning out their necks to see beyond each other.
+
+At last up came the hook, with a jerk that sent Charlie backwards; it
+had been entangled in a large piece of seaweed, that gave way suddenly
+just as he got it to the surface. "It's very strange," he said, as he
+examined the hook minutely, longing to find something alive, no matter
+how small. "It's very strange; I'm always feeling something, and yet I
+never catch anything."
+
+"I tell you what it is, young Scott, if you don't mind what you're
+about, you'll both feel something and catch something soon that you
+won't like, perhaps," grumbled the big boy.
+
+"Here, Charlie," called Morley Scott, seeing there was likely to be a
+quarrel, "I want you to run on an errand for me."
+
+Charlie looked round, and seeing his father, he jumped up readily. To
+tell the truth, he was not sorry of the excuse to give up his fishing;
+he had been thoroughly tired of it for the last quarter of an hour,
+although he did not like to own it to the other boys. He was a bright,
+happy-looking little fellow, about eight years of age, with light,
+waving hair, merry blue eyes, and sunburnt face.
+
+"What is it, father?" he asked.
+
+"I want you to run and find uncle John; tell him that the _Refuge_ is
+lying off at sea, waiting for us. Ask him to come with you, because they
+want to be into the docks to-night."
+
+Away ran Charlie with his message, and soon returned with uncle John.
+All three then made their way to the docks, where a number of small
+boats were moored.
+
+"Do take me with you, father," pleaded Charlie, as the two men jumped
+into one of the boats and prepared to push off.
+
+"No, no, Charlie, not this time," said his father; "remember you have
+your lessons to learn; besides, I dare say you have not had your tea."
+
+"Oh, I can learn my lessons when I come back, and I've got a large bun
+here," he said, lifting up his jacket to show it; "uncle John bought it
+for me as we came along. Please do let me go, it's so miserable now,
+when you are away; I never like to go home, Mrs. Wood is so cross."
+
+"Well, jump in then," said his father, with a sigh; he knew how the boy
+missed his kind, gentle mother. She had been dead nearly six months, and
+since then Charlie and he seemed to have been without a home. When his
+wife died Morley Scott scarcely knew what to do for the best. He had no
+relation who could take charge of Charlie and of his house, so he
+thought it would be best to sell his furniture and go to lodgings. It
+seems he had not been very fortunate in his choice, for according to
+Charlie's account Mrs. Wood, the landlady, was often ill-tempered.
+
+The two men took their oars, and began to pull in the direction of the
+ship that was lying out some distance from the harbour. Charlie had
+found himself a snug little corner in the stern of the boat, and was
+enjoying himself thoroughly in a quiet way, catching at the bits of
+floating seaweed and chips, spreading his fingers out like the arches
+of a miniature bridge, and letting the water rush through them,
+occasionally munching at his huge bun by way of variation.
+
+For a wonder Charlie's busy tongue was still; he saw by his father's
+countenance that he was not in a mood for talking. It wore a troubled,
+saddened expression; he was living over the old sorrow that Charlie's
+words had called up. His uncle, too, seemed in deep thought, and rowed
+on in silence; although they were unconscious of it, perhaps, there is
+no doubt that all three felt the influence of that beautiful calm summer
+evening.
+
+The rich hues of the setting sun were gradually fading out from the sky,
+yet wonderful shades of crimson, rose colour, and gold, still lingered
+lovingly amongst the clouds, and rested upon the waters. All the bustle
+of the town had been left far behind; there was nothing to break the
+silence but the measured plash of the oars, and the soft rippling and
+murmuring of the water as the little boat rode lightly over the waves.
+
+As Charlie gazed up at the glorious sky, he began to wonder where the
+sun went to every night, and how it was that there were always such
+lovely colours in the sky just where it disappeared; at last he came to
+the conclusion that the sun went into heaven, and that beautiful golden
+and rose-coloured light streamed out when the door was opened.
+
+Charlie liked this idea so much, that he was quite disappointed when he
+learned afterwards that it was not the case.
+
+"What a grand place heaven must be!" thought Charlie, remembering what
+he had heard at Sunday school. "How splendid God's angels must look,
+floating about in that beautiful light, with their white robes and
+crowns of gold!" Charlie went on thinking and thinking much in the same
+strain, until at last the ship was neared.
+
+Morley Scott brought in his oars with a sudden movement, and springing
+up in the boat, hailed the ship, "_Refuge_ ahoy!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+GOING HOME.
+
+
+It is more than hour since we left Morley Scott hailing the _Refuge_.
+How is it that the ship has not been moved yet? And here is the little
+boat turned homeward, and strangers have the charge of it.
+
+Is Charlie asleep, that he lies there so pale and still? he has not
+moved once since we looked. And that something lying in the boat,
+covered by a ship's colour, what can it be? The night air is damp and
+chill, and the sea looks grey and deadly in the twilight.
+
+One of the sailors leans forward to look at Charlie. "Poor little one,"
+he murmurs, in a kind but sad tone.
+
+"I wish we were yonder," said the other sailor, moving his head in the
+direction of the town. "I don't like the look of that boy at all; it may
+only be fainting, but it looks to me more like death than anything
+else."
+
+It was almost dark when they reached the harbour.
+
+"You stay with the boat," said the sailor who spoke just before, "and
+I'll go up into the town and see about help."
+
+A man who had noticed their arrival sauntered up, curious to know if
+anything was the matter.
+
+"Morley Scott and his brother are drowned."
+
+In answer to the man's anxious questions, the sailor told him that when
+Scott's boat came along-side the ship a rope was thrown to them as usual
+to be made fast, and, unfortunately, both Scott and his brother sprang
+forward to catch it; the boat gave a violent lurch, and in a moment they
+were plunged into the sea, Morley Scott's head striking the ship's side
+as he fell. His brother was never seen again; they supposed he must have
+come up underneath the ship, and so met certain death.
+
+Morley Scott's body they recovered, and had brought with them in the
+boat.
+
+The sad news that two men had been drowned soon spread, and before long
+many anxious, awe-stricken faces were gazing down into the boat at the
+object which lay terribly still, covered by the ship's colour.
+
+When poor little Charlie was lifted up, many a mother, with tears in her
+eyes, love in her heart, and thoughts of the little ones at home,
+pressed forward with offers to take the boy. One woman was even more
+eager than the rest: "Let me have him," she said; "he is like my own
+child that I lost last year come back again," and trembling with,
+emotion, she took poor Charlie, who was still unconscious, in her arms.
+
+"I'll carry him home for you, Mrs. Heedman," said one of the men,
+kindly; "it's a good way to your house, and you'd find him heavy before
+you got there."
+
+When Charlie awoke, as he thought, from sleep, he found himself, to his
+great astonishment, in a neat little bed with white curtains and
+counterpane. A small table stood near, with a glass, and bottles of
+medicine, such as he remembered to have seen when his mother was ill;
+and opposite his bed hung a picture of the finding of Moses.
+
+It was very strange: Charlie rubbed his eyes, thinking he could not be
+quite awake, surely, and looked again; but the things were still there.
+Then he tried to remember what happened before he went to sleep, but his
+head felt so weak and light that he could not think. He put his hand out
+and felt the curtains; they were real enough. Just as he was making up
+his mind that he would try to sit up and look about the room, the door
+was gently opened, and a pleasant face peeped in. Charlie remembered at
+once that it was good, kind Mrs. Heedman, who used to come and see his
+mother when she was ill.
+
+She seemed surprised and glad to see that he knew her, and coming
+quickly up to him, gave him a kiss, put his pillow to rights, and told
+him he must not get up yet.
+
+"I feel very tired, Mrs. Heedman," said Charlie languidly; "have I been
+asleep long?"
+
+"You have been very ill, dear," she answered, gently, "so ill that you
+did not know any one for a few days. Are you glad I brought you here to
+this nice little bed, to take care of you?"
+
+"Oh yes, thank you," said Charlie, earnestly. Mrs. Heedman saw that he
+was thinking and trying to remember something, so to change the current
+of his thoughts she poured out his medicine, and handed it to him. "Now
+drink this up, like a good boy," she said, "then I will bring you some
+beef tea soon."
+
+Charlie rather unwillingly, and with a wry face, drank the mixture. As
+he gave her back the glass, his eye rested on a picture that had been
+hidden before by the curtain; it was a ship and some small boats at sea.
+In a moment the something that he had been trying to remember flashed
+upon him, and burying his face in the pillow to shut out the picture, he
+sobbed out, "Oh, father, father!"
+
+Mrs. Heedman stood quietly by, waiting until the first burst of grief
+was over, and asking in her heart for the help of God's Holy Spirit to
+teach her what she had best say to comfort him. Presently the heavy sobs
+almost ceased; but Charlie did not move or speak. She took his hand in
+hers smoothing and caressing it, as if to assure him of her sympathy.
+
+"Charlie dear," she said gently, "it is very sad, and very hard to bear,
+is it not?" Charlie did not speak. She sat down beside him, still
+keeping his hand in hers, and went on speaking.
+
+"Last year, when my own dear little boy died--you remember Tom, don't
+you, Charlie? Well, when he was taken from me, I thought my heart would
+have broken; it seemed as if I should never be happy again. I felt sad
+and ill, and weary of everything, just as you feel now." Charlie turned
+towards her, and looked interested. "For some weeks I was very unhappy,
+and thought no one had such a trouble as mine; but afterwards I learned
+how wrong it was of me to find fault with God's will; and when I began
+to count up all the blessings I had received, and remembered all that my
+dear Lord Jesus Christ had done and suffered for me, I felt sure that He
+who loved me so much would not let me suffer any pain or sorrow that was
+not necessary for my good."
+
+Charlie was listening attentively; he quite understood all Mrs. Heedman
+said. His mother had often read to him out of the Bible, and spoken to
+him of the Saviour.
+
+Mrs. Heedman went on: "You must remember, Charlie, that you are now one
+of God's very dear children. We are all His children, but He has
+especial love and care for those whom He has been obliged to leave
+without any earthly parents. God promises in His own holy book, the
+Bible, that He will be 'a Father to the fatherless;' that He will
+relieve the fatherless; that He will help the fatherless; and that if
+the fatherless cry unto Him, He will surely hear their cry. When you are
+stronger, I will find the passages and read them to you, and many others
+that are very comforting. Now it is quite time that you had your beef
+tea; I will get it for you, and then we can talk again."
+
+Charlie thought the beef tea was delicious; he was already beginning to
+feel that relish for savoury food that most fever patients experience
+when they are recovering.
+
+"It's very nice," he kept repeating; and every now and then Mrs. Heedman
+met his blue eyes gazing into hers with a thoughtful, inquiring sort of
+look. At last he said, "Mrs. Heedman, do you think it was God who put it
+into your heart to bring me here and be so kind to me?"
+
+"Yes, Charlie, I am sure of it."
+
+"Then I'm quite sure that God loves me," said Charlie, energetically. "I
+can't help crying when I think about father," as he burst into another
+flood of tears; "but," he added, "I will try not to think any more that
+it was not kind of God to let him be drowned and leave me by myself. I
+was thinking so a little while since;" and dropping his voice, he went
+on, "I want you, please, to tell me all about it--where father is, and
+uncle John. I saw them lift some one out of the water, dead, but I
+forget what happened after."
+
+Mrs. Heedman told him as gently and as kindly as she could about his
+father's funeral; who arranged it, and where he was buried, and that his
+uncle's body had not been found. "When you are better, Charlie, we will
+go and see the grave, and you shall set some flowers on it."
+
+"When I am a man," burst in Charlie, "I shall buy a beautiful tombstone
+for it."
+
+"Very well," said Mrs. Heedman, getting up. "Now you must try to sleep a
+little. How very good and merciful God has been to you, Charlie, to
+spare your life in this illness! If it is His will, I trust I shall be
+able day by day to teach you how to devote the life He has given you to
+His service."
+
+"Am I going to be with you always, Mrs. Heedman?" cried Charlie, opening
+his eyes very wide.
+
+"Yes, I hope so," she answered. After a little more talking, principally
+on Charlie's side, who confided to her his private opinion of the cross
+Mrs. Wood, and his pleasure to think he was not going back to her any
+more, Mrs. Heedman left the room, and Charlie went to sleep.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+ADELAIDE ROW.
+
+
+The house of the Heedmans was the end cottage of a long row, built for
+and occupied by the miners employed at the colliery that you might see
+in the distance. There were several rows of these cottages, but Adelaide
+Row, in which the Heedmans lived, was certainly the best in appearance.
+It was farthest from the mines, and was sheltered from the coal dust by
+its less fortunate neighbours. The houses looked cleaner and brighter
+altogether, and the little gardens flourished better.
+
+John Heedman's garden was the pride of his heart, and the admiration and
+envy of the rest of "the Row." It certainly did look very gay and
+pretty. There were bright China-asters, sweet-scented stocks, French
+marigolds, rose bushes laden with blossoms, little clusters of
+candytuft, Virginia-stock, mignonette, and many other flowers,
+contrasting well in colour, and grouped in such good taste.
+
+If John Heedman took a pride in his garden, Mrs. Heedman certainly took
+a pride in her house. Not that their furniture was more expensive than
+that of many of their neighbours, but it was in good order and neatly
+arranged. Nice white curtains were up at the windows; a few
+sweet-smelling flowers stood in a glass; and in a corner were some
+bookshelves, made and painted by John Heedman himself, after work-hours,
+and very well stocked with good books; altogether there was an air of
+cleanliness, comfort, and refinement over all that made you wish to know
+the owners.
+
+Mrs. Heedman often said in answer to her neighbours' remarks "that she
+must spend a deal of money over her house."--"It costs me nothing but a
+little thought and extra work. The poorest of us may indulge in order
+and cleanliness indeed, when you come to think of it, dirt and disorder
+cost the most, because your furniture gets soiled, and knocked about,
+and destroyed."
+
+After Mrs. Heedman left Charlie, she began to prepare her husband's tea
+in the next room; and nicely she looked, as she moved lightly about in
+her clean light-print dress and white collar, her dark hair smoothly and
+plainly arranged, and a smile on her face. It was a face that made you
+look twice. Her eyes were so calm, so full of peace, you felt
+instinctively it was that peace which God alone can give. Some people
+do not believe that Christianity can make them happy; that is, because
+they have never felt it in their hearts. It is a peace which passeth all
+understanding. She was thinking of Charlie; how he would learn to love
+her, and please God; what a scholar he would be, and how carefully she
+would train him. She was trying to picture what he would be like if he
+lived to grow up, when John Heedman opened the door.
+
+"Tea will be ready in a minute, John," she said, looking up; "I've been
+sitting with that dear child, and the afternoon has flown I scarcely
+know how. He got a turn for the better about one o'clock, and woke up
+quite conscious and sensible;" and stepping softly to the door, she
+beckoned him to follow. They both stood looking at Charlie as he slept.
+He was very pale, traces of tears were still on his face, and one little
+thin white hand hung listlessly over the side of the bed. John Heedman
+stooped and touched it gently with his own rough, strong hand. "Poor
+little one!" he murmured.
+
+That night, as John Heedman and his wife sat at tea, they determined to
+adopt Charlie, and make him as their own.
+
+"I think," said John Heedman, "we ought to accept this child as a sacred
+charge from God, sent to us to be taken care of and trained for Him. Our
+duty seems plain enough; it is true we shall not be able to save so
+much, but perhaps there was a danger of our getting too fond of our bit
+of money; and God has seen this and sent the child, that, through it we
+may lend the money to Him. We shall have our treasure in heaven,
+instead of laying it up on earth."
+
+"That is true," said Mrs. Heedman. "We shall be no poorer for what we
+spend on the child; and as for our old age, we will trust to the
+Lord--He will provide."
+
+In a week's time Charlie was able to sit up; his favourite seat was at
+the open window, looking out into the pretty garden. He would sit for
+hours watching the gay butterflies and busy bees, roving from flower to
+flower, and gazing up at the ever-changing sky. The soft, fleecy clouds
+that sailed along so gracefully, Charlie liked to think were the robes
+of angels on their way to heaven with little children.
+
+In a few weeks' time, to his great joy, he was strong enough to go back
+to school; he was fond of learning, and the Heedmans were anxious for
+him to have as much schooling as they could possibly afford.
+
+John Heedman had enjoyed a good plain education himself; he was intended
+for a tradesman, but his father died suddenly, and his mother and young
+sister being left dependent upon him, he went to work down the mine, as
+the wages were higher than he could get at any other employment. It was
+a great disappointment and trial to him, you may be sure; but he very
+wisely made the best of it, and thought to himself, "Well, if I am only
+to be a miner all my life, it does not follow that I need neglect my
+learning: it will always give me pleasure, and occupy my mind; and I
+shall be serving God better by improving myself, and using the powers He
+has given me."
+
+He carried out this idea, and became a thoughtful, intelligent,
+well-informed man, respected both by his employers and fellow-workmen,
+and, what was better than all, he found favour in the sight of God. By
+the grace of God he was led to feel himself a poor sinner, and sought
+forgiveness through the precious blood of Christ. For a long while he
+groped in the dark, with the burden on his shoulders; but reading one
+day that passage in the third chapter of John,--"For God so loved the
+world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
+Him should not perish, but have ever-lasting life. For God sent not His
+Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him
+might be saved," the light burst upon his mind, his prayers were
+answered, and he became an earnest Christian, a faithful soldier and
+servant of the Lord Jesus Christ; and he was rewarded--not with any
+great earthly riches, but with much peace in his heart, with great
+strength and comfort in time of trial; with home happiness, and much
+that might have made him the envy of princes, who had shut themselves
+out from the love of God.
+
+He made the good choice in his _youth_. He sought the Lord _early_, and
+found him, and He escaped the terrible anguish and suffering that
+attends repentance after a long life of careless sin.
+
+All through life he had the love of the Saviour to help and cheer him on
+his way; in temptation he had God to look to for strength; in sorrow he
+had the Saviour to turn to for sympathy and help. Each night he asked
+forgiveness for the sins of the day, and each morning he sought a
+blessing and preservation, and went forth with a light heart, praising
+God, and full of thankfulness to Him for His mercy.
+
+There was no anxious care for the future, in his heart he knew that his
+heavenly Father would guide him and care for him day by day.
+
+It seems most unaccountable that any one should willingly refuse all
+this happiness; and yet how many boys and girls there are who never
+pause to think what choice they have made, and which master they are
+serving. You must be serving one, either God or the world. Which it is
+your own heart will tell you. Remember God will have no half-service. He
+has said, "He that is not with Me is against Me."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+GOOD RESOLUTIONS NOT KEPT.
+
+
+Four years of Charlie's life soon passed swiftly away in his pleasant
+and happy home. He is now twelve years of age, and has grown a tall,
+strong, healthy boy. His blue eyes are just as merry, and his frank,
+fearless face as sunburnt, as when we first made his acquaintance on the
+pier. He is generous, grateful, and affectionate, and John Heedman and
+his wife--his good "father and mother," as he calls them now--are very
+dear to him.
+
+I need scarcely tell you that they have never regretted adopting him,
+and could not love him better, or be more proud of him, if he were their
+own son. They have found him from the first clever at his learning, and
+painstaking; full of gratitude and love to themselves; honest and
+truthful; anxious to serve God, and really trying to do so in his way.
+But one thing has troubled them: for the last two years they have seen
+him gradually giving himself up more and more to the dangerous habit of
+"putting off." He had become, unconsciously, a very slave to it; it
+required quite an effort on his part to do any duty at once.
+
+Perhaps some boys who read this are inclined to exclaim, "Was that all?"
+But if they think for a moment, I am sure they will see that it is very
+dangerous, _because_ they are inclined to think lightly of it.
+
+Procrastination, or the habit of "putting off," is one of Satan's great
+temptations. Many a boy may be tempted to give way to it who would
+shrink from telling an untruth, or committing any flagrant sin; but
+Satan knows well enough how soon and how surely it will _lead_ them into
+sin.
+
+Unfortunately, Charlie had no idea how this habit was creeping upon him;
+he always contrived to find some excuse for putting off that satisfied
+himself if it did not satisfy others; and when it led him to do wrong,
+or into misfortune of any kind, he always fancied that something or some
+one else was to blame.
+
+"Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman one morning, just before school-time, "did
+you learn your lessons last night?"
+
+"No, mother," answered Charlie; "I can learn them this morning; there's
+time enough."
+
+"Do get your books then, and begin; you have only a quarter of an hour."
+
+"All right, mother dear," he answered, gaily; "I'll get them in a
+minute; there's time enough;" but Charlie was very much interested in
+teaching his dog Jumper to sit up, and kept putting off until at last
+the quarter of an hour was gone, and he found he had only just time to
+get to school. Grumbling at the time for flying so quickly, he snatched
+up one of his school books, threw his satchel with the rest over his
+shoulder, and started off at a quick pace, learning his lesson as he
+went. Of course he could not always look where he was going, and the
+consequence was he knocked up against people, and trod on their toes,
+and so far from apologizing in his ill-humour, he declared to himself
+that "it served them right; why didn't they get out of his way?"
+
+The clock struck nine: Charlie was desperate; he quickened his pace
+almost to a run, and taking a last glance at his lesson as he turned the
+corner, he came with a crash against a lamp-post, that sent him
+backwards, his book flying out of his hand, his forehead bruised, and
+his nose bleeding.
+
+Poor Charlie sat on the ground almost stunned, and scarcely knowing for
+the moment what it was, or where he was. At last he got slowly up,
+gathered his books together, and turned towards home, holding his
+handkerchief to his bruised face, and feeling very miserable.
+
+"It was all that stupid old lamp-post, mother!" he said angrily, when
+he was telling his tale to her.
+
+"No, no, Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman; "was it not that stupid Charlie
+Scott, who did not look where he was going?"
+
+It was no use going to school that morning. The bruises were doctored,
+and Charlie, after learning his lessons, took up an interesting book. He
+was fond of reading, and was soon deep in the contents.
+
+"Just run into Mrs. Brown's, next door, Charlie, will you, and ask if
+she can let me have the bread tin I lent her yesterday," said Mrs.
+Heedman.
+
+"Yes, mother, in a minute," answered Charlie, still reading on, and
+thinking, "There's time enough; I dare say the bread is not ready."
+After a short time she spoke again, "Come, Charlie, I'm waiting."
+
+"Yes, mother, I'm coming," said Charlie, getting half off his chair, but
+still keeping his eyes on the book. "I'll just finish this chapter," he
+thought; there were only two sentences to read. When it was finished, he
+looked up, and saw his mother had gone herself for the tin. She came in,
+looking weary and tired, for she had had a busy morning, and Charlie's
+conscience smote him.
+
+"Oh, mother, I'm so sorry," he exclaimed. "I thought I had time enough
+to finish the chapter."
+
+"Charlie, I do wish you would learn to do a thing at once. I cannot bear
+to hear you so constantly saying 'There's time enough,'" said his
+mother; "it makes me tremble for your future. A cousin of mine was led
+into sin, and misery, and poverty, and at last died at enmity with his
+father, and unreconciled to God, through 'putting off.' He gave way to
+the habit when he was a boy, and it grew up with him unchecked."
+
+Charlie was rather frightened at hearing this, and inwardly made some
+good resolutions; but as they were made in his own strength alone, you
+will not be surprised to hear they were soon swept away: however, he
+made, as he thought, a very fair beginning. When he was called to
+dinner, he laid down his book and went at once--I am afraid there was
+not much credit due to him for that, for he was very hungry,--and he got
+ready and set off in good time for afternoon school.
+
+"Be sure you come straight home, Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman as he was
+going out; "your father's cough was worse this morning, and I want you
+to run along to the pit with some warm wrappings for him; the evenings
+are chilly now, and he feels the cold when he comes up."
+
+"All right, mother dear, I'll not forget," said Charlie, waving his cap
+to her as he went out of the gate. He was in an extra good humour with
+himself for having made the good resolutions we told you of, and for
+having done so well since, quite forgetting that even the desire to do
+better came from God.
+
+The moment school was over, one of the boys caught hold of Charlie's
+arm, and launched into a glowing description of a ship "nearly two feet
+long," that had been made a present to him, finishing off with "She's
+splendid, and that's just all about it. I am going now to name her, and
+launch her in that big pond in Thompson's field. Come along," he said,
+drawing Charlie in the direction of the field as he spoke; "you shall
+give her the name, and I'll launch her."
+
+"I'm afraid I can't go," said Charlie, looking miserable, and making a
+faint effort to get his arm from Tom Brown's grasp.
+
+"Why?" asked Tom.
+
+"Because I promised to go straight home; and I have to take some clothes
+for father to the pit."
+
+"Oh, that's it, is it?" exclaimed Tom. "Well, then, look here, your
+father won't be ready for nearly half an hour yet--I know what time they
+come up,--and you'll be wandering about there, cooling your heels, when
+you might as well be here."
+
+"If I hadn't promised," thought Charlie, with a longing look in the
+direction of the pond.
+
+"You needn't stay long," urged Tom. "The ship is close by; I hid her
+amongst some bushes so as not to have to go home again."
+
+"Don't go; remember your promise," whispered Charlie's conscience. "But
+I want to go so much," answered Charlie's selfish little heart.
+
+"Don't go, it would be ungrateful: think of your father's kindness to
+you," whispered the voice again. "I'm not ungrateful, and I mean to take
+the clothes," Charlie's heart answered, angrily.
+
+The voice began to whisper again, something about it being a temptation,
+and he ought to ask God's help, but Charlie turned a deaf ear.
+
+Tom Brown, seeing Charlie hesitate, felt pretty sure he would give in.
+Leaving loose of his arm, and moving off towards the field, he said, in
+a careless tone, "Come, make up your mind; do one thing or the other.
+I don't care whether you go or not, only I can tell you you'll not have
+such a chance again; Joe Denton would have jumped at it."
+
+[Illustration: CHARLIE AND THE TEMPTATION.]
+
+This had just the effect Tom intended. Charlie hurried after him,
+saying, "Well, let us be quick then. I'll just stay five minutes; I
+daresay there's time enough."
+
+The scruples of Charlie's conscience were silenced. Conscience is a
+dangerous thing to play with, and it should be the prayer of every youth
+that God would strengthen him to keep his conscience tender; never mind
+if it be difficult sometimes to maintain a good conscience: in the end,
+as years go on, you will be thankful to find that it preserves from many
+a snare, and gives a pleasure, and gains the confidence of those around
+you.
+
+The launching went off most successfully, but the time had flown much
+quicker than the boys had any idea of. Charlie was in full enjoyment of
+the honour of guiding the _Fairy_ on her trial trip round the pond, when
+he was terribly startled at hearing the church clock strike five. In a
+moment he had dropped the string, caught up his satchel of books, and
+started off towards home.
+
+"Here, I say, wait a bit," called Tom after him; "what's the use of
+hurrying now? Your father would be at home long since; you may as well
+stay another hour now." Charlie did not even stay to listen, but tore
+along the dusty road, angry with himself, and still more angry with Tom.
+He reached home out of breath, and found that his father and mother had
+just begun tea.
+
+"Charlie, my boy, you're late," said his father, in his usual kind tone.
+His mother did not speak, and Charlie noticed that she looked sad; but
+she was as kind as ever, and picked out one of his favourite little
+well-browned cakes for him as he sat down to tea. Charlie felt unhappy
+and repentant as he thought how ill he deserved all their care.
+
+His father's cough was very troublesome; it was a loud, hollow,
+consumptive cough, most painful to hear, and still more painful to
+suffer; but not a word of complaint escaped John Heedman's lips.
+Charlie's unhappiness and repentance increased as he sat listening to
+it, and heard his father say, in answer to a remark made by Mrs.
+Heedman, "Yes, I think the cold air has seized my chest; that makes the
+cough worse just now."
+
+Tea was out of the question with Charlie, and the little crisp cake lay
+untouched. "If they would only scold me, or punish me, or do something
+to me," he thought, "I should feel better."
+
+"How is it you are not getting on with your tea?" said Mrs. Heedman,
+looking at his plate.
+
+Charlie immediately laid his head on the table, regardless of tea-things
+and everything else, and burst into a flood of tears. "Oh, mother," he
+sobbed out, "I have been such a bad, wicked fellow to-day. Why don't you
+and father scold me or do something to me? you are far too kind; it
+makes me hate myself. I wish somebody would take away my new cricket
+bat, or steal Jumper, I do." There was a great sobbing after this,
+partly, we think, at the mere thought of the terrible nature of the
+punishment his imagination had suggested.
+
+He went on--"I'm sure I meant to come straight home, but Tom Brown took
+and persuaded me to go and see his ship launched, and I only meant to
+stay five minutes, and I thought there was time enough, and it seemed as
+if the clock struck five directly. I'm so sorry--oh dear!" and down went
+his head on the table again.
+
+"I'm very sorry too," said John Heedman, seriously--"very sorry. I am
+afraid when you were making your good resolutions about coming straight
+home, you forgot that you might be tempted to break them, and did not
+ask for His help who alone can give you strength to resist temptation
+and choose duty before pleasure. Don't you remember the words, 'My son,
+if sinners entice thee, consent thou not,'and the exhortation to pray
+lest ye enter into temptation? Wipe away your tears now, and get some
+tea; we will talk about it afterwards."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF.
+
+
+Charlie's heart felt a little lighter for the explanation. When the
+tea-things were cleared away, and a nice little bright fire made up--for
+it was a chilly evening--Mrs. Heedman sat down to her needlework, and
+Charlie drew his chair close to his father's, waiting for him to speak.
+
+Taking Charlie's hand in his, he began in a kind tone, "I want you to
+tell me just how you felt while Tom Brown was persuading you, as you
+call it, to go with him."
+
+"Well," said Charlie, hesitatingly, "I felt I wanted to go very much,
+and I thought I would only stay five minutes, there would still be
+plenty of time to meet you; and something in my heart kept on
+whispering, 'Don't go;' but I did go, you know," he went on, in a
+saddened tone, "and then the little voice did not whisper again."
+
+"Now," said his father, "you must think well, and tell me what sins your
+sad way of thinking there's time enough has led you to be guilty of in
+one short hour."
+
+Charlie thought a moment, and then answered, without looking up,
+"Disobedience and ingratitude."
+
+"Yes," said his father; "but there is one more--presumption. You know
+quite well, Charlie, that warning voice in your heart was placed there
+by God to teach and guide you; yet you would not listen; you turned a
+deaf ear; you knew better than the great God who made you; you put your
+own will before His, and treated His Holy Spirit with contempt. It is a
+most solemn and awful thought that God's Holy Spirit will not always
+strive with us.
+
+"What a terrible fate!" exclaimed Mrs. Heedman, "to be left entirely at
+the mercy not only of the temptation of the world, but the sinful wishes
+and inclinations of our own evil hearts!"
+
+"Terrible indeed," said John Heedman. "Now listen here, Charlie: The
+captain of a ship was warned by the pilot on board that the port that
+they were making for was almost surrounded by rocks, sandbanks, and
+other hidden dangers, and that it would be certain shipwreck, sooner or
+later, for the captain, as a stranger, to attempt the direction of the
+vessel without the advice and guidance of the pilot, who was aware of
+every danger, knew exactly what was best to do, and could alone bring
+them safely into the haven. What would you think, Charlie, if I were to
+tell you that that captain, after being warned of his danger, refused to
+allow the pilot to help him, turned his back upon him, would not listen
+to his advice, treated him with contempt, and determined to take his own
+way; taking the helm himself, and steering straight for the very rocks
+he had been warned to avoid?"
+
+"I should think he was mad," exclaimed Charlie.
+
+"Not one bit more mad than those who risk the shipwreck of their souls
+by refusing the help and advice of the Holy Spirit in passing through
+this world, so full of danger and temptation."
+
+"Oh, I see now, father; that is what my Sunday school teacher calls an
+illustration."
+
+"Yes," answered his father; "and now let us have a little talk about
+'there's time enough.' I dare say you will be surprised when I tell you
+it is really selfishness that makes you so fond of putting off."
+
+"Oh, mother!" said Charlie, quickly, "I didn't think I was selfish. Do
+you think I am?"
+
+Mrs. Heedman could scarcely help smiling at his tone of injured
+innocence. "I think I shall wait and hear what your father has to say
+before I give an answer."
+
+John Heedman went on: "You remember, Charlie, the French marigolds we
+set, don't you?"
+
+"Yes, I do remember indeed; it was so odd, mother, it was all the same
+sort of seed, but when it grew up there was such a difference in the
+form and shade of the flowers, we could scarcely find two alike."
+
+"Well, then, you will understand me when I tell you that in the heart of
+every one there is the seed of selfishness, which, as it grows, shows
+itself in a different form in each person. In some it shows itself as
+pride; in others as envy, greediness, jealousy, covetousness,
+procrastination, indolence, and so on. Every sin, if we trace it, we
+shall find that it springs from the seed selfishness--from love of self.
+It is love of self that makes us forget to feel for others--careless,
+disobliging; indeed, it would take me an hour to go through the list of
+evils that spring from that same love of self. Learn these things, my
+boy, when you're young. People seldom change their character and habits
+after they get men and women. It is easier to bend this twig than that
+tree in the road; and as you place it, so it will grow."
+
+"What are we to do then, father?" asked Charlie.
+
+"Ask God to help you to watch for it; and as it sprouts up, keep cutting
+it down, trampling upon it, and rooting it up, as you would some noxious
+weed that threatened to spread over your garden, smothering and stealing
+away the nourishment from your flowers."
+
+"What would you call the flowers of the heart, father?" Charlie asked,
+with a smile.
+
+"Faith, hope, charity, peace, love, gentleness, goodness," answered his
+father, readily; "one can imagine all these flowers, and many more,
+perhaps, that I have not mentioned, clustering round the fountain of
+prayer, depending upon it for their life; and just as the crystal stream
+of the fountain must ascend, before it can shower down its clouds of
+glistening and refreshing spray upon the parched and thirsty flowers
+round its brim, so prayer must go up to heaven before it can bring down
+life and strength to the flowers of our hearts."
+
+"I understand it all, father," said Charlie, for he loved to "work out"
+illustrations, as he called it. He went on, "And if the fountain were
+neglected, and ceased to flow, how soon the flowers would be scorched up
+by the sun! they would droop, and wither, and die. And so will the
+flowers of our hearts if we neglect prayer."
+
+"That is very well said, Charlie; but we must take care not to be
+satisfied with just _knowing_ all this. We must have 'deeds, not words.'
+I hope to-day has been a lesson to you that good resolutions, made in
+your own strength, are of no use. If the failure of to-day has not
+humbled you, and shown you your own weakness, God's lesson has been
+thrown away upon you. Let me see you make a fresh beginning; turn a new
+leaf over, and set to work in earnest to overcome this darling fault of
+yours, in the strength of the Lord--not in your own. It will not be all
+plain walking along a smooth road; you may often fall, through want of
+trust, or some failing of your own: but do not be discouraged; remember
+'the greatest honour consists, not in never falling, but in rising
+every time we fall.' You know how often we have watched the tide rising,
+and how you wondered at first that it did not come rolling on without
+any stoppage; but then we noticed that although each wave fell back a
+little, it gathered strength to come on with redoubled energy much
+further up the beach than it had reached before, often catching up some
+lovely seaweed or shell in its backward course, to bring with it and
+leave at our feet. Each time you fall, then, remember the waves, and
+determine, with God's help, to rise again, and reach a higher mark in
+your onward course than you had attained before, bringing with you
+increased humility, trust, and love, to lay at your Saviour's feet."
+
+"Thank you, dear father; I will try indeed," said Charlie.
+
+"And now you had better learn your lessons; after then you can amuse
+yourself as you like. I don't think we have any locks or anything to oil
+or put to rights to-night," said his father, with a smile, "so you had
+better have your new paint-box out, I think."
+
+"Mrs. Brown wants you to look at a lock in her house to-morrow, Charlie;
+it will neither lock nor unlock. And the bottle-jack has gone wrong; it
+went off with such a noise when she was winding it up yesterday: she
+wants you to see if you can do anything to it."
+
+Charlie's face crimsoned with pleasure: his great delight was in locks,
+clocks, engines--anything mechanical, in fact; but the only way in which
+he could indulge his love for such things was in taking off, oiling,
+putting to rights, and screwing on again all the locks in their own
+house, or any of the neighbours that would let him. As he often
+conquered refractory locks, he became quite of importance in "the Row,"
+and was often sent for. He had an old timepiece that some one had given
+him, and would spend hours in taking it to pieces and putting it
+together again; but he could not prevail upon his mother to let him
+touch "the clock."
+
+The lessons were soon learned, and then Charlie got to his painting.
+What a happy night he had, cutting out pictures from some illustrated
+papers, colouring them, and chattering incessantly, unless he was
+putting in any particular touches that he seemed to think required
+profound silence and holding of the breath!
+
+"There, mother!" he exclaimed, holding up in triumph a picture of a very
+stylish lady that he had finished, "that's the way you should be dressed
+if I had my way; isn't she a beauty?"
+
+"She looks gay indeed, Charlie," said his mother, smiling; "but I'm
+afraid that style of dress would not quite suit me. Let me see, what has
+she on? A bright blue dress, a scarlet cloak"--"Like Mrs. Greenwell's,
+you know, mother," interrupted Charlie, "and a blue bonnet with a green
+feather on it."
+
+"Wouldn't a blue feather or a black one have looked better?" said his
+father, looking up from his newspaper; "blue and green are not
+considered pretty together."
+
+"Well, I don't know why they shouldn't, father." Charlie felt touched at
+his taste being called into question. "The forget-me-nots, the
+bluebells, and the blue hyacinths grow amongst green leaves and grass,
+and I'm sure God would not have put them there if they didn't look
+beautiful."
+
+"You have conquered me there, Charlie," said his father, laughing;
+"still I am not reconciled to the blue bonnet with the green feather."
+
+When it was Charlie's bedtime, he gathered up all the cuttings of paper
+and burned them, washed his paint-brushes, and put everything tidily
+away into a drawer that his mother had given him to himself, so that he
+might have no excuse for leaving things about. The contents of that
+drawer were miscellaneous indeed. There lay his pet the old timepiece,
+surrounded by bits of string, screws, old nails, a hammer, a
+screw-driver, old tops, bits of coloured glass, odd pieces of tin,
+brass, and wire, two or three apples, a pair of pincers, an old
+padlock, curious pebbles, a dog's collar, packets of flower seeds, a
+couple of door-knobs, two or three rusty keys, and many other treasures.
+
+When the putting away was finished, he brought the Bible to his father
+and quietly took his seat. They made it a rule to have prayers before
+Charlie went to bed, that he might join them; and special mention was
+always made of him, that he might realize that every little thing
+connected with his spiritual life was of the same consequence to God as
+if he was a grown-up person. To-night there was much to ask for
+him--pardon for the past and help for the future; and Charlie's heart
+was very full as he listened to the simple, earnest prayer that was sent
+up on his behalf.
+
+"Good-night, my boy," said his father as Charlie came round to him; "when
+you are dressing in the morning, remember that you must also 'put on the
+whole armour of God,' for you are going out to do battle, 'not with
+flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers;' not with an enemy
+that you can see, but with the spirit of darkness. 'Resist the devil,
+and he will flee from you.' 'Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to
+you.'"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+GOING OUT TO TEA.
+
+
+One evening, about a month after the events of the last chapter, Charlie
+was sitting near the window reading, when, to his astonishment, he saw a
+lady open the garden gate and walk to the door. It was Mrs. Greenwell,
+who lived in the large house with the beautiful garden, that was
+Charlie's great admiration. He knew Mrs. Greenwell quite well, because
+she had often stopped to speak to him, and ask him about his school, and
+the garden, and other things; indeed, she was Charlie's favourite
+lady--he was sure there was not another in the place like her.
+
+You must not think he was vain, if we tell you that he gave a hasty
+glance in the glass to see if his hair was tidy, and his face and
+collar clean. He need scarcely have done so, for it was seldom that
+either was untidy or dirty; he had so often heard his mother say it was
+no disgrace to be seen in old clothes, so long as they were well brushed
+and mended, but it was a very great disgrace to be seen with dirty hands
+and face, and unbrushed hair.
+
+Charlie ran to the door, wondering very much what Mrs. Greenwell could
+have called about. She spoke a few kind, pleasant words to him, and
+asked to see his mother. Charlie ushered her into the best room, placed
+a chair for her with great state, closed the door quietly, and then
+hastened upstairs to find his mother, taking two stairs at a time,
+missing one, and coming down on his hands and knees in a lump.
+
+"Dear me, Charlie," said Mrs. Heedman, who had come in at the back door,
+and was standing at the foot of the stairs looking on in amazement at
+his extraordinary scrambling; "what ever are you doing? is it a mouse?"
+remembering he had once chased a mouse upstairs with much the same sort
+of noise.
+
+"A mouse! no, mother," said Charlie, coming down very mildly. "I wanted
+to tell you that Mrs. Greenwell is here, and waiting for you."
+
+Mrs. Greenwell's errand was to ask if Charlie could be spared to attend
+a Bible class at her house twice a week. As well as instruction in the
+Bible and catechism, she intended to read instructive books to them on
+different subjects: natural history, travels in foreign lands, English
+history, the lives of good and noble men who had risen from the working
+classes, and on many other subjects that would be interesting and give
+them a taste for reading. Charlie was younger than most of the boys she
+expected, but she knew he was more intelligent and thoughtful than the
+generality of boys of his age, principally because he had such good home
+training.
+
+Mrs. Heedman very gladly agreed for him to attend regularly. As for
+Charlie himself, his delight knew no bounds, especially when he heard
+that they were all to have tea, and spend the evening at Mrs.
+Greenwell's the next day. The moment she had left and the door was
+closed, Charlie broke into a dance of triumph round the room that would
+have done credit to a wild Indian, and kept it up so long that Jumper
+became seriously concerned: he stood at a safe distance, barking, as if
+asking for an explanation, or expostulating with his master; but Charlie
+only snapped his fingers at him, and went on with his dance. Poor Jumper
+thought it was an order to sit up, and sat up accordingly, but soon
+finding his mistake out he dropped his fore-feet disconsolately. At
+last, as if a bright thought had struck him, he made a sudden rush at
+poor puss, who was sitting very upright with her tail over her toes,
+gazing innocently at the fire, and I am sorry to say he caught her
+rather savagely by the ear. Jumper knew puss to be his own particular
+enemy, and whenever anything went wrong he always seemed to conclude
+that she must be at the bottom of it.
+
+This brought the dance of triumph to an end, much to Mrs. Heedman's
+satisfaction.
+
+You should have seen Charlie the next day, when he started for Mrs.
+Greenwell's, in his best suit, a shining white collar, and new necktie;
+his brown hair arranged in his best style, and his bright face lit up
+with happy expectation. It was the first time he had ever formally gone
+"out to tea."
+
+It would take two or three chapters to tell you all that Charlie saw and
+thought and heard on that eventful evening, but we must be content with
+a hasty sketch.
+
+When Charlie first went into the room with its beautiful pictures, its
+handsome furniture, its bright lights, and many strange faces, he felt
+quite dazzled; but Mrs. Greenwell came up to him, and taking him by the
+hand, led him up to a boy about two years older than himself, who was
+lying on a couch. "This is my son," she said, kindly; "he is quite
+anxious to know you, Charlie, so you had better sit down beside him."
+Harry Greenwell shook hands heartily, and made room for him, but did not
+rise from the couch.
+
+"He must be very proud or very idle," thought Charlie; and yet, as he
+looked admiringly at him, he felt that he did not look as if he were
+either one or the other. Charlie had seen him out driving sometimes with
+his mother, but had never been close to him before. Harry lay there
+quite unconscious of Charlie's opinion and admiration, his delicate,
+expressive features full of animation, and his eyes sparkling with
+pleasure as he watched the boys talking and looking about them. He had
+begged very hard that they might come into the drawing-room. Harry liked
+to have pictures and ornaments and beautiful things round him, and he
+thought they would enjoy it too.
+
+"How happy he must be," thought Charlie, "in this beautiful house, with
+servants to do everything for him, a carriage to ride in, and I dare say
+he chooses his own clothes, and can have whatever he likes for dinner!
+It must be very nice to be him," thought Charlie, rather enviously.
+
+Just then a move was made for the room where tea was prepared. "You go
+on, Charlie," said Harry, in a kind tone; "don't wait for me; I'll
+follow." Charlie happened to glance back.
+
+Harry Greenwell was lame.
+
+He told Charlie later in the evening how it happened. The two boys were
+standing together at a small table apart from the rest; Harry, who had
+taken a great fancy to Charlie, was showing some of his drawings. There
+was genuine admiration in Charlie's face and tone as he exclaimed, "How
+splendid they are, Master Harry! They must have taken you a long time to
+do."
+
+"Well, yes," answered Harry; "you see I have had a good deal of quiet
+time to occupy ever since my hip was hurt; I haven't been able to play
+at any outdoor games like other boys, or even to walk much. You can't
+think how thankful I am that I have a taste for drawing; one cannot
+always be reading, and it makes the time pass so pleasantly."
+
+"Was it long since? How did it happen?" asked Charlie, full of sympathy,
+and wondering almost that Harry could be thankful for anything under
+such circumstances.
+
+"It was about three years ago, when I was eleven years old. I was out
+riding; something startled the pony, and he threw me. You see my leg is
+not deformed," holding it out as he spoke, "but I walk lame; the doctor
+says I must rest well now, and not overtax my strength, or I shall never
+be any better. It pains me a good deal even now sometimes."
+
+"Did you always feel as--as quiet about it as you do now?" asked
+Charlie, rather at a loss for the right word.
+
+"No," said Harry; "for a whole year all sorts of wicked, bitter thoughts
+were in my heart. I thought God was behaving hardly and unkindly to me.
+I wanted to die, rather than live to be a cripple. I almost hated people
+who were well and strong. When mamma had visitors I kept out of the way.
+Sometimes I stayed in my own room for weeks together. I couldn't bear
+any one to see me. It was a great trouble to mamma." Harry was carried
+away by the recollections of that sad time, and had spoken in a low
+rapid tone, more to himself than to Charlie.
+
+The boys turned over the contents of a portfolio in silence for a few
+moments.
+
+Harry placed before Charlie a beautiful engraving of our Saviour on the
+cross. "He bore all that for me, and I am trying to bear my pain
+willingly and patiently for His sake, because I love Him; and I know He
+loves me, and helps me to bear my pain, and would not let me suffer it
+at all if it was not for my own good in the end," said Harry.
+
+I have let you listen to this little bit of quiet talk between Charlie
+and Harry that you may determine, as Charlie did, to try to follow
+Harry's example, not to be discontented and impatient in sickness, or
+trial of any kind; to be often thinking of, and feeling thankful for,
+the blessings God has granted you; to love the Lord Jesus, and trust
+Him.
+
+You must not suppose that the evening at Mrs. Greenwell's was passed in
+talking only. After tea, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the boys, they
+looked at pictures, books, shells, and other things. Mrs. Greenwell had
+so many little histories to tell about them, and talked so pleasantly,
+that the boys enjoyed it very much; but the great wonder and attraction
+was a microscope, or "magnifying glass," as Charlie called it.
+
+Many of the boys had never seen or even heard of one before, and it
+puzzled them very much to be told that what looked to them very like a
+small lobster's claw was the foot of a fly.
+
+"What beautiful little feathers!" exclaimed one boy.
+
+"You know the sort of dust that sticks to your fingers if you touch the
+wings of a moth or a butterfly, don't you?" asked Harry.
+
+"Yes, sir,"' answered the boy.
+
+"Then that is some of it, magnified; the wings are covered with those
+beautiful little feathers, although we cannot distinguish them without
+the microscope."
+
+But I cannot attempt to tell you one half of the wonders that the
+microscope revealed to them that night, or the lessons it taught them of
+the power and wisdom of the Creator. Mrs. Greenwell pointed out to them
+the immense inferiority of man's best and most careful work when
+compared with the simplest work of God, A piece of delicately woven
+silk, of the finest texture, that looked perfect to the eye, when placed
+under the microscope appeared rough, coarse, and uneven--rather like a
+common door-mat, in fact; but the wing of a fly, the hair of a mouse,
+the eye of an insect, the scale of a fish, the dust of a moth's wing,
+the leaf of a plant--anything made by God, and owing nothing to the hand
+of man--the more it was magnified, the more beauties you discovered.
+Examine by the microscope the humblest and most minute of God's
+creations, and you will always find beauty, order, and perfection.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+A SAD BIRTHDAY.
+
+
+It is Charlie's birthday: two years have passed away since the great
+going out to tea at Mrs. Greenwell's, and he is now fourteen years old.
+It is a very quiet and a very sad birthday for Charlie. His father is
+ill--his good, kind father. This illness had been coming on for the last
+six months. Many of his neighbours and fellow-workmen had noticed for
+some time that "John Heedman had a bad look," and would shake their
+heads and look significantly at each other as he passed by, with his
+slow gait, his stooping shoulders, and loud, hollow cough, now almost
+constant, and more painful than ever. Often when Charlie awoke in the
+night he would hear his father pacing the room, unable to rest, or even
+lie down. The first time he heard him, he thought "Father must be ill;
+he has gone downstairs," and springing out of bed, he crept lightly down
+to see what was the matter.
+
+The shutters were thrown open, and the blind pulled up to the top.
+Charlie saw it was a calm, still night, and that every part of the sky
+visible from the window was spangled with a countless multitude of
+brilliant stars. His father stood at the window--he was leaning slightly
+forward--with clasped hands, and gazing up with eager, questioning eyes.
+Charlie felt that he was praying, and crept softly back. He sat down at
+the foot of the stairs to wait, feeling cold and shivering, and with a
+strange fear at his heart. He had not sat many minutes when he heard his
+father moving; then he called softly at the door, "Are you ill, father?
+can I do anything for you?"
+
+"Why, Charlie, how is this?" said his father, taking him by the hand and
+bringing him into the room.
+
+"I heard you down here, and I was afraid you were ill. Are you ill?"
+asked Charlie, anxiously.
+
+"Not altogether ill, perhaps, Charlie, and yet not well. My cough is
+very bad to-night, I can get no rest; when I lie down I feel as if I
+should be suffocated. But how cold you are, my boy! run away to bed," he
+said, trying to speak more cheerfully, "or we shall be having you laid
+up next."
+
+The cheerful tone did not deceive Charlie; he clung to him. "Father, you
+are worse than you say--tell me all; do not treat me like a little
+child; I am nearly fourteen years old."
+
+His father stood for a moment undecided, then he sat down and drew
+Charlie to him and told him all; how he had felt lately that his cough
+was getting worse and worse, and his whole frame weaker; that he was
+afraid some disease of the lungs had taken a firm hold, and that he
+intended to take a rest the next week and see a doctor if he did not
+feel any better. "You must not think I am going to die at once," he
+said, feeling Charlie tremble; "even if I have disease of the lungs I
+may live a long while yet, if it is God's will. I want you to be a brave
+boy, and not let your mother see you going about grieving and looking
+sad, and adding to her sorrow, but do all you can to help and comfort
+her. If you love me, you will try to do this." Charlie promised to try,
+and after a few more words of comfort and encouragement John Heedman
+persuaded him to go to bed. "My dear boy," he said, "you know that your
+love is a great happiness to me, but you must not come down again if you
+hear me up in the night; it will make me unhappy if I think I keep you
+awake."
+
+After this, although Charlie often heard his father of a night, he never
+came down again; but he crept softly out of bed and knelt down and
+prayed for him. He asked God to grant--if it were His will--that his
+father might get better; if not, that He would help him to bear his
+pain, for Jesus Christ's sake. It was not at all a grand, well-worded
+prayer, but it was simple, earnest, and heartfelt--just the sort of
+prayer God loves to listen to.
+
+On the morning of Charlie's birthday, about a fortnight after that night
+he went down to his father, John Heedman was quite unable to go out to
+his work; he had been obliged to give up at last, and the doctor was
+called in. When Charlie was sent out of the room until the doctor's
+visit was over, he rushed out of the house, unable to bear the suspense,
+and wandering down to the beach, he lay down to think with his face
+hidden in his cap, as if to shut out the too joyous sunlight.
+
+As he listened to the low, mournful surging of the waves, all his past
+life seemed to rise up before him; he remembered with bitter
+self-reproach how ill he had repaid the love and kindness of those dear
+ones at home; how often he had caused his mother hours of anxiety by his
+carelessness and procrastination; for Charlie had not altogether
+succeeded in conquering his great fault; how selfish he had been in
+every way. He remembered with shame how he had begged and worried for
+things without caring or thinking whether they could afford it; he had
+denied himself nothing, and now all this expense of his father's illness
+was coming upon them. If they had not taken him to keep when he was
+friendless, they would have had plenty of money saved, and would have
+wanted for nothing.
+
+As Charlie thought of all this, he determined that he would be a burden
+to them no longer, he would try to earn some money; there were boys far
+younger than himself, he knew, at work, and if he only earned a small
+sum at first, it would help. Full of this determination he made his way
+home. The doctor was just leaving as he went in, and Charlie heard from
+his mother that he held out no hope of his father's recovery; the
+disease had gone too far. He was on no account to go down the mine
+again, even if he fancied he felt strong enough; the impure air had
+already aggravated the disease. The doctor had said that if he took
+great care of himself he might, perhaps, be spared to them for some
+time.
+
+Charlie's heart was too full then to speak to his father; he went into
+his own room, shut the door, and stood for a moment as if uncertain what
+to do. "If only Mrs. Greenwell had been at home," he thought, "I could
+have told her all about it, and she would have advised me."
+
+"Tell it to God, He is always to be found, and can help as well as
+advise," something within him seemed to whisper. He listened to the
+voice, and kneeling down, poured out all his trouble, and sorrow, and
+anxiety, asking God to help him for Jesus Christ's sake. He then got up,
+bathed his face in cold water, for his eyes were swollen with tears, and
+started off to the chemist's with the doctor's prescription that his
+mother gave him.
+
+"Wait for the medicine," she said, "and bring it home with you."
+
+He was waiting in the shop until it was ready, and turning over all
+sorts of plans for the future in his mind, when one of Mrs. Greenwell's
+servants came in. "Is that you, Charlie Scott?" she exclaimed. "Master
+Harry was just inquiring after you, if you had been at the house
+lately."
+
+"How long have they been at home?" he asked in surprise.
+
+"About two hours; they came this morning."
+
+Charlie picked up the medicine that the chemist had placed before him,
+and set off home as hard as he could run.
+
+"I'm just going to Mrs. Greenwell's, mother dear," he said, giving it in
+at the door; "I'll soon be back."
+
+Harry Greenwell saw in a moment by Charlie's face that he was in
+trouble, and asked anxiously what was the matter. He liked Charlie, and
+from the first they had been as close friends as the difference in their
+station and education would allow. Charlie always went to Mrs. Greenwell
+and "Master Harry" when he was in trouble; indeed, Mrs. Greenwell had
+succeeded in making all the boys who went to her Bible class feel that
+she was their _friend_, and interested in all concerning them; and many
+of them were thankful for her advice and kind, encouraging words, when
+they were in trouble or anxiety.
+
+Charlie told them of his father's illness, of his own selfishness, his
+repentance, his self-reproach, and his anxiety to do something to help
+at home.
+
+"My dear boy," said Mrs. Greenwell, "I am so glad you have come to me;
+but I trust you have already laid all this before your great Friend and
+Father in heaven."
+
+"Oh yes, ma'am," answered Charlie; "but I feel so ashamed of having so
+often to ask God to forgive me; I feel almost afraid that He will be
+tired of me, and refuse to listen."
+
+"We might be afraid of that," said Mrs. Greenwell, "if we asked
+forgiveness in our own unworthy names--if the Saviour had never died for
+us. But as you know, He came into the world to save sinners. He gave
+Himself for our sins. 'He was wounded for our transgressions: He was
+bruised for our iniquities, and with His stripes we are healed.' 'The
+blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.' He has said,
+'Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you;'
+and if we doubt His word we are lost. If we repent, and are sincerely
+sorry for our sin, and ask God to forgive us, for Jesus Christ's sake,
+He will do so, no matter how often we go to Him. It is Satan who tries
+to put hard thoughts of God into our hearts. And now, in your trouble,
+Charlie, you do not know how the Saviour loves you and sympathizes with
+you. He knows what it is to suffer. He is waiting at the door of your
+heart, longing to come in and help and comfort you. He says, 'Behold, I
+stand at the door and knock;' do not refuse Him entrance, Charlie."
+
+Tears stood in Charlie's eyes when Mrs. Greenwell finished speaking,
+tears of thankfulness for such a Saviour, and of gratitude to Mrs.
+Greenwell.
+
+When they began to talk of what Charlie could do to help at home, and
+earn some money, Harry asked him what he would like to do best.
+
+"I should best like to be amongst engines, and machines, and those
+things," said Charlie. "Father meant me to be an engineer--a working
+engineer, if all had gone on well; he meant to apprentice me. But, of
+course, that is all over now," he said, with a sigh; "it would be so
+long before I could earn anything like good wages."
+
+"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Greenwell, turning over all sorts of plans in
+her mind. "You see," she went on, "errand boys get so little, and
+tradesmen will not give wages to inexperienced boys for shop work, when
+they can get apprentices. Haven't you thought of anything yourself?" she
+asked, after a pause.
+
+"There's the pit," answered Charlie, with a sigh; "I could get six
+shillings a week, as trapper, directly. Joe Denton gets more than double
+that now."
+
+"Oh, Charlie!" exclaimed Harry, "surely you will not have to go down
+those terrible mines?"
+
+Mrs. Greenwell reminded Harry that was not the way to help Charlie. "I
+know he will feel it hard at first if he goes; but still I am sure he is
+a brave boy and will not shrink from it, if he feels it to be his duty.
+You would not have him idling about at home, thinking only of his own
+comfort, and picking and choosing his work, when his father, who has
+done so much for him, is suffering from a lingering illness, and wanting
+so many little comforts that cannot be bought without money?"
+
+After a good deal of thought, Mrs. Greenwell said, "I believe, Charlie,
+it is the only thing for you. It will be a great trial to you, I know,
+to give up all your dreams about engines and machines, and being a
+clever man, and getting rich, and having instead to go down into a dark,
+dreary coal-pit day after day, to a life of hard toil; but it appears,
+as far as we can see, to be God's will and your duty. You remember those
+words of our Saviour,--'If any will come after Me, let him deny himself,
+and take up his cross and follow Me.' We have all a cross of some kind
+to bear, and this is your cross, Charlie; take it up patiently, bravely,
+and willingly. He will not give you more than you can bear. Trust Him.
+There is no doubt some great blessing is in store for you, if you do not
+shrink from this trial of your faith."
+
+Charlie had two or three very busy days before Saturday night came. As
+soon as he had decided to go down the mine, he went to a fellow-workman
+of his father's, Hudson Brownlee, and asked him if he would let him go
+down with him the first time. Brownlee was a kind-hearted man, and took
+an interest in Charlie. He promised to see about his work for him, and
+call on Monday morning at ten o'clock. Charlie kept it quite a secret
+from his father and mother until Saturday night, then, putting on some
+of his oldest clothes that he had routed out ready for Monday, and
+taking his father's lamp in his hand, that he used in the mine, he
+walked into the room where they were, made a bow, twisted himself round
+in front of them, and with a cheery face and merry tone said, "Do I look
+like work, father? shall I do?" At first they looked at him in
+amazement, but gradually his meaning came upon them.
+
+"My dear boy," said Mrs. Heedman, laying down her knitting, "what do you
+mean?"
+
+"I mean this," said he, putting down his lamp, and taking each of their
+hands in his, "I am not going to be an idle, selfish fellow any longer.
+It's all settled and done. I am going down the pit on Monday, with
+Hudson Brownlee, and I shall have six shillings to bring home on
+Saturday night; think of that, mother, and I shall soon get twice as
+much. Father shall want for nothing."
+
+Tears of love and pleasure stood in John Heedman's eyes, for he knew
+what it must have cost Charlie to make up his mind to it. "You know how
+happy it makes your mother and myself to hear you speak so bravely and
+gratefully," he said; "but are you quite sure, Charlie, that you have
+counted the cost? Take another week to think of it; thank God, we are
+not likely to want for some time, there is a little store put by.
+Remember it is a hard and dreary life to a young ambitious spirit; think
+it over again."
+
+"I have thought of it, father, ever since the doctor came to see you on
+Tuesday; it is quite settled. Mrs. Greenwell and Master Harry both seem
+to think it is my duty. They say I can serve God the same, and I shall
+be just as dear to Him as if I was ever such a rich engineer; and no
+honest work is a disgrace."
+
+"That is true," his father began; he was going to say something else,
+but Charlie seemed anxious to finish his say.
+
+"Master Harry says, father, I must think of what I have been taught, and
+try to do my duty in that state of life to which it has pleased God to
+call me. He says if I am obliged to work with my hands, I can work with
+my head too. Master Harry has offered to give me lessons in the morning
+before I go to work, and he will lend me books to read, and I shall have
+that to think about whilst I am down the pit. It won't seem half so
+dreary when I have busy, pleasant thoughts. And, father, Mrs. Greenwell
+says I have had such good training at home, and been able to get to
+Sunday school and Bible class so regularly, that I ought to be quite a
+missionary amongst the boys I shall meet, who have not had such
+opportunities."
+
+Application was made for him to be engaged at the pit, and it was agreed
+that Charlie should begin his new duties on Monday.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+DOWN THE MINE.
+
+
+All boys and girls know the pleasure of drawing up to a nice, bright,
+sparkling fire on a cold winter night. They give little shivers of
+comfort, and say, "What ever should we do without a good fire, such
+weather as this?" But we dare say very few give a thankful thought to
+the miner, whose hard toil has procured this comfort for them.
+
+Perhaps some who read this do not live in a mining country, and have not
+read or heard much about coal mines. If so, we think they will like to
+follow Charlie as he goes to his work on Monday morning. Hudson Brownlee
+called, as he promised, but we are sorry to say Charlie kept him waiting
+full five minutes whilst he searched for a comforter. His mother had
+told him to get it ready on Saturday night, but he put off until Monday
+morning, then he put off until he got back from Harry Greenwell's. Harry
+kept him longer than he expected, and he came tearing along just as
+Hudson Brownlee reached the door; then the comforter had to be found.
+At last they started. When Charlie stood near the great, dark, gaping
+mouth of the pit, and remembered that he had to go down there, he
+certainly felt as he afterwards described it, "very queer"--not afraid,
+oh no, but queer.
+
+The cage, as it is called, had just been let down, with its number of
+sixteen men; when it came up again, Hudson Brownlee, Charlie, and some
+other men and boys got in. If Charlie felt "queer" before, he felt still
+"queerer" now, and when the cage began to descend, he felt almost sick
+with the motion; it seemed to him as if they were never going to reach
+the bottom. Down, down, down they went; the clatter of the engine above,
+and the creaking of the cage, making Charlie fancy every now and then
+that the rope was giving way, and that in another second they would all
+be dashed to atoms. Whenever he looked up, and remembered that all their
+weight was bearing upon that rope, he screwed himself up into the
+smallest possible compass, as if that would make him lighter. He could
+scarcely see anything at first, the change from broad daylight to the
+glimmering light of the lamps that the men carried was so great.
+
+"Are you all right, my boy?" said Brownlee's cheery voice; "keep up your
+heart, we shall soon be out of this. He's a new hand," he said, turning
+to the others.
+
+"Who is it?" they asked.
+
+"Why," said Brownlee, lowering his voice, "it's that young one that John
+Heedman took to keep; his father was drowned, you'll remember--Scott,
+the pilot."
+
+On hearing this most of them were silent, but one boy thrust his lamp
+forward, and stared rudely in Charlie's face.
+
+"Why, if it isn't that Miss Nancy fellow, Scott!" he exclaimed, in
+either real or pretended astonishment. "But it can't be," he went on, in
+a mocking tone, "and yet it is; why, how ever has it happened that such
+a nice, good boy, the ladies' pet, has come down amongst us roughs? I
+thought he was going to be made a gentleman of--dear, dear! and he
+hasn't got his white collar on; and his mother isn't with him."
+
+"Come, hold that saucy tongue of yours, White Bob," said Brownlee, in an
+angry tone, "or it will be worse for you."
+
+The boy's proper name was Bob White. He was a tall, thin,
+singular-looking lad, about fifteen years old, with a pale face. When he
+first went to work in the mine some of the boys called him White Bob, in
+nonsense, and the name had stuck to him.
+
+He was certainly silent after Brownlee spoke to him, but he kept
+throwing back his head, lifting up his hands, turning up his eyes, and
+expressing his mock astonishment in so many odd ways, that the rest of
+the boys, although they bore no ill-will to Charlie, were convulsed with
+laughter. As for Charlie himself, he was in a great passion; it was
+fortunate that just at this moment the cage reached the bottom, and in
+the general scramble to get out he lost sight of Bob.
+
+"Now, my boy, keep close to me," said Brownlee, "never mind those
+fellows: keep your temper, and they'll soon tire of it. Now look about
+you; you are many hundred feet under ground." It was a strange scene to
+Charlie. Look where you would, nothing but black met the eye--black
+walls, black floor, groups of black men standing about--every one and
+every thing was covered with the bright coal dust that glittered and
+sparkled in the rays of the lamps, like black diamonds.
+
+"Now," said Brownlee, "we must get to work. I'll take you to your place,
+as it is in my way;" and they turned up a sort of road or gallery that
+had been cut out of the slate and coal. On each side of this branched,
+right and left, other roads or galleries that had been formed by the
+taking away of the coal; from these again branched other roads, and so
+on, that you might walk for miles under ground, in and out of the
+workings of the mine. As the coal is hewn away the roof is supported by
+props of wood. In some places it was so low that Brownlee had to walk
+stooping. Of course Charlie did not find all this out at first, for they
+only had the light given by their lamps to guide them and relieve the
+intense darkness.
+
+"What is that?" asked Charlie, as a little spark of light like a
+glowworm appeared in the distance, and a low rumbling noise met their
+ears.
+
+"You'll see in a minute," said Brownlee, smiling at Charlie's wonder.
+
+The light came gradually nearer and nearer, and then Charlie saw it was
+a lamp carried by a boy who had charge of a little pony and some coal
+tubs--sort of square tubs on wheels. Brownlee told him that the boys who
+had that work were called putters; they were occupied in taking empty
+tubs to the men who hewed the coal, and in bringing away the full tubs,
+and that they earned good wages: they had a shilling a score for the
+tubs they removed.
+
+"I should think the poor ponies have a hard life of it," said Charlie.
+"Do they take the tubs right away to the mouth of the pit?"
+
+"No, they only go so far, then the engine pulls them to the shaft, and
+they are drawn up to bank, to be emptied and sent down again."
+
+"We seem to have come a long way," said Charlie.
+
+"About a mile," answered Brownlee; "but we've worked a deal further out
+that way," pointing to the left. "We're either under the sea or close at
+the edge, out there."
+
+Charlie gave a little shudder. "Where is my work, please?" he asked.
+
+"Oh, we've passed your place; the door we came through last is the one
+you have to take care of. I'm just taking you round a bit, as you're new
+to it. Mind your head," he called, as they turned up a low gallery to
+the right, and they both went along stooping. "Stop there," said
+Brownlee, creeping along by himself a little further, and sitting on his
+heels opposite a wall of bright coal. "There," he said, "how would you
+like to sit cramped up like this for six hours, hewing coal, and hearing
+the stone above you crack like a gun, and move about as you work,
+expecting every moment you'll have to run for your life--that is, if you
+have the chance? I had a narrow escape last winter," he said, as he
+joined Charlie again; "two of us were working together, and all of a
+sudden there was an awful crack, like a cannon going off. It was who
+could scramble up and run quickest, I can tell you. It was my luck to
+be last, and down came a tremendous piece; the end of it just dropped on
+my foot as I was running, and it held me as fast as if a mountain had
+been on the top of me, although I was free all but my foot. None of them
+durst venture to me for a good bit, for there was an awful noise going
+on round me, and there I laid as fast as could be, expecting every
+moment would be my last."
+
+"What dangerous work!" exclaimed Charlie. "I should think nobody durst
+do it if they didn't know they had God to protect them and take care of
+them."
+
+"I'll see you to your work now," said Brownlee, turning the subject.
+"Here we are," he said; "do you see this seat behind the door? then all
+you've got to do is to sit here and pull that rope that opens the door
+when the putters or any of the men want to come through. The boys stay
+down twelve hours, but I'll see you again before I go up. It'll be
+lonely for you at first," he said, kindly.
+
+"Rather," said Charlie; "but I must remember that I am not alone."
+
+Brownlee looked at him inquiringly.
+
+"I mean, you know, that we are _never_ alone; that He is always with
+us," said Charlie, simply, with an upward glance and movement of the
+head.
+
+"Oh, aye," said Brownlee, hesitatingly, and moving off, as if he felt it
+was a subject he could not say much upon.
+
+It was strange how that thought clung to the miner--not alone; not
+alone! It haunted him, and often as he worked he glanced uneasily over
+his shoulder into the darkness beyond, with a sort of feeling that he
+was being watched--that there was a presence, an invisible something or
+some one hovering near, and listening to his very thoughts.
+
+It was quite a relief when a putter or any one came near that he could
+speak to. Hudson Brownlee had known perfectly well ever since he was a
+child that "God is everywhere," but he had never thought about it; he
+was _realizing_ His presence for the first time, and it made him nervous
+to feel that he was alone with God, who was powerful, and whom he had
+neglected.
+
+We must now go back to Charlie. His duty, if it was dull and lonely, was
+simple and easily attended to. He had opened the door for a great many
+boys and men, but he had not seen anything more of Bob White. Charlie
+remembered he was an old enemy, and had often waylaid himself and the
+other boys on their way to Mrs. Greenwell's class, and ridiculed them.
+His saucy, mocking tongue made him the terror of most of the boys in the
+mine. He had had the run of London streets for ten years, before his
+mother removed into the north, and was more than a match for most of the
+north country boys in a battle of words.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+NOT ALONE.
+
+
+Charlie's morning had passed away pretty well, and he began to think it
+must be dinner time; at any rate he felt hungry, so he sat down and
+looked to see what his mother had packed up for his dinner. There was a
+nice little beefsteak pie, just about as much as he could eat, and two
+or three of his favourite little round cakes to finish with; so Charlie
+in high glee, spread the cloth they were wrapped in over his knees, said
+grace, asked himself very politely if he would take a little pie, said
+thank you, and took the dish. He had eaten about half of it, and was
+enjoying himself very much when who should he see coming along but Bob
+White. What should he do? Should he try to wrap his dinner up and put it
+out of sight, or go on eating? but before he could decide, Bob was upon
+him.
+
+"Why," exclaimed Bob, pretending to start with surprise, "if here isn't
+the ladies' pet! and getting his dinner too," said Bob, stooping down to
+look curiously in the dish that was on Charlie's knee.
+
+"Pie," he remarked, "and very good it looks; what else? Oh, cakes! well,
+I'm in luck's way to-day, I am," breaking a piece off one and putting it
+in his mouth. "What's in the can?" he asked, pointing to it with his
+foot.
+
+"Water," answered Charlie, trying hard to keep his temper.
+
+"Well, you're a one to know manners," said Bob, "never to offer one a
+place to sit down on--move along. I'll hold the dish;" and suiting the
+action to the word, he snatched it up, and before Charlie had recovered
+himself, the rest of the pie was half eaten.
+
+[Illustration: CHARLIE AND THE PIE.]
+
+"Give me that dish," said Charlie, trembling with passion.
+
+Bob paused, and put on an injured countenance. "Can't you wait until
+I've finished? shouting out for the dish like that."
+
+Unseen by them both a gentleman was standing in the shade, watching the
+whole affair, and just as Charlie was rushing upon Bob like a little
+whirlwind, he stood out in front of them in the lamplight. Bob dropped
+the dish in his fright, and stood with his hands hanging down and his
+mouth open, staring in dismay at Mr. Carlton, the viewer.
+
+Mr. Carlton took out his note-book, and turning to one of the pages,
+quietly said, "This is the third time, White, that I have found you
+quarrelling with and tantalizing boys younger than yourself, and
+neglecting your work. Now this shall be the last time; you leave on
+Saturday night."
+
+All the impudence had faded out of Bob's face. "Oh, sir," he begged,
+clasping his hands in his earnestness, "please look over it this once.
+What shall I do if you turn me off? I dare not tell my mother; you know,
+sir, that she is ill, and what I earn is all we have. I deserve it
+perhaps, sir, but she doesn't--just this once!" he pleaded.
+
+Mr. Carlton felt some one touch his sleeve; it was Charlie. "I beg your
+pardon, sir," said Charlie, in a low tone, "but will you please forgive
+him this time?"
+
+Mr. Carlton looked at him with surprise. "Are you begging for him? have
+you forgiven him?" he asked.
+
+"Yes, sir," answered Charlie. "I am very sorry I lost my temper so. I
+have been well taught, and perhaps he hasn't."
+
+Mr. Carlton considered for a moment.
+
+Bob could not hear what Charlie was saying, but he fancied from his
+manner that he was telling his wrongs, and a sullen, angry expression
+spread over his face.
+
+"Come here, White," said Mr. Carlton. "I have consented to look over
+your bad conduct once more; but remember you owe it to this boy,"
+putting his hand on Charlie's shoulder; "he has pleaded for you; he has
+returned you good for evil: see that you are not ungrateful." He then
+left them, after asking Charlie his name.
+
+Bob stood still, feeling and looking very awkward. Charlie went up to
+him, and held out his hand. "You'll shake hands and be friends, Bob,
+won't you?"
+
+Bob shook hands shyly, and turned away to his work without speaking; but
+Charlie fancied he saw tears in his eyes.
+
+Soon after it was time for the men to leave. They came pouring out in
+all directions from the workings of the mine, and Charlie was kept busy.
+Hudson Brownlee came nearly last.
+
+"How do you get on?" he asked kindly.
+
+"Oh, pretty well; I'm getting more used to it already."
+
+"Good-bye," said Brownlee, taking a step forward, and then standing
+still. "What was it you were saying about not being alone?" putting on a
+careless, off-hand tone.
+
+"Oh," said Charlie, "I meant I should not feel lonely or afraid, because
+I knew God was with me. I remember father reading out of the Bible,
+'Fear not, for I am with thee;' and I know it is true, don't you?"
+
+"No," said Brownlee, thoughtfully, "I can't say that I do."
+
+"If I had my Bible here, I think I could find the words directly."
+
+"Ah," said Brownlee, "that's a book I don't know much about. You see I'm
+no scholar. I was careless about learning when I was young, and what
+little I did know I have almost forgot. It takes me such a while to
+spell out the words that I lose the meaning."
+
+"What a pity!" exclaimed Charlie, "You see it's almost impossible to get
+on right at all without the Bible, because God tells us in it what we
+are to do, and what we're not to do," he went on impetuously. "I was
+just thinking, as we came along down here with our lamps, about that
+text, 'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.' If we
+had not had lamps we should have been groping about in the dark,
+stumbling over things, knocking up against the props, hurting ourselves,
+and losing our way; but our lamps showed us the right path, and how to
+keep out of danger. And we should go groping and stumbling through the
+world in darkness, too, falling into all sorts of sin and temptation,
+hurting our souls, and losing ourselves altogether, if we had not the
+light of God's word to guide us."
+
+"Where do you get all your learning from? you seem to know a deal for a
+boy," said Brownlee.
+
+"Oh, father reads these things from the good book every day. I dare say
+he feels them comforting to himself when he's in the pit. Besides, I've
+been to a Sunday school."
+
+"Well, they are true," said Brownlee, thoughtfully; he held up his lamp
+and looked at it. "For twenty years this has been the only sort of lamp
+I've troubled myself about, but please God, if it's not too late----"
+Charlie could not hear the rest, for he waved his hand and followed the
+other men.
+
+At the end of the twelve hours Charlie was preparing to follow some men
+and boys to the shaft, when Bob White made his appearance. "It's rather
+queer," said Bob, shyly, "finding your way about here; will you go up
+with me?"
+
+"Thank you," said Charlie heartily, setting off with him, and talking
+away as freely as he could to put Bob at his ease.
+
+You may be sure Charlie was very glad to get home and rest after he had
+told his father and mother what he had seen and done. So ended his first
+day down the mine.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+A NEW FRIEND.
+
+
+After the conversation with Brownlee about the Bible, Charlie took his
+pocket Bible down the mine regularly; his father wished him to read a
+little every day at his dinner-time. He was one of those people who
+never like to waste a minute, and in his dinner-time he managed
+generally to have something to read that was worth reading. Bob was
+really grateful to Charlie for interfering in his behalf, and lost no
+opportunity of showing it. It was astonishing how he improved: so much
+good in him that had been lying dormant was called out under Charlie's
+better influence. Sometimes he seemed half ashamed of his good
+behaviour, and would break out for a time into the old reckless way; but
+one night on their way home Charlie was talking in his own loving way
+about his dear father and mother, and their kindness to him; how his
+plans for being an engineer had been put aside by his father's illness;
+how he hoped soon to get more wages for their sakes, and so on, when in
+some unaccountable way Bob's whole nature seemed softened; and as if he
+could not help it, he poured out to Charlie his home troubles and all
+his old life; how he had fallen amongst bad companions, and grew up to
+be hardened and reckless, almost without even a wish to be better.
+Sometimes, when he saw Charlie and the other boys going to Mrs.
+Greenwell's class, looking so happy and clean and orderly, the wish
+that he was like them would creep into his heart; but he drove it away,
+and called after them with mocking words. All this and much more he told
+Charlie with tears streaming down his face, and his voice broken by
+sobs.
+
+It almost frightened Charlie to see mocking, reckless Bob give way so
+completely. He was just wondering what he had better say to him, when
+Bob bid him good-night abruptly, and turned off home.
+
+After that night Bob never again attempted to keep up his
+care-for-nothing-or-nobody tone before Charlie. He generally brought his
+dinner now to eat beside Charlie. The first time the Bible was brought
+out, when they had finished, which required a little courage at first,
+Bob got up and sauntered away; the second time he sat still and whistled
+popular song tunes in a subdued tone, while Charlie read to himself; the
+third time he sat quietly; the fourth day the Bible was brought out he
+shuffled about uneasily, and at last said, "You may as well read out if
+you must read; it's dull sitting here without anybody to speak to."
+
+Charlie gladly agreed. "Let us read in turns," he said.
+
+Bob did not object, for he read well, and was rather proud of it. After
+this the Bible reading was an established custom, and Bob got very much
+interested as he read the history of Joseph, Moses, and others. Hudson
+Brownlee, happening to pass one day, stopped to listen when he saw how
+they were occupied, and soon a third was added regularly to the little
+party. After a parable or any striking passage had been read they would
+each give their own idea of its meaning and teaching, spending much
+thought upon it in their eagerness to give it in the best and clearest
+way. Often during their work Hudson Brownlee, Bob, and Charlie too,
+would ponder over some passage they had heard or read, comparing the
+different opinions upon it, applying it, thinking it out, and turning it
+over in their mind, until some great truth would stand out from the
+rest, fixing itself immoveably in their hearts and understandings. And
+so this study of the Bible, begun without any real religious feeling (on
+Bob and Brownlee's part, at any rate), led them to higher things--to a
+knowledge of God's holiness, of their own sin and unworthiness, and
+their need of a Saviour.
+
+But this was a work of time, and we must now go back a little in our
+history.
+
+When Charlie had been two months down the mine as a trapper, he was
+advanced to a higher post and better wages as a putter. He might have
+had the increase of wages quite a month before, but he put off applying
+for the place until it was too late, and another boy had been appointed.
+Harry Greenwell lent him some elementary books on mechanics, for his old
+love for such things was as strong as ever, and now that he was putter
+he had many opportunities of examining the working of the engine
+stationed down the mine. Those were glorious days for Charlie when it
+was out of order, and the engineer had to come down; he would hover
+round him, holding the tools for the men, helping to lift or carry
+anything, glad of any excuse to be near. His questions were so sensible
+and thoughtful, and his suggestions sometimes, for a youth, so good,
+that the engineer became quite interested in him, and explained to him
+thoroughly the working of the engine, giving him really valuable
+teaching in mechanics; and this knowledge stood him in good stead, as
+you will hear.
+
+On coming down to his work one morning he was surprised to find his
+favourite, the engine, at a stand-still. A number of the miners were
+near it, all talking together, trying to account for the accident, and
+deploring the absence of the engineer, who was away for a day or two's
+holiday.
+
+Mr. Carlton, the viewer, looked vexed and annoyed; he was asking the
+overman to send to a mine a few miles off for their engineer. Charlie
+made his way to the engine, and soon saw what was wrong. It was not
+much, and he felt sure that if he had the help of a pair of strong arms
+he could get it into working order.
+
+In his excitement he pushed his way to Mr. Carlton, and exclaimed, "I
+know what is wrong with her, sir; if you will just come and look, sir,
+I'll show you."
+
+Mr. Carlton, surprised and amused, followed him, and Charlie, stooping
+down and pointing up, full of animation, explained so clearly and
+intelligently the nature of the misfortune, and how it might be
+remedied, that Mr. Carlton, no longer with the amused expression on his
+face, called to one of the men, "Come here, Shields, and help him."
+
+In an hour's time Charlie's pet was working away as hard as ever.
+
+"Well done, my boy," said Mr. Carlton; "tell me where you picked up all
+this knowledge."
+
+The men were gone off to their work, and Mr. Carlton soon drew all
+Charlie's little history from him. He made no remark, excepting that
+when Charlie made his polite bow and turned off to his work, he asked
+him where his father lived.
+
+In the evening, when Charlie got home, he thought his father and mother
+looked very smiling and mysterious, and after they had kept him guessing
+what was the cause for a little while, they told him that Mr. Carlton
+had been there; he thought they would like to hear of Charlie's success
+with the engine. "And here's good news for you," said his mother. "Mr.
+Carlton says that if you like to work as a putter six hours a day you
+may help the engineer, and learn all you can, the other six, and he will
+give you the same wages as you earn now."
+
+Charlie threw himself into a chair, and sat quite still for a few
+moments. "Isn't it wonderful, mother?" he said at last--"isn't it
+wonderful? When I went down the pit there seemed no chance of my ever
+doing anything else all my life. The _other_ seemed impossible; and yet
+how God has brought it all about! I shall be an engineer after all, and
+I have good wages too to begin with. If I hadn't given up all thoughts
+of it, and gone quietly down the pit because God made me feel it was my
+duty, I should have lost all this. I hope I shall never doubt Him after
+this. Won't it be capital, father?" he went on, getting excited. "When I
+get plenty of money you shall have such a beautiful garden and
+greenhouse! I think you're feeling better for the rest already, are you
+not?"
+
+John Heedman could not bear to damp Charlie's happiness, so he turned
+off the question by saying, "Mr. Roberts, the clergyman, was here
+to-day. I told him about Brownlee and Bob White; he was very pleased to
+hear about you all meeting for Bible reading, and he is going to look
+out for them, and get them to a Bible class he has every week, and to
+the house of God."
+
+The only drawback to Charlie's happiness now was the increasing illness
+of his father. Sanguine and hopeful as he was, he could not blind
+himself to the fact that every day his father got weaker and weaker.
+
+A visit to John Heedman was a lesson in Christianity to any one,--his
+wonderful patience under suffering, his perfect trust in the Saviour,
+his quiet waiting for the end--happy to go, yet happy to stay and suffer
+so long as it pleased God.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+SORROW, HUMILIATION, AND REPENTANCE.
+
+
+We are quite sure that you have been very glad to read of the progress
+which Charlie has made since we first met him on the pier a little
+sunburnt boy only eight years old. You have seen what good, kind friends
+he met with; how well he was trained; how nobly he came out when his
+father was ill in denying himself and going down the mine, and how he
+was rewarded; and you have seen, too, how he tried to do something for
+God in helping Brownlee and Bob White; and yet we are so sorry to have
+to tell you that all this time his old habit of putting off was still
+growing up with him, and latterly a good deal of self-righteousness had
+crept into his heart. Unconsciously he began to have a very high opinion
+of himself, and would often think with pride how different he was from
+many boys that he knew.
+
+Unfortunately he seemed to have no idea how completely he was in the
+power of his old enemy, procrastination. It would have made our story
+much too long if we had told you every instance in which he gave way to
+it, but we think you will see that this habit of putting off was his
+besetting sin, the one flaw in his character. The ship was sailing
+pleasantly along, with decks clean swept, with colours flying, and all
+looking well and prosperous; but there was a leak, one little
+treacherous leak, which, if it remained unnoticed and unstopped, would
+soon bring confusion and destruction upon the ship, gay and gallant
+though she looked.
+
+We may often be deceived in ourselves, and think that we are going on
+well, but God cannot be deceived. He sees us as we really are, not as we
+appear to ourselves and to others. He is training each one of us, and He
+saw in Charlie's case that a fiery trial was needed to burn out of him
+that besetting sin that had been so long indulged. Just as gold is
+purified by being passed through a fiery furnace, so our hearts need to
+be purified sometimes by great sorrows, by fiery trials; and so it was
+that Charlie had to suffer a most bitter, a most sad and humiliating
+fall.
+
+Eleven months had passed since John Heedman first called in the doctor;
+he had lingered so long, but now the end was very near. He would not
+hear of Charlie staying away from his work, although Mr. Carlton had
+kindly offered to let him have a few days at home.
+
+One evening when Charlie came in from work his mother gave him a letter.
+"You had better go straight to the post with it," she said, afraid that
+he would put off. "Your father is very anxious it should go by
+to-night's post. Now, Charlie, _do_ take care," she said, anxiously.
+
+Charlie's good opinion of himself--his pride--was touched.
+
+"I wish, mother, you wouldn't talk to me as if you thought I didn't know
+what I was about," he said, in an angry tone, slamming the door after
+him as he went out. He had not gone far when he met Bob White, who was
+going with a note from the clergyman to get some books out of the
+library. "Come with me," said Bob, "and we'll have a look through the
+books."
+
+"I've got to go to the post office," said Charlie, "but there's time
+enough yet; I'll go with you." He argued with himself, "What's the use
+of putting the letter in ever so long before post-time if it won't go a
+bit the quicker." He was in an irritable humour, angry to think that
+_he_ should have been doubted. If he had been like Tom Brown, or Joe
+Denton, or any of those careless fellows, it would have been a different
+thing.
+
+Arrived at the library, both the boys were soon interested in looking
+over the books, and the time flew rapidly. "I'll just glance at these,"
+thought Charlie, taking out two more with very attractive titles, "and
+then I must be off to the post."
+
+Charlie took up a third, determined that it _should_ be the last, when
+Bob said, "I think you had better inquire how the time goes."
+
+"It's nothing like time for the post to close yet, is it, sir?" he asked
+of the librarian.
+
+"It only wants three minutes to the time; it is not possible for you to
+save it, I am afraid."
+
+Charlie dashed down the broad steps and along the streets as hard as he
+could run; but he was too late, the post had just gone, and he was
+obliged to drop the letter into the empty box. He walked slowly home,
+out of breath and out of temper, hoping no questions would be asked. "I
+don't see why I should say it was too late unless I'm asked," he argued,
+shrinking from confessing to his mother that she was justified in
+doubting him. Nothing was said about the letter that night; his father
+was much worse, and everything else was forgotten. Charlie was almost
+heartbroken to see him so ill, and miserable at the thought that he was
+deceiving him about the letter.
+
+The next morning, as he was leaving the room to go out to his work, his
+father called him back. "Charlie," he said, "I am expecting a sister of
+mine to-night, and I want you to go to the train and meet her; she would
+get the letter you posted last night this morning, and will have time to
+get here by the half-past eight train to-night." He paused for a moment.
+Why did not Charlie undeceive him about the letter _at once_? He made
+up his mind to tell him, but put it off until his father had finished
+all he had to say.
+
+"I have not seen my sister for years," said John Heedman; "she is the
+only relative I have living, but some misunderstanding rose up between
+us after my mother's death--at least, she took offence, and I do not
+know the reason even now. I wrote several times, but she did not answer.
+That letter you posted last night was to her; she will come, I know,
+when she hears that I am so near death. There must be something to
+explain away, and I am anxious for a reconciliation before I die;
+indeed, it is the only earthly wish I have left." He said this so
+earnestly, and with such an anxious, longing expression in his eyes,
+that Charlie was obliged to turn away; he could not bear it.
+
+How _could_ he tell him that she had not got the letter? If only he had
+confessed his neglect the same night, before he knew the contents of the
+letter, it would not have been half so bad.
+
+"You had better go now, my boy," said his father, kindly, "or you'll be
+late at work."
+
+Charlie went. I need not tell you that he had a miserable day.
+
+At night his father called him into his room and gave him as careful a
+description of his sister as he could to guide him in knowing her.
+Charlie dressed and went to the station, and walked up and down the
+platform until the train came in, gazed at the people, and walked home
+again. It seemed as if he could not help it; instead of recovering
+himself after the first false step, he had gone on sinking deeper and
+deeper into sin and deception; he seemed powerless to help himself.
+
+"Hasn't she come?" exclaimed his mother, seeing he was alone. "Oh dear,
+what will your father do? he has been almost living upon the expectation
+of seeing her these last few hours; he has watched the door ever since
+you went out. I'm afraid the disappointment will throw him back sadly."
+
+Charlie could not trust himself to speak, but turned into the sick room.
+His father was propped up with pillows, and looked eagerly to the door
+when Charlie entered; he still waited in expectation until Mrs. Heedman
+came in and closed the door. "Where is she?" he asked; "where is Jane?"
+
+"She has not come," said Mrs. Heedman, gently; "perhaps to-morrow
+morning will bring her.--You posted that letter in time, Charlie?" she
+asked.
+
+"Yes, mother," Charlie answered, in desperation, and in a very low
+voice.
+
+"It will be too late to-morrow," said John Heedman, sinking back on his
+pillows exhausted--"it will be too late." He lay so still for about an
+hour that Charlie thought he slept; after that he called Charlie to him,
+and wished him to sit up that night with his mother. He spoke very
+tenderly and lovingly, and told Charlie how happy his gratitude and love
+and obedience had made him, and how he thanked God that Charlie had
+never told him an untruth or deceived him, although he had still grave
+faults to overcome. He spoke for some time, every word sending a pang
+to Charlie's heart, who knew how unworthy he was of his confidence and
+praise. He sobbed hysterically, but was unable to speak.
+
+What a night that was for Charlie, as he sat there with his mother hour
+after hour in the still and darkened room! His anguish and remorse
+became unbearable. How could he let his father die without undeceiving
+him and asking his forgiveness? He could not--he must not. Oh! if he had
+only spoken at first, when the first false step was taken, he would not
+have been led into all this sinful deceit, and that terrible lie would
+never have been told. Now it was such a difficult task--and yet he must
+do it. He glanced at the timepiece: when the hour-hand reached one he
+would tell him; he would think now what he had better say--how he should
+begin. How fast that hour seemed to fly! It was one o'clock, and he had
+nothing ready to say; he dare not begin; he would wait until two,
+perhaps his father would be awake then. Two o'clock came; his father
+still slept, looking so calm and peaceful--how could he disturb him to
+listen to his sad tale of sin and shame?
+
+Soon after his father awoke; he started up and looked anxiously round.
+Charlie and his mother felt instinctively that it was death. In his
+terror, Charlie sprang towards him. "Father, forgive me," he burst out,
+in an imploring tone. "I did _not_ post the letter in time. I told a
+lie--forgive me--speak to me! pray forgive me!" A look of unutterable
+anguish passed over his father's face. Charlie waited for an answer,
+but none came. His father was far away from him--he was at rest; he was
+in that home where sin and sorrow cannot come.
+
+It is useless attempting to describe Charlie's misery, it was so great.
+His father, who had so loved and trusted him, had at last died, with his
+hope in him crushed, his confidence in him broken. His father had died,
+listening to his confession of sin and deception, and without being able
+to judge whether his repentance was sincere. The confession came too
+late for his forgiveness or counsel.
+
+The thought of all this completely crushed Charlie. For hours he sat
+crouching on the floor in his own room, without a single comforting
+thought. He had not only deceived his father, he had offended God. He
+sat in his misery, feeling careless whether he lived or died. No tears
+came, but his heart throbbed with a dull, aching pain that was
+unbearable.
+
+It was a bitter, bitter lesson to Charlie, but it did its work; it led
+him to think and pray more earnestly, and to watch; and by degrees the
+darling sin that had been so long indulged was crushed and rooted out.
+
+You will be glad to know that he grew up to manhood, admired and
+respected by those who knew him not only for his talent as an engineer,
+but for his upright Christian character. One thing he was noted for,
+that was punctuality. "No fear of Scott being behind time or putting
+off," would often be said of him.
+
+His good mother lived many years to see and share his happiness; and
+Harry Greenwell, who had always insisted that Charlie would come out
+well in the end, was delighted to see his prophecy fulfilled.
+
+Yet, in the midst of his prosperity, how often Charlie's thoughts went
+back to that sad, sad time! all the old feelings of pain and regret
+would come back at the remembrance of his sin, and that look of anguish
+on his father's face, that could never be forgotten. Yet, although these
+thoughts left him saddened for a while, they also left him full of
+thankfulness to the Saviour, whose blood cleanseth from all sin, and
+grateful to the all-wise and merciful God, who had sent the trial to him
+in kindness and love. He saw clearly that if he had only humbly watched
+_at first_, that bitter day would have been spared.
+
+J. AND W. RIDER, PRINTERS, LONDON.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Charlie Scott, by Unknown
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author	Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org>	2025-10-15 02:16:54 -0700
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tree	c523bf2f6a206c34610e719f2e7adf5d99c20375