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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/75954-0.txt b/75954-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9fcd802 --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2103 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75954 *** + + +Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. +New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the +public domain. + + +[Illustration: The Wet Sunday.] + + + + THE + + WIDOW DAVIS + + AND + + THE YOUNG MILLINERS + + + A Story for Young Ladies. + + + BY THE AUTHOR OF + + "THE MOTHER'S MISSION," "THE OBJECT OF LIFE," ETC. + + [_LUCY ELLEN GUERNSEY_] + + + + [Illustration] + + THREE ILLUSTRATIONS. + + [Illustration] + + + + NEW YORK: + NELSON & PHILLIPS. + CINCINNATI: HITCHCOCK & WALDEN. + + + + CONTENTS. + + [Illustration] + +CHAPTER + + I. SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE DAVIS COTTAGE + + II. JANE SAUNDERS SEEKING LIGHT + + III. OBSTINATE ELLEN + + IV. BRIGHTER DAYS + + + + [Illustration] + + + + Illustrations. + + [Illustration] + + THE WET SUNDAY + + JANE SAUNDERS + + THE YOUNG MILLINERS + + + + THE WIDOW DAVIS + + AND + + THE YOUNG MILLINERS. + + [Illustration] + +CHAPTER I. + +SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE DAVIS COTTAGE. + +MRS. DAVIS had once filled the situation of assistant teacher in a +school, where she had profited by opportunities of instruction; but +after a period of prosperity, a succession of trials and losses, +followed by widowhood and broken health, had reduced her to extreme +poverty. Subsequently her only child, Mary, having, through the +kindness of friends, been instructed in the various branches of the +millinery and dress-making business, was able to afford material help +to her mother, in the little income she earned, and on which they lived +in contented obscurity. + +Mary Davis was employed at the establishment of the chief milliner and +dressmaker in her native town, where her steady attendance and never +failing industry were greatly valued, and where tolerable regularity +in the hours of labor, and an hour snatched from rest, either in the +morning or evening, at home, enabled her to minister in many ways to +her mother's personal comfort. + +Sunday was Mary's happiest day; a portion of it was spent in the public +worship of God, and the study of his word; a portion in instructing +others at the Sunday school; and the remainder in enjoyment of her +mother's society. + +But very different were the Sunday enjoyments of Mary's young +companions at Miss Baylis's, some of whom had homes in the town, and +some lived in the house of business; and Mrs. Davis heard with pain +and regret of their plans for amusement and pleasure on the Lord's +day, which they considered entirely their own. Displays of finery, and +meetings for revelry and gossip, after the six days' restraints of +duty, constituted their chief idea of enjoyment, as if the cessation of +bodily toil implied also the waste of precious time, the misapplication +of other talents, and total neglect of the immortal soul. + +No longer able, through infirm health, to prosecute her labor of love +in the Sunday school, or the district, Mrs. Davis applied her heart and +mind, with prayerful interest, to the condition of these thoughtless +young people, and watched in anxious hope for some opportunity of +usefulness in their behalf. They were her daughter's companions +necessarily for six days every week; they were immortal creatures; +and they were living not only without God in the world, but in open +rebellion against his authority, and rejection of his love. This was +enough to enlist the active efforts of a practical Christian. She began +with a wet Sunday afternoon. + +Among the smaller miseries of human life, first in the catalogue of +the milliner's apprentice, the shopman or shopwoman, and indeed of all +employed in weekly labor, whose hearts have not found peace in Him who +"prepareth rain for the earth, giveth snow like wool, and causeth the +wind to blow," stands a wet Sunday afternoon. Vain were it to attempt +an enumeration of its powers to disappoint, to cross and irritate those +whose minds are set upon self-indulgence in one form or another, from +the tradesman, intent upon his drive, to the little servant maid whose +turn is the "Sunday out." + +"Rain again, mother," said Mary Davis, as she prepared for church one +Sunday morning; "how disappointed two of our new workwomen will be, +for they have talked of nothing all the week but a pleasure trip this +afternoon." + +"Do you think they would come here instead?" asked her mother. +"Perhaps, as they have not been long enough in the town to have made +many acquaintances, they might be glad of an invitation, rather than +remain in their own room." + +Mary shook her head; she did not think it probable that two such gay +and dressy girls as Jane and Ellen Saunders would like to come to her +quiet home, but she would be passing the house, and could call to ask +them; this, on her return from church, she did. + +She found the sisters sitting at the window, with most uncomfortable +tempers and discontented faces, looking out upon the dirty street and +the falling rain, making remarks upon every person who passed by, who +afforded any possible subject for their ridicule and criticism of dress +or manner. + +"Why, Mary Davis," exclaimed Jane, as Mary entered the room, "who would +have thought of seeing you here to-day? Are you come to sit with us, +and help us to get over this miserable day some how or other? I'm sure +I don't know what to do with myself." * + + * See Frontispiece. + +Mary delivered her mother's message, and observed with pleasure that +Jane's countenance brightened up from its dull, heavy expression of +idleness and ill-temper, though Ellen still looked as sulky as before. + +"I'm sure it's very kind of your mother, and of you too, Mary, to think +of us, and to come in all this rain to ask us," said Jane. + +"You need not praise my kindness," said Mary, smiling, "for I have only +called on my way from church." + +"What, have you been to church such a morning as this? You are +wonderfully good I'm sure, and don't care about your clothes as much as +I do." + +"My cloak and boots are water-proof, you know; but I must not stay, so +what shall I tell my mother?" + +"That I shall be very glad to come, very glad indeed, won't you, Ellen?" + +"I—I really don't know," stammered Ellen; "perhaps it may clear up yet." + +"O no, I don't believe it will; there isn't a gleam of sunshine or a +bit of blue sky to be seen. I give it up altogether for to-day, and you +wouldn't be so ill-natured as to go without me, even if the weather +should get a little better." + +There was no knowing exactly what ill-natured thing Ellen might not +have been meditating, if her countenance at all indicated her feelings. +"Well," said she at last, "I'm much obliged to you, Mary, but I don't +think I shall like to go out at all." + +"I will come," said Jane, cheerfully; "what time shall I be at your +house?" + +"As early as you please," replied Mary. "I shall not be at home from my +Sunday school class till between four and five, but my mother will be +very glad to see you;" and away tripped Mary over the mud, and through +the rain to her frugal dinner at home, before attending the Sunday +school, where she taught a class of little children, few of whom would +probably be present that day. + +"I wonder at you, Jane," said Ellen scornfully, as soon as the sisters +were alone; "why you will have a duller afternoon than sitting here +looking out of our window; and somebody might happen to come that would +cheer us up a little; but at Mrs. Davis's, in that stupid dull lane, +what in the world is there to see? Besides, you will get wet in going." + +"O but I need not put on anything very nice to go there, you know; and +it will be a change, for I really am tired of sitting here. I like Mary +too; and as she is no gossip, she has not asked us to come for the sake +of amusing herself, but because she knew we must be disappointed of +going where we liked; and I call that kind." + +"I don't believe she is sorry we are disappointed though," said Ellen; +"you know she is rather religious, and I dare say her mother is as +stiff as buckram, and does nothing but read the Bible, and sing psalms; +or perhaps she will give you a lecture. Poor Jane, how you will repent +going within her reach!" + +And Ellen laughed satirically at the idea of her sister's mortification +under the lecture of her religious hostess. + +"For shame, Ellen," said Jane, half vexed and half laughing; "what +right have you to object to her reading the Bible and singing psalms if +it makes her comfortable? What else have old people to do? Enjoyment is +all over for them; and if they can get up something to pass away their +time, and make them easy about death, I'm sure I think it is a great +mercy for them. Besides, it is Sunday you know and a little religion +once a week is only proper for everybody, I suppose." + +"Well, then," retorted Ellen, "why did you not go to church this +morning, instead of grumbling here with me?" + +"Because," replied Jane, with honesty, "I did not like to spoil my best +things, and I did not choose to go in shabby ones. I can tell you, I +envied Mary that comfortable cloak, that we laughed at her for buying, +instead of having a pretty fancy mantle like ours. She thought of the +wet days, we only of the fine ones." + +"I do hate wet Sundays," exclaimed Ellen passionately; "I can't think +what they are made for, except it is to disappoint people who work hard +all the week and have no other day to enjoy themselves in." + +Jane looked at her sister with mingled surprise and compassion. She had +quite recovered from her own annoyance, and had never seen Ellen so +thoroughly out of temper on the subject before; and she justly feared +that something more was involved in the disappointment than she was at +present aware of. + +"Will it be of any use for me to stay at home with you, Ellen?" said +she, kindly. "I forgot when I accepted Mary's invitation, that you +would be alone." + +"O dear no, go by all means, and see how you like the old woman's +lecture. I dare say I shall hit upon some way to amuse myself by and +by." + + +When Mary reached home in the afternoon, she found Jane seated there, +without any trace of weariness or discontent visible on her bright +face. She knew something of her mother's powers to attract and +interest, and was not surprised when Jane, turning round to notice her +entrance, exclaimed playfully, "I can't talk to you yet, Mary; I must +hear the end of what your mother is telling me first." + +"Are you wet, dear?" asked the mother, as Mary threw off her cloak. + +"Scarcely at all, mother, thank you; I am so glad I had this useful +cloak." + +"Ah, Mrs. Davis," said Jane, "Mary is a sensible girl; who knows it is +not all sunshine in this world, and we could not persuade her to buy a +thing that would not stand a shower." + +"I do not like to see people in distress about spoiling their clothes, +if it is right for them to be exposed to the risk of getting wet," +said Mrs. Davis; "and if we cannot afford to purchase for all kinds of +weather, it is wisest to get such as will not be greatly injured by any +weather." + +"Very true; but you see, Mrs. Davis, ours is a dangerous kind of +business for economy of that sort. We are engaged in making pretty +things, and setting people off to the best advantage; and it is +very natural to like to do the same for ourselves when we get an +opportunity. But I do confess that often when we have been tempted to +spend our money on what is elegant, we are obliged afterward to feel +the want of what is useful." + +"You speak very candidly," said Mrs. Davis, smiling kindly; "will you +forgive me for asking why the good sense, or the experience which has +taught you that you are liable to such temptation, does not carry you +one step further, and cause you to resist it?" + +"Ah, that is just what I should like to know," said Jane. "Here is your +good Mary who never yields to such temptations, nor covets any of the +beautiful things we make up, though they would look as well upon her as +on the people who are to wear them. What is the reason of it? I hate +a weak mind that has always to be troubled with repentance after the +mischief is done." + +"Is not the great safeguard against that unhappy consequence found in +acting always from steady principle, instead of being led by changeable +feelings?" asked Mrs. Davis. + +"I dare say it is. And Mary has a steady principle, then." + +"O do not quote me, Jane," interrupted Mary. "You do not know how +it would have been with me if I had not a mother, a dear Christian +mother," she added affectionately. + +"And a wiser and higher guide in the counsel and control of the Spirit +of God," said Mrs. Davis. + +"Dear, dear, how calmly you speak of such awful things!" said Jane, +somewhat alarmed, for she remembered her sister's warning about "a +lecture," and thought it must be coming now. + +"And why should we not speak calmly, and thankfully too, of truths +that are intended to give peace to our hearts, and consistency to +our conduct? You wished to know what would enable any one to resist +temptation, did you not, my dear?" + +"Yes, but—but I did not know that it belonged to religion; I thought +you said something about principle." + +"So I did. I have no idea of any real, strong, trustworthy principle +which does not spring from true religion. I do not mean the dull, +formal, heartless profession which some are satisfied to call religion; +but I mean the sweet and happy pleasure of acting out in all we do the +love with which a living faith in the work and mercy of a most precious +Saviour fills our hearts. But I see Mary has made tea, and by and by, +if you please, you shall help us to read an interesting account of one +who was ruled by this principle, and it will show my meaning better +than my own words can do it." + + +When Jane reached home at dusk that evening Ellen was absent; but her +arrival at the last moment allowed by the rules of the house, and +in the highest possible spirits, convinced her sister that she had, +according to her own predictions, "hit upon some way to amuse herself." + +"O Jane," she began, "what a pity you went out so early! Do you know +that good-natured Fannie Ashton sent her little brother to say that her +father and mother were going out, and she wished us to come and have +tea with her, for she was obliged to stay at home to mind the little +ones. So of course I went, and we have had such fun." + +"You and Fanny and the little ones?" said Jane, inquiringly. + +"Well, there was just another or two; and Henry Ashton brought in a +companion with him to tea, so we were a merry party. Fanny said she +ought to enjoy herself if she had to keep house, and she gave the +children cakes and sugar-plums to keep them in good humor, and got them +off to bed as soon as she could, and then we did enjoy ourselves till +I was obliged to come away. They all laughed about your going to Mary +Davis; and Fanny said you would be sure not to be caught so again. Did +you get the lecture I promised you?" + +"No, indeed," said Jane; "and I don't know that there was anything +to laugh at. I have had a very pleasant afternoon, and Mrs. Davis is +such a nice kind person, her manners and mind are quite like a lady's, +though she is not very well off now, I suppose. I was so glad when she +asked me to go whenever I like on a Sunday afternoon; and I shall very +often like, let who may laugh at it." + +"On wet Sundays, I suppose," said Ellen; "but of course you will not +go and mope there on fine ones. We are to go next Sunday the excursion +planned for to-day; and our party will have some other pleasant people +I can promise you." + +"Ah, Ellen, take care. You know uncle said you were too fond of company +and new acquaintances." + +"Well, do you think he would be pleased with your prim Mrs. Davis +and her daughter? Does he not wish us to associate with people above +us, rather than below us? So take care for yourself, Jane, and don't +suppose that you need to watch over me." + +"But you must come with me to Mary's some day," said Jane, "and judge +for yourself. You cannot help liking Mrs. Davis, I'm sure. And do you +know she actually read such a pretty story, and you thought she read +nothing but the Bible." + +"Now I know there were bits of the Bible in the book, weren't there, +Jane?" asked Ellen, laughing. "Else you would never have got the story: +I shan't let her choose stories for me." + +"It was all very good, wherever it came from," said Jane, "and quite +fit for Sunday, though interesting enough for other days. I shall go +and hear some more of it next Sunday; so, good-night." + +Jane and Ellen Saunders were orphans, left to the care of a +respectable, kind-hearted uncle, who had given them as much of +education as he considered suitable to their prospects in life, and +had promised that after they had obtained sufficient experience in the +business to which they had been apprenticed, he would set them up in a +small establishment for themselves. In the mean time they were to be +employed by the Misses Baylis, whose extensive connection furnished +opportunity for acquiring that further experience. + + +The following Sunday proving again showery and dull, found Jane the +willing companion of Mary Davis, while Ellen still preferred to wear +out her temper and patience at the window, in anxious hope that some +congenial friend would take compassion on her solitude. This happened +at last, for the excursion having been again deferred, Fanny Ashton, +with her brother and his friend, called to invite her to a walk toward +some public gardens, where they could take tea, and find shelter if so +inclined. It never struck the vain and foolish girl to observe how her +company served the design of Fanny Ashton, by occupying the attentions +of the brother, under whose protection she left home, while she herself +appropriated those of his flattering friend. Nor did Ellen pause to +reflect, that had Henry Ashton been sincere in his professions of +regard, such scenes of Sabbath-breaking revelry as some of those which +he occasionally permitted her to witness or overhear, were not just +those to which feelings of respect and a sense of propriety would have +introduced her. + +Jane found her kind friends as agreeable as before, and soon became a +regular and welcome visitor at the cottage. + +By a natural and easy transition from opinion or opposition to decision +and proof, Mrs. Davis gradually led the attention of the ignorant +girl to the great standard of truth, and stimulated her interest by +occasionally calling upon Mary to name the chapter and verse in which +the desired reference occurred; and as Mary had learned Scripture +from her childhood, she served the purpose of a concordance to the +astonished Jane. + +"Dear Mary, I never knew anything like your memory," she exclaimed one +evening; "I wish I could remember where to find what I want in the +Bible as you do." + +"That is to be done by practice," said Mrs. Davis; "and if you will not +think it too childish, suppose I ask you to learn a text for me every +week. Say it over to yourself each day, and you will certainly know it +by Sunday." + +"I'm sure I have no objection if it will please you," said Jane; +"you are the first person who ever made me think there was anything +interesting in the Bible, excepting to old people who are going to die +soon. You are not old yet you know," she added quickly. + +"I have no objection to be classed with old people, I assure you," said +Mrs. Davis, smiling, "if it is one of their privileges to find the +Bible their dearest consolation; but do not young people die sometimes?" + +"Perhaps they do; but then one does not expect that they should, you +know." + +"But since it does often happen, is it not wise to be prepared at any +time for that which must come some time?" + +"I dare say you are quite right, but it is so melancholy to be thinking +about death; and while we are well I don't think it can be necessary: +there is no need to meet trouble half way, is there?" + +"It is only melancholy to those who do not know of a Friend in heaven, +with whom to be present is far better than any earthly pleasure." + +"My father and mother and two little brothers are in heaven," said +Jane, "but that does not make me wish to go there yet." + +"But have you a Saviour in heaven an advocate with the Father, who +has 'washed you from your sins in his own blood,' who represents you, +pleads for you, loves you with an everlasting love, for whose sake you +will be welcome to all the happiness and honor of his presence and +kingdom?" + +"Ah, Mrs. Davis, who can tell that?" + +"All who walk and live by faith in the Son of God, dear Jane, can tell +that." + +"Then I have no faith, for I know nothing about such things; and if +they make one wish to die, I don't want to know them yet." + +"It is not necessary to wish to die; but it is most comforting to know +and feel that which would take away the sting of death, if it pleased +God to cut short our term of life. But the very same faith and love +which would rejoice to depart and be with Christ, also enables God's +people to live in content and happiness on earth as long as he sees +good to spare them." + +"Do you wish to die?" asked Jane, abruptly. + +"Not now, dear. But I did wish it once when I had some severe trials; +I used to say with David, 'Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then +would I fly away, and be at rest . . . I would hasten my escape from +the windy storm and tempest.' But it was wrong, and I know now that in +heaven, where there is no sorrow, or sighing, or sin, we cannot glorify +God in the way that we may here amid the trials and temptations of +life." + +"But," exclaimed Jane, with the perversity of the natural heart, "I +should not wish to live if I thought I must have trials and miseries in +this world." + +"Then, dear girl, do you not perceive how desirable is that divine +grace which so overcomes the self-will and the selfishness of our +sinful nature, as to make us submissive and patient under all God's +dealings? You know you must submit after all, for who can successfully +resist his will? But to trust his love, like an affectionate, obedient +child who knows that he 'doth not willingly afflict,' is peace, most +precious peace, and the secret of true happiness." + +"Ah," thought Jane, "I am afraid Ellen would say I am getting the +lecture now." + +"But," said she, "if I wished to feel as you say, Mrs. Davis, how can I +be made to do so? Is it not very hard and difficult, and should I not +be obliged to give up a great many things that I like?" + +"The Bible does not say so, and I never heard any true child of God say +so. The message of the Gospel is not a command to give up anything, +or to be or do anything, of ourselves; it is just an invitation to +receive something. It offers to lost sinners a Saviour, in whom God has +provided every blessing, every gift, every supply of which we stand in +need." + +"But, Mrs. Davis, am I such a sinner as that—a lost sinner? I'm sure +I don't wish to sin; it is such a strong, disagreeable name to call +people who do nothing very bad." + +"Do you love the Lord God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and +strength? And do you love your neighbor as yourself?" + +"No, I can't say that I do," replied Jane, coloring; "but then I have +never done any harm to anybody that I know of." + +"But God's holy law demands that some thing must be done that is right, +as well as nothing done that is wrong; so if you have failed at all, +you are a sinner, and must not expect to escape the displeasure of +an offended God, who sees only two classes of human character—saved +believers and lost sinners. You are able to judge for yourself whether +you have cast yourself, with all your sins and weakness, on the love +and pity of the great Redeemer, who came to seek and to save that which +is lost; or whether you are hoping to need no mercy, and get to heaven +some other way. You read this evening what Scripture says of the people +who do that in the tenth chapter of John's Gospel." + +"But what do you mean, Mrs. Davis? You say we must obey God's law, and +yet that no one does obey it; how, then, can any one be saved?" + +"This is just the inquiry I like to hear you make, dear Jane. It takes +your attention at once to an answer in the life and death, the love and +power of the Son of God, who died for our sins, and rose again for our +justification. The law man could not keep with his evil heart, Jesus +kept and perfectly fulfilled; in place of the punishment man deserved, +and could never have escaped from, Jesus offered his own sufferings and +death for every sinner who believes in him; and all who will not trust +him entirely must bear the consequences of their unbelief, 'for there +is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be +saved.'" + +"Then it does not matter whether I obey God or not if Christ has died +for me, does it?" + +"You must first be satisfied that the benefits of his death are made +yours by faith personally. Do you think you could know positively +that a friend had endured some dreadful suffering and disgrace that +you might be spared, and not love that friend, and feel very deeply +grateful for his love to you?" + +"No, indeed; I hope not, I think not." + +"And could you willfully grieve and disobey one whom you love, and take +pleasure in what he disapproves and caused his sufferings?" + +"O Mrs. Davis, I see what you mean now." + +"Yes, dear Jane, you see the tender bond by which true believers in the +Lord Jesus Christ are bound to obey his will, and to follow his steps. +His love constrains them. They no longer wish to live unto themselves, +but into him who died for them." + +"Then I must believe first, I suppose? It seems easy enough to do that." + +"It would appear that the apostle Paul did not think so, when he wrote +that 'the natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God.' +Saying 'I believe,' is not believing. True faith is the gift of God. +His Spirit takes of the things of Jesus, and shows them to the sinner's +heart. It is a lesson beyond human teaching, dear Jane, but one which +God the Holy Spirit teaches successfully, where he teaches at all, and +which we are too far fallen to learn of ourselves. The very desire to +learn of him is his work; and if you would believe in Jesus to the +salvation of your soul, ask for the blessing, and you cannot be denied." + +Jane remained silent and thoughtful, looking into the fire for some +time, and then suddenly asked for the text she had promised to learn. + +"Take the twenty-third verse of the sixth chapter of the Epistle to +Romans first," said Mrs. Davis. "'The wages of sin is death.' Is that +enough to make you feel happy all the week, Jane?" + +"No," said Jane, with a slight touch of sadness in her voice, "give me +some other; I told you I did not want to think about death yet." + +"Then learn the whole verse. 'The wages of sin is death; but the gift +of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.'" + +"Does it say that really?" And Jane seized the book to satisfy herself +that it did indeed say so. + +She was not forgotten that night in the affectionate prayers of her +faithful friends. + + + +CHAPTER II. + +JANE SAUNDERS SEEKING LIGHT. + +ONE morning in the ensuing week, as the young people were busily +engaged upon some elegant dresses for a ball about to be given in the +neighborhood, Miss Baylis hastily entered the room with a roll of black +crape in her hands. + +"Young ladies," said she, in a voice somewhat agitated, "I am sure you +will be sorry to hear that the ball-dress for Miss M. is no longer +needed; she died last night after a very short illness." + +The work fell from every hand, and looks of astonishment and regret +overspread every countenance. + +"Dear, how awful!" exclaimed one. "And she was here only the other day, +looking so well and happy." + +"It is quite a warning to us all, I'm sure," said Miss Baylis; "she +had everything to make her happy, and was only just come out too. Poor +thing! It is very sad indeed. Pray put away those flowers and ribbons +that she was going to wear, I cannot bear to see you do another stitch +at that ball-dress; and here, Miss Davis, begin immediately to cut out +crape bonnets and mantles for poor Mrs. M. and the little sisters. This +will throw several families into mourning, and I'm afraid we shall have +a great deal to do in a very short time." + +And, with a few further directions, Miss Baylis disappeared. + +It was not possible for kind-hearted girls, however thoughtless, to +hear with indifference of the sudden removal of one who had so lately +stood among them, giving her orders for this ball-dress with the +greatest interest and satisfaction. + +They remembered how they had admired her beauty, and envied her rank +and station in life; how affably she had spoken to them, and how +they had watched her graceful figure as she remounted the beautiful +horse, which she told Miss Baylis was a birthday gift from her father +the day before; and how she had glanced up toward their window, with +consciousness that the eyes of some six or eight young people about her +own age were earnestly and admiringly regarding her. And now—ah, what a +painful contrast! + +"I declare I feel quite melancholy and miserable," said Ellen Saunders; +"do make haste, Mary, and let us get over this gloomy work. I wish the +poor thing had not been here so lately, it makes one think so much more +about her." + +"I wonder if she knew that text, Mary—my text," said Jane softly as +she helped Mary to fix the pattern about to be cut out. And in another +minute a tear stole down the young milliner's cheek, observed only by +the friend who understood and appreciated her feeling. + +"Let us hope that she did, dear Jane, and learn ourselves to value it, +so as to be safe and happy in life or death." + +"But if she did not know what your mother says all must know who are +saved, what then, Mary? So young, so pleasant, so happy!"—And Jane +paused. + +"God's word must be true, Jane; we have nothing to do with applying it +to any one's case but our own: only we know that the Judge of all the +earth will do right. He has sent us a very solemn lesson, and our day +of salvation is now; let us not neglect it, for it may soon be over +forever." + +[Illustration: Jane Saunders.] + +It happened that Jane Saunders, being an excellent fitter, was sent +to Mrs. M.'s to take the pattern for frocks for the children. She was +shown into a large and handsome room, where the front shutters were +closed, and a large blind hung to the ground, at the back window, +excluding nearly all light, and the view of trees and flowers in the +garden to which it opened. Jane sat waiting some time, feeling very +sad and gloomy, and then the door was softly opened, and a little girl +stole in with a frock in her hand. + +"If you please," said she in a low voice, "mamma cannot come to you, +but she says you are to make it like this." + +"May I draw up this blind a little way, that I may see to take your +pattern?" asked Jane, moving toward the back window. + +"Yes, I dare say you may, just for a minute, but there is no light +anywhere in the house more than this; and poor mamma is ill with crying +about dear Clara. Are you not sorry about her, too?" + +"Yes, dear, I am indeed, very sorry," said Jane, in a tone of sincere +sympathy. + +"But they say she has gone to heaven," said the child, "and everybody +is happy there. I don't feel so sorry since they told me that, for I +know who lives in heaven." + +"Whom do you mean, dear?" asked Jane timidly. + +"Why, I mean Jesus Christ. I have got a nice book that tells about him; +and it says he is so kind and good, and that he likes little children +to come to him, and to love him. So I shall go to him when I die; but +I must love him, and do what he wishes here first. I hope dear Clara +loved him, but she never told us. Do you love Jesus Christ?" added she, +turning round, and looking full into Jane's face. + +"I—I hope I shall," said Jane, astonished and perplexed at the +straightforward question. + +"Ah yes, I hope so: and then if you die, I can say that you loved him, +and I shall know that you are gone to heaven." + +Jane might have replied to one older; but to the simple, trusting child +she could not, dared not say that she knew nothing of Jesus Christ to +warrant a hope of happiness in heaven; and though she would gladly +have prolonged the conversation, she felt awkward and confounded, and +concluded her task in silence. + + +Miss Baylis was quite right in her anticipations of having a great +deal to do in a very short time; and Saturday found much work still +unfinished, which was expected by some of her best customers that +evening. What was to be done? There were some who would not be offended +if their dresses were sent in early on Sunday morning, rather than not +at all; and to secure the finish of as many as possible, Miss Robson, +the forewoman of the establishment and the expectant of a junior +partnership in the same, set herself diligently forward to accomplish +the wishes of her principals in the best manner their united wisdom +could devise. + +It was very rarely that the young people were detained long beyond +their appointed hours; but when especially requested to remain, they +usually were willing to comply. Every day of this particular week +they had worked early and late, and were not prepared for the further +demands of the obliging forewoman. + +"It will greatly oblige Miss Baylis if some of you will stay and work +until about eight or nine o'clock to-morrow morning, young ladies," +said she, on the Saturday afternoon; "we can accomplish a great deal +among us to-night, and it is but once in a way as it were. The poor +M.'s, you know, must have their things; we cannot refuse what death has +required; and then you see the ball takes place on Monday evening, and +we may have alterations to make in some of the things." + +"Indeed, Miss Robson, I am half asleep over what I am doing now," said +one of the girls, with a yawn; "I don't think Miss Baylis can expect us +to stay to-night. I mean to lie in bed all day on Sunday." + +"Well, you can go to bed, you know, directly you go home. I am sure we +would not deprive you of the whole of your Sunday. It is as a favor +Miss Baylis asks it; she does not, of course, demand it, but, for my +part, I have great pleasure in obliging her, and have no doubt that all +who are living in the house will feel the same." + +"I'm sure I don't though," said Ellen, unhesitatingly; "I don't like to +give up my own day to please any one, and I never thought we should be +asked." + +"Only two or three hours of it, my dear," said Miss Robson, soothingly: +"in fact, I dare say we can have done all that is really wanted by +seven o'clock if we try hard." + +"And what shall we be fit for after sitting up all night, I should like +to know?" said Fanny Ashton, laughing satirically. "However, my mother +would not allow it, so it's of no use to ask me, Miss Robson." + +"Well, I will say no more than this," and Miss Robson looked round +with a meaning smile, "that I have always found Miss Baylis knows how +to appreciate an obligation; and those of the young ladies who do +nothing but lie in bed, or amuse themselves on a Sunday, might as well +do something useful for once to please another person. Miss Baylis +expressly said that she would not ask any one who she believes makes a +conscientious use of her Sunday, as Mary Davis does, going to church +and Sunday school regularly, and having a sick mother to attend to, +and so on, but only those who do not think it necessary to be so very +strict, and have nothing to do for others." + +Mary Davis, it should be observed, was not present when Miss Robson +made her appeal, but was gone down to the shop for some articles +required. + +"Then," said Jane, who had listened hitherto without making any remark, +"does Miss Baylis think that we, who are doing a little wrong to please +ourselves, might as well do more to please her?" + +"Doing wrong, Jane Saunders? What a strange speech!" exclaimed two or +three at once. "We are doing right to claim our own day, and to keep it +too; but it is certainly wrong to work on Sunday." + +"I am inclined to agree with Miss Robson and Miss Baylis," said Jane; +"and if I only wanted to please myself to-morrow, I don't see any great +difference in the wrong between my amusement and my work, and wouldn't +mind on that account working till noon, or all day." + +"O, but we need not do that, Miss Saunders. You are very kind, and I'll +tell Miss Baylis what you say," said Miss Robson complacently. + +"O no, pray do not, Miss Robson," exclaimed Jane, "for I cannot consent +to work after midnight. I wish to make a better use of Sunday now than +I used to do," she added, blushing; "and I hope never again to deserve, +as I have done, to be asked to work on that day." + +"That's Mary Davis's doing," whispered the young woman who sat nearest +to Miss Robson. + +"It's unfortunate just now, at any rate," returned Miss Robson, in the +same confidential tone; "but you've no idea how highly Miss Baylis +thinks of Mary. She says she does not agree with her in some things, +but she would trust her for truth, and uprightness, and honesty and +all that sort of thing, beyond any young person she ever knew, and I +wouldn't say a word against her for the world. She has been pretty well +watched I can tell you though, and Miss Baylis says she does more work +and better than any of the others, and is always here first on a Monday +morning, looking so fresh and happy, while some of you come lounging +and yawning in as if you were tired to death." + +"That's true enough," replied the other, laughing; "I always do feel +tired to death on a Monday, and I can't think why it is." + +"Well, you had better get Mary's remedy then. But get on with your +work as fast as you can. I know one reason why Mary does a great deal +more than some. She never gossips away her time, for you don't hear +her voice once in an hour." And the forewoman, conscious that she was +not just then setting the best of examples, began to stitch away with +redoubled vigor. + + +On Monday morning Mary arrived at five o'clock, anxious to do her best +in the emergency. She found Jane in the work-room before her, and the +two friends who had honored God on Sunday, served their employers more +effectually on Monday than those who had yielded to Miss Robson's +proposal, for indolence could not very justly be reprimanded which was +declared to result from the overwork, and want of lawful rest. + +Notwithstanding her good resolutions, Jane Saunders once or twice +yielded to Ellen's entreaties to join her and her companions in +Sunday afternoon excursions, but had not derived from them any of the +enjoyment so liberally promised. The fact was, that her conscience was +sufficiently awakened to perceive that their course was one of folly +and sin, and that there was evidently no fear of God before their eyes; +and if her heart did not at once candidly renounce their pleasures, it +was uneasy and disturbed while sharing them. + +She saw that Ellen was absorbed in vanity and pride, elated with +flattery, and discontented and restless when any other seemed likely to +attract the attention she coveted. + +Then Jane returned with thankfulness to her quiet afternoon with Mrs. +Davis. And after the sudden death of the interesting Miss M., she had +prevailed on one or two others to accompany her. These also, being +touched with the kind interest felt for their true welfare, and finding +themselves neither scolded nor lectured, repeated the visit, and soon +wished to follow Jane's example of learning a text every week. + +Thus, the little party grew by degrees, until all Mrs. Davis's chairs +and benches were in requisition, and one or two friends in the town, +hearing from their young dependents of the Bible-reading at this humble +refuge from Sunday idleness and sin, sent now and then a little present +of grocery, or other useful things, that the widow might be enabled to +"show hospitality" without embarrassment or privation in the week. + + +"I wish, Jane," said Ellen, one day, "if you are determined to go to +that Mrs. Davis's, you would call for me at Mr. Ashton's on your way +home. I expect to spend the evening there, and they have so often asked +about you, that it seems quite disrespectful of you never to go near +them." + +"I did go, you know, Ellen, once, to please you, and I did not like the +way you all behaved at all." + +"Ah, that is your prim, precise nonsense, since you went so much with +Mary; but surely I have as much right to choose my friends as you +have," said Ellen, tossing her head; "but it is Mr. and Mrs. Ashton who +want to see you, or I'm sure I should not press it." + +"I will call for you, and wait in the shop until you are ready," said +Jane; "I would rather not come in." + +"Well, you will see how that will be; so I shall expect to see you." + +And the sisters parted, one to giddy amusement and folly with a young +party bent on doing their own pleasure; the other to the happy little +group assembled round the widow and her Bible. + +"You gave us so little to learn, Mrs. Davis," said Jane, "that I have +learned a long piece besides." + +"I cannot find fault with that, my dear," replied Mrs. Davis; "but +the reason I gave you little was, that you might consider it deeply, +because the sentence, though so short, contains the pith of many a +volume." + +"So you said; but really I cannot see so very much in it. They +crucified Him; what is it but a statement of a fact?" + +"It is, as you say, a statement of a fact, and how solemnly important a +fact, I hope you will learn to understand. But I want to tell you, dear +girls, about a friend of my early days, who found a great deal in that +text. She was, as you seem to be, anxious to be what she called 'very +good;' but I hope your efforts will be more Scriptural toward that end, +than hers were in the beginning of her course. + +"She was a warm-hearted, spirited girl, brought up by worldly parents, +and allowed to do very much as she pleased in most things. After she +grew up to womanhood, it happened that she heard some startling sermons +from an eminent preacher of the Gospel, which convinced her that there +must be something more interesting in religion than she yet understood, +and a great deal more to be done than she had ever attempted. So she +resolved to renounce 'the world,' which, in her view, consisted of +amusements, visiting, gay and expensive dress, and novel-reading, all +of which she rigidly denied herself, and thought she was wonderfully +successful in attaining an exalted position among the people of God. +Any appearance of remonstrance or opposition on the part of her +indulgent friends made her declare herself firm and ready for martyrdom +in defense of her new opinions. You do not need me to tell you that her +religion was as much opposed to the pure Gospel as her worldliness, +and more dangerous to her soul; for she was building herself up in +self-righteousness, while the religion of the heart, and the teaching +of God's Holy Spirit, were still unknown to her. + +"One day, during a course of lectures on the history of the Lord Jesus +Christ, Elizabeth's favorite minister took for his text this short +passage, and she sat ready, as usual, to listen and admire, proud of +her ability to appreciate what she called 'a good sermon.' + +"'How clever!' thought she, as she prepared her pencil and paper to +take notes. 'What can he say about such a little text as that?' + +"And now I am going to read to you what she was able to remember +afterward of the sermon. + + "'They crucified Him.' + + "'They,'" repeated the preacher, pausing on the word, "who were they? + 'Crucified,' what was it? 'Him,' who was He? Let us answer the last + question first. + + "'God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto + the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by + his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things.' 'Who, being in + the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made + himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and + was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, + he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of + the cross.' + + "He was the same of whom it is written, 'The Word was with God, and the + Word was God;' and 'the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us . . . + the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.' + + "But how came this wonderful person in company with thieves, enduring + a disgraceful death, a public execution? He was not personally guilty, + for no charge deserving of punishment could be proved against him. He + was not powerless, for he could heal the sick and raise the dead; and + angels who were eagerly looking into the events of his extraordinary + career, would have sped to do his bidding. + + "The ignorant taunt of his enemies was, 'He saved others, himself + he cannot save,' which was only true because he did not choose to + take himself out of their hands. The crowning act of his earthly + ministry must be performed; and while 'by wicked hands' the Son of + God was 'crucified and slain,' the eternal purpose of redeeming love + was accomplished; and that sinners might be saved, Christ died. He + was 'made sin,' 'numbered with transgressors,' 'endured the cross, + despising the shame,' and 'lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him + should not perish, but have eternal life.' So 'they crucified him.' + + "Had the Jews been his executioners, they would have stoned him; but + being condemned by the Roman governor, the Roman punishment must + be inflicted. A painful, lingering, and cruel death; nay, more, an + accursed death, for it is written, 'Cursed is every one that hangeth on + a tree.' + + "God had manifested his displeasure against sin by casting out of + heaven rebellious angels, 'who kept not their first estate,' and by + pouring out a destroying flood upon rebellious men; but now he was + declaring 'the riches of his grace,' in his kindness toward us by Jesus + Christ; and drawing the eye of faith and the affections of the heart + to 'the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' So 'they + crucified him.' + + "'They.' Again let me ask, Who were they? You reply, The Roman soldiers + crucified him; and so they did, aggravating with every ingenuity the + sorrows they could not understand. But who put Jesus into the hand of + the Roman governor? The chief priests and scribes, who scorned his + instructions, envied his influence, and detested his purity. 'What will + ye that I shall do unto him?" asked the irresolute governor. 'Crucify + him,' shouted the false-witnesses and their angry masters. So 'they + crucified him.' + + "And are we to stop there? O no! 'Forasmuch as ye know,' some of you + at least, 'that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as + silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a + lamb without blemish and without spot.' Then, what if, passing by the + actual hands that struck, and the voices that shouted, we pass along + the stream of time, during which multitudes that no man can number + have been saved and blessed through this solemn fact, and consider + ourselves at the present moment, you and I, did we not crucify him? 'He + was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: + the chastisement of our peace was upon him; with his stripes we are + healed . . . and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' + + "If Jesus had not died, we could never have been saved; if Jesus had + not died, man could never have estimated in any degree the depth and + power of that infinite love from which the plan of salvation sprang. + It was not that God needed to be appeased, 'for God so loved the + world, that he gave his only begotten Son;' but it was that his moral + government being thus righteously upheld, the lost might be sought + and found, and his love commended to us, 'in that, while we were + yet sinners, Christ died for us.' It was not that God was angry and + implacable, but that man, being redeemed by the blood of Christ, was to + be won and reconciled to him. It was the setting up, as it were, of an + eternal altar, on which sinners, feeling helpless and undone, might lay + their load of sin and care, and on which the one is consumed and put + away forever, and the other is changed into sanctifying discipline. + + "If your sins be not repented of and confessed, and blotted out there, + they are yet on your own heads; and unpardoned sinners must die, for + 'the wages of sin is death.' O, it is an easy thing to read and believe + a history, and give a sigh to the fate of an unjustly condemned and + persecuted man, and this may be done sincerely by an amiable, kind + heart that is never influenced beyond the moment by the fact; but, it + is quite another thing to take God at his word, to receive his message + of mercy and love, and, believing in his love to you, to yield up + in return the affection of your hearts, and the grateful service of + your lives. I would solemnly ask you to go to your closets, search + and see what is your real position before God, look to Jesus who was + lifted up that he might draw all to him; and then, in penitence and + self-renunciation, you will learn who 'they' were that 'crucified him.'" + +Mrs. Davis paused, and left the minds of her young friends to meditate +for a little while on the truths she had read. She observed with +encouragement that no head was turned to question the impression made +upon another, and, perhaps, in that silence each, at least for once, +looked anxiously into her own heart. + +Then she resumed. "Elizabeth had prepared to follow the preacher with +her ready pencil, that she might enjoy over again, or detail to others, +the eloquence she so much admired. Soon, however, her hand paused, the +paper remained blank, and her eyes rose with astonishment and alarm to +the face of the earnest speaker. + +"At first she struggled proudly against the thought that she, if a +believer, could have anything to do with the death of Jesus. The +personal application of such a fact had never entered her mind before, +and yet the frightful alternative was not to be endured for a moment. +She meant to be saved, she must be saved. She could not, she would not, +cast in her lot with the enemies of God, with unbelievers, with lovers +of pleasure, and of the world which she thought she had renounced. + +"What then must she do? Lay aside her self-complacency, her +self-denials, her religious observances, her charitable acts, her +readiness for martyrdom, and take up 'only her sins,' and carry them to +Jesus? Must she be like the penitent Magdalene, the convicted Peter, +the man who would not so much as lift up his eyes in the temple, but +smote upon his breast, crying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner?' Yes, +she must do thus if she would be saved, because it was for sinners +that Jesus died. It was sin that crucified him, and the utmost daring +of her self-righteous spirit had never gone so far as to assert, or to +imagine, that she had not sinned. + +"She had a temper, and a tongue, and vanity and pride that could +have contradicted, at any moment, such self-complacent thoughts. She +had therefore always made the condescending admission that nobody is +perfect, that all have failings; but she hoped she was a great deal +better than many, and was doing something occasionally to commend +herself to the favor of a discerning God. And now came this humbling +Scriptural declaration of atoning merit and forgiving love, proclaiming +to faith and penitence a complete salvation, the effect of which +uproots the love of sin, dethrones self, and secures a loving obedience +to lawful authority; frees the toiling slave, and makes him an adopted +child. + +"Elizabeth went home sad that night; the words she had failed to +write on paper sinking into her proud heart and probing its secret +depths. She tried to pray as usual, but now it seemed no prayer at +all; she had to learn as a little child, and to seek a Divine but ever +ready teacher. I need not describe to you the exercises of her soul +under the unexpected light that had dawned upon her; but she was not +able to fight long against the sacred truth, that 'not by works of +righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved +us;' and then she saw how grateful love would seek to render every act +righteous, and impress every thought and feeling with the beauty of +holiness, not merely to save self, but to glorify God. + +"O my dear young friends, never suppose that God calls you to do +anything by way of merit in order that you may be saved, for there is +no merit in penitence or faith. And if you ask,— + +"'Must we not give up our gaiety, and our amusements, and our love of +dress, and our Sunday excursions, and our thoughtless, or envious, or +unholy talk,' or any other things in which you allow yourselves? + +"I answer, you are not told to think about giving up anything, except +as the proper fruit of faith and love to God and Christ, which the +Spirit of God has implanted in your heart; so that it is no longer +pleasure, but pain and grief, to do anything that is inconsistent with +obedience and devotedness to him. + +"It will then no longer be,— + +"'"Must" I give up this? Or deny myself that?' + +"But rather— + +"'What shall I render unto my Lord for all his benefits toward me? I +will take the cup of salvation . . . I will offer to thee the sacrifice +of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord. Whither he leads, +I will go; what he loves, I will love; and what he bids, I will do; his +friends shall be my friends, his foes my foes, his word my delight.' + +"It shall no longer be,— + +"'How near may I remain to the world, and yet be a believer in Him?' + +"But,— + +"'How far may I get from worldliness, and how closely may I walk with +Him?' + +"The love of Jesus and the love of dress and vanity cannot agree +together in the same heart; the love of Jesus and the practice of +Sabbath-breaking cannot exist in the same person; one must exclude the +other, and the way of holiness will be found the way of true enjoyment." + + +"How I wish," said Jane Saunders to herself as she walked along, +according to promise, to call for her sister, "how I wish I had not to +call for Ellen to-night. I want to go and be alone and think, but she +will not let me. Why should I be troubled about her?" + +Then memory recalled, like a still small voice of gentle rebuke, +a portion of a chapter she had learned: "He first findeth his own +brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias; . . . +and he brought him to Jesus." She admired the brother's love: should a +sister's love be less zealous? + +When Jane was announced at Mr. Ashton's, a rush was made from the +sitting-room, which opened by a glass door into the shop, and before +she could express any will or wish upon the subject, she was dragged +into the midst of the party assembled there, who seemed to be about to +sit down to supper. + +"Ellen," said she, "I have called as you bade me, and we have only just +time to get home by nine o'clock. Will you get ready at once?" + +"Why did you not come earlier then?" said Ellen, vainly endeavoring to +conceal her annoyance. "But it will not matter for you to be a little +late for once; Miss Baylis will excuse you, I know." + +"I hope not to give her any cause for excusing me, Ellen; so be quick, +there's a dear girl, and let us go. Mrs. Ashton, I am sure you will +think it quite right for us to obey Miss Baylis's rules." And Jane +looked pleadingly toward Mrs. Ashton. + +"Certainly, my dear, certainly; we will not ask you to stay to-night. I +am very sorry, Miss Ellen, but I see we must not have the pleasure of +your company and your sister's to supper." + +"Pray do go and put on your bonnet, Ellen," whispered Jane, earnestly. + +"Really, I am quite sorry," said Mr. Ashton, rousing himself from a +doze in his easy chair; "one so seldom gets a sight of you, Miss Jane; +but you are quite right about minding rules. I'm a great advocate for +punctuality and obedience myself; there's no managing young people +without them. Well, but you can come in and spend next Sunday with us +instead." + +"O no, indeed, sir, thank you; I cannot indeed," said Jane quickly. + +"Cannot? Why who is to hinder you?" asked Mr. Ashton, looking at her +with some surprise. + +"I—I mean—I should say—I am very much obliged to you, sir, but I would +rather not," stammered Jane, coloring deeply. + +"O, that's another thing; will not and cannot have rather different +meanings, Miss Jane; but I hope you don't think there's any more harm +in coming here, than in going to visit some other friends on a Sunday. +We hear that you are turning religious, and we think it a pity you +should wish to grow dull and formal." + +"O, I am not religious," said Jane; "and I never knew, until I went to +Mrs. Davis's, what a happy thing it is to be so, at least, to have such +religion as hers. If Fanny and Ellen would come only once, they would +soon see that we are not dull and formal." + +"Well, well, my dear, I'm afraid you are getting on fast; but every +one to his taste. I'm sure I shall never persecute any one for his +creed, for everybody has a right to judge for himself, according to his +conscience, I think." + +Jane felt exceedingly uncomfortable, but she did not know how to reply +to a sentiment which, nevertheless, she knew to be false and dangerous. +At last, however, summoning courage, she said, as meekly as she could, +lest Mr. Ashton should think her presumptuous: "We study the Bible +at Mrs. Davis's, sir, to find out what is God's will, and then our +consciences can tell us afterward whether we try to do it or not." + +"Ah, I dare say; that is Mrs. Davis's way, you see," said Mr. Ashton. + +"O sir, surely it is the right way. How can we tell what is really true +and right in any other way?" + +"I never argue, my dear; I let people think as they please," said Mr. +Ashton, hastily. + +"Now, Ellen," again implored Jane, seeing her yet unprepared to depart, +"indeed I must go without you." + +And she opened the door, on which Ellen and Fanny darted up stairs, +leaving her to wait in the shop until their return. + +It was evident that the family in the sitting-room supposed she also +had gone up to hasten the process of dressing for the walk, for a +conversation immediately commenced, which they could scarcely have +intended for her ear, but the door not being completely closed, and +Jane having seated herself in the dark, to wait as desired, she could +not avoid hearing it. + +"I'll tell you what, Harry," said Mr. Ashton to his son, "it's easy +enough to be seen which of those two girls will make the sensible +woman, and I hope you won't be paying too much attention to that +foolish Miss Ellen." + +"O, you need not fear," replied the hopeful Mr. Harry; "it only amuses +us to see how she is puffed up with vanity and conceit. She little +thinks the fun we make of her for it. But I can tell you, we never talk +nonsense to prim Miss Jane." + +"All the better for her; she's a steady girl, though she may be getting +a little Methodistical; but that's a great deal better than the silly +thoughts that seem to fill her sister's mind. A vain, dressy, giddy +girl will make a miserable, helpless, extravagant wife for any man who +has the misfortune to marry her; and even if the old uncle could give +her a good settlement, I should never wish to see that little simpleton +daughter-in-law of mine." + +"Dear, dear, Mr. Ashton, of course not," said his wife; "Henry would +never be so foolish." + +Mr. Harry was saved the necessity of a reply by the entrance of Ellen +and Fanny, when he started up to offer his escort home. Whereupon Jane, +burning with indignation, threw open the door, and haughtily declined +his services. + +"Whatever is the matter with you, Jane?" exclaimed Ellen, as soon as +they had left the house; "I never saw you so rude and disagreeable +before." + +"I am very sorry, I don't wish to be rude or disagreeable," said Jane; +"but I do wish I could persuade you to—" + +"To come and be made a Methodist, I dare say," cried Ellen, angrily; +"but you need not expect it, so don't waste your trouble upon me." + +Jane said no more until they reached their own room, when, putting her +arm round her sister, and affectionately kissing her half reluctant +cheek, she whispered the conversation she had overheard, so far only as +it related to Ellen herself. + +In vain Ellen would have doubted; she knew that Jane scorned a +falsehood; and after a hysterical struggle to exhibit no other feeling +than indignation at the impertinence, she laid her head on her sister's +shoulder and wept bitter tears of mortification and distress. + +"Dear Ellen," said Jane, when the disappointed girl was a little +calmed, "if you would but trust those who love you, instead of such +friends as these, how happy we might be! Will you not hear about Jesus +Christ, and let us follow him together? O, Ellen, he is no pretended +friend, to laugh at our faults when we are out of sight. He screens +them from others, and shows them only to ourselves, that we may confess +them, and that he may forgive them. I do feel that this vexatious event +has strengthened in me every desire and resolution I ever had to serve +and follow him, for he is the faithful and true Friend, and just the +one we need to keep us safe from harm and trouble." + +And if the little girl at the house of mourning had been present to ask +again, in her artless tone of wishful inquiry, "Do 'you' love Jesus +Christ?" Jane's full heart would have prompted the reply, "'Lord, thou +knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.'" + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OBSTINATE ELLEN. + +MARY DAVIS and her friend Jane were one day in the show-room together, +completing some arrangements for the display of fashions, which, at +stated periods of the year, brought all the ladies of the neighborhood +to inspect Miss Baylis's tasteful and tempting productions. + +"O Mary," said Jane, as she settled a bonnet on the stand, "I do so +often wish we were not milliners. I have never told you yet what I have +been thinking about it, because you are one yourself; but it seems to +me quite a different sort of business from what it did when I began it." + +"Does it? Why?" said Mary, going on with her work, which just then was +the completion of a pretty little cap. + +"Why, what have we been doing now, but setting out temptations to +people to come and spend their money on many things they do not really +want, who will be persuaded to commit all sorts of extravagances, +instead of doing good with the means that God has given them." + +[Illustration: The Young Milliners.] + +"I have thought of that," said Mary, "but I never persuade; I show the +thing I am asked for, and it seems to me, that as people must have +respectable clothing, they may as well buy what is new and pretty when +they are about it." + +"Ah! But it is not what 'must' be had that I am objecting to; you will +see, presently, many ladies will buy things they never thought of, +just because Miss Baylis says they are fashionable, or cheap, or very +becoming; and she says her bills are sure to be paid, because no lady +likes her milliner's account to be known. Besides, Mary, one is obliged +to be so insincere, and tell people things are becoming and suitable, +when one sees all the while they are just the very opposite." + +"Obliged?" said Mary.—"Obliged to say what is not true, Jane?" + +"Miss Baylis thinks so, and Miss Robson does it without any scruple, as +you will hear if you stay in the show-room." + +"But you and I, Jane?" + +"Well, dear Mary, not you, I am quite sure, but I can't say as much for +myself; if I should be determined to get on, I may be tempted. And you +may depend upon it that all who get on do it." + +"One might have a good business, I think, if one only worked for those +who mean what they say, and want what they come to look at," said Mary. + +"Good enough to satisfy you, perhaps; but is it not the gay and +fashionable, the vain and extravagant, who make milliners' fortunes?" + +"Well, but is it right to want to make a fortune? Does not the Bible +say, 'He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent;' and +'They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into +many foolish and hurtful lusts?' And they may do that in any kind of +business." + +"Then you would not think it right to induce people to buy your goods?" + +"Not against my conscience, and, as you said just now, my sense of +their being proper for them." + +"Well, now, whom would you wish to buy that pretty cap you have just +finished so nicely?" + +"Some nice-looking lady, who can afford to sit still, I think," replied +Mary, laughing, as she held up her work to see the effect; "for these +gossamer quillings will never keep their proper places in a breeze." + +"Hush, Mary! Look, look!" whispered Jane. "Here come some ladies to get +the first look at the thing." + +And two or three ladies advanced into the room. + +"I want a pretty cap, and Miss Baylis says there is one just the thing +here," said an elderly person in spectacles, with a florid complexion +and a bustling manner, but, who was one of the richest of Miss Baylis's +customers. "Is this it?" she asked, taking the cap out of Mary's hand, +and turning to one of her friends. "Very pretty, isn't it? And quite +new, Miss Baylis said. I'll just try it on." + +And the delicate little cap was presently placed on a head considerably +too large for the shape. + +"Will it do, do you think?" said the lady, looking good-humoredly +at Mary, while the friends had gone to some other part of the room, +perhaps to avoid giving an opinion. + +Mary saw at once that it did not "do" at all. + +"I think, ma'am," said she, modestly, "if you will allow me, I can show +you some others which may suit better!" + +"But this is a new style, is it not?" + +"Yes, ma'am, but—perhaps this, the style is not old of this one." And +she presented a comfortable looking cap, much better suited to the age +and appearance of the lady. + +"Ah, yes, this is very comfortable." And it looked comfortable too, +Mary thought. + +"But," continued the lady, "I want something a little more dressy, you +know. This is rather too much of a morning cap." + +"We can make up the same pattern in handsomer materials, if you think +proper, ma'am," said Mary respectfully. + +"Well, yes, do so then. I think this suits me very well, and it fits so +comfortably." + +At this moment Miss Baylis appeared, and immediately suspecting that +the millinery had not been recommended with any particular eloquence, +she began to praise the cap, entreated the lady to try it again, and +expatiated so warmly on the becoming effect of the latest fashion, that +the cap was purchased, and the lady departed, fully persuaded that she +had the prettiest head-dress in the town. + +"I wish Miss Robson to attend in the show-room, you know, Mary," said +Miss Baylis. + +"She was not quite ready, ma'am," replied Mary; "and she only asked me +to wait until she came." + +Then Miss Robson came forward, and being a stylish looking little +person, with a head and shoulders that suited every decoration that +could be put upon them, and admirably showed off Miss Baylis's fashion, +she seldom failed, by her flattery and insinuating manners, to persuade +any purchasers who came within the power of her tongue, that the thing, +whatever it might be, which seemed to please, or which required to be +got rid of, was, without doubt, the very article they most wanted, and +certainly ought to buy. + +"Mary, I was very near speaking out about that cap," said Jane, "for it +vexed me to see it carried off by that foolish old lady. I wonder her +companions did not advise her not to make herself look ridiculous." + +"I felt sorry to see so little idea of what is comfortable and suitable +in old age," said Mary; "I did what I could to help it." + +"Miss Baylis is to blame; she said many things that were untrue about +it, and now you see one reason why I dislike the business; I think I +shall ask uncle to let me do something else. But I shall talk to your +mother about it first." + + +Jane did not forget the subject, and when she told Mrs. Davis of her +wish to give up her present occupation, she felt a little disappointed +when her kind friend asked calmly, "On what ground, my dear, will you +name this wish to your uncle? He will want a good reason for it, of +course." + +"I shall tell him that it is a business which tempts people to be vain +and worldly, and that I do not like to spend my time so." + +"But examine well, dear Jane, before you blame the business. There will +always be people who have neither time, not inclination, nor ability to +make their own clothing; and is it not right that they should have it +done for them?" + +"Yes, I suppose it is." + +"Well, cannot directions be obeyed, and the best method and the best +materials employed, without vanity, or insincerity, or worldliness on +the part of the workman?" + +"They might by Mary." + +"And why not by Jane, if she has the same principle to guide her, and +the same desire to adorn the Gospel she professes to love? It appears +to me that your idea is just met by the advice of the apostle, 'Let +every man abide in the calling wherein he is called,' if it be a lawful +one. The only objection you bring against your business is that which +covetousness or some such sin joins to it. There is nothing wrong in +itself; and if you see it abused into wrong by others, you should try +to prove that it is no more of necessity the minister of sin than any +other calling in the world." + +"But one would never get on, you know. It would be but a poor +second-rate sort of business, if one could not do as others do." + +"'What is 'getting on,' Jane? Where does one get to? What is the end +in view? Is it to glorify God in some prospect of a future that we may +never live to see? It seems to me that the Christian has nothing to do +with what the world calls 'getting on,' but his desire and duty are to +glorify God every day and every hour of his life in the present, the +only time he is sure of; and if doing that, 'why take ye thought for +the morrow?' 'Why envy the foolish their rapid prosperity, when so few +can bear it without being 'lifted up to their hurt?' How far better to +walk with God in conscientious regard to truthfulness and sincerity, +depending prayerfully on his providence, than to manage a first rate +fashionable business with a worldly eye to 'getting on.'" + +"Then don't you think one ought to wish to give up some day, and be—be +independent?" hesitated Jane. "To save something, I mean, that we may +have it to live upon when we are not able to work." + +"That may be done—it had better be done—quite honestly, Jane; and the +believer will not allow his present conscience to be blotted with any +known sin, to secure a future object. If God's Spirit is in him, and +God's word guides him, he will have patience, he will live frugally, +and he will give cheerfully, nor refuse to do good with his dime now, +because he hopes to have his dollar to give away by and by. The looking +forward to a time to spend in self-indulgence that which has been +laid up in years of industry, is one of the devil's snares to check +benevolence and foster covetousness; and he persuades men that it is +lawful from the highest to the lowest branch of earthly business. It is +not for the true Christian to stoop from his high calling to this; it +is of the world, it is like the world, it is meddling with forbidden +things, and yet it may be made to seem so plausible, that it needs a +careful exercise of Christian judgment and the strict watchfulness of +an enlightened conscience to discern motives for earning and saving, as +well as for giving and spending." + +"Then," said Jane, "you see no inconsistency in helping to make vain +and extravagant people more vain and extravagant still." + +"I see that Mary and you are engaged in obeying the orders of people of +very opposite dispositions, without being aware in many cases of what +they are, and without being influenced for the better or the worse by +them. Our consistency, my dear girl, does not lie in the power of those +around us; it must have its deep living root in the love of Christ in +our own hearts." + +"Well, then, Mrs. Davis, I am sure you will agree with me in the next +thing I am going to say. I mean to alter the style of my own dress at +once, and no longer look like a show-block for the exhibition of the +fashions." + +"I confess there is something about it occasionally that may be +improved, my dear; but it will be right to consider that in future, and +not cast aside what you have already bought, unless you can afford to +do so." + +"Ah! Then you think me wrong again I see?" + +"Be sure that God has changed your heart first, Jane. His work begins +within; and the heart that is being probed and cleansed and renewed +by his grace does not begin with external things. I knew a young lady +once—she was such by birth and station—who became acquainted with +a Christian family, and admired and loved them ardently. They were +extremely plain in their dress, and having resolved to follow them in +everything, she did so in that. She not only gave up the gay society +she had mixed in, and offended all her relatives by denouncing them as +worldly, and unworthy of her attention and love, but she gave away all +her ornaments, many of which were very valuable, burned or destroyed +all her fashionable clothes, and appeared abroad in a plain common +gown, and a bonnet with only ribbon enough on it to serve for strings. +Her friends began to think she was deranged; but she said that God's +people were 'a peculiar people,' and the Lord Jesus himself was said to +be mad. + +"She was sent from home for a time, in the hope of giving a turn +to her thoughts; but this only strengthened her resolutions, and +increased the ardor of her apparent devotion to her religious views. +At last, believing her to be sincere and conscientious in all these +singularities, her mother received her again, allowing her to dress, +act, visit, read, and go among the sick and poor as she pleased, while +the subject of religion was never mentioned in her presence excepting +with respect and concurrence in anything she thought proper to say. + +"By degrees she wearied of a profession which had no enduring +life-giving energy within, and no connection with true faith from +above; and after the lapse of about two years, the cessation of all +opposition left the sparks she had kindled herself to die out. I +met her in the street to her way to pay a morning visit, dressed +expensively and fashionably, even to a white bonnet and feathers; and +I heard of her shortly afterwards dancing among the gayest and most +thoughtless at a ball given by some of her worldly friends, who were +delighted to perceive that she had what they called 'come to her senses +again.' + +"Once afterward I had an opportunity of speaking to her, when she +boldly denounced all who made any profession of religion, as hypocrites +or self-deceivers, and said she should forever suspect everybody who +wore a straight ribbon, or a common gown unsuited to her station in +life; that she had made a great mistake herself in being influenced +by the example of others while in their society; but that she had now +regained the exercise of her own independent judgment, and was once +more a reasonable creature. Thus, you see, she had returned from the +extremity of outward opposition to the world and its ways, to the point +from which she set out." + +"But did she never have any more religious thoughts or desires?" asked +Jane. + +"I do not know; but I should suppose her hours of private meditation, +if she ever had any, could not be very happy ones." + +"Poor girl, it was very sad," said Jane; "I hope I shall not be like +her, Mrs. Davis." + +"I hope not, indeed, dear Jane; but I have mentioned her to you, that +you may see how possible it is to assume 'a form of godliness,' without +knowing anything of 'the power thereof.' Be sure that what outward +changes you make, you do so because you love God, and desire to glorify +him, and can ask him to sanctify the motive, which no eye but his own +can see in its true light." + +"O! Mrs. Davis, how kind you are to talk to me in this way. I am a very +weak, foolish creature, and I fear I am wanting to be doing something +to look religious, before I have got any real religion at all. But I do +sometimes feel sure that I love the Lord Jesus Christ, and then I want +to do something to please him." + +"That is quite right, Jane; and God forbid that I should check that +loving thought." + +"Ah, but then I find myself wanting to seem better than others, instead +of remembering how wretchedly worthless I am myself before God. I +cannot think how it is, but I never seem to have a good thought or a +right feeling about salvation, but something vain or self-righteous or +abominable gets by the side of it directly, and then I hate myself more +than ever." + +"O thank God, dear girl, for revealing to you something of the +deceitfulness of your own heart, for nothing else can make us depend +entirely on the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no safe place for the soul, +no purifying influence for the heart, and no real fulfillment of duty, +except looking unto him; and to be drawing contrasts or making outward +differences between ourselves and others, is just a plot of Satan +to turn aside our gaze from the right direction and our step front +progress in our Master's service." + +"But there are many differences between God's people and the people of +the world that should be seen, are there not?" + +"Yes, many; but they are, if I may venture to use the expression, +differences of growth and feature: they will come with our spiritual +progress, and should not be assumed as a badge by ourselves. It is as +easy and natural for a real Christian to dress with modest simplicity, +as for a worldly person to be in the height of the fashion; and as +easy to restrain the wishes within the limit of one's means, as for an +extravagant person to exceed them. The love of God is a regulator of +all such matters, when the Holy Spirit has planted it with renewing +power within our hearts. His children bear his likeness without any +unnatural effort of their own." + + +Ellen's displeasure against her friends, the Ashtons, gradually +subsided. Fanny, she knew, had nothing to do with the cause of offense; +and when her changed manner to Mr. Harry had induced his urgent +inquiries into the reason, she had allowed herself to be satisfied with +his assurances that he had only spoken to disguise from his parents the +real state of his feelings toward her, until he should be able to act +independently of their authority. Alas! Poor Ellen in her gratified +vanity did not pause to reflect, that the sin of the excuse was still +greater than the original mischief; but, had she done so, she would +have had no reason for surprise, for he who deliberately disregarded +God was not likely to be scrupulous about the fifth commandment, or any +other which opposed his inclination. + +Jane observed the renewal of the intercourse with great uneasiness, +and made many attempts, by giving up her own greatest pleasure that of +joining Mrs. Davis on a Sunday in order to induce her sister to walk +with her alone, or remain at home together. + +"Have you quarreled with Mary Davis," asked Ellen on one occasion when +this proposal was made, "that you are always teasing me to stay with +you?" + +"No; but I have not quarreled with you either, and we so seldom have an +afternoon together." + +"Why, you are so dreadfully dull now, you have nothing to talk about." + +"I am sure I will talk if you will listen to me," said Jane cheerfully. + +"Ah, you will, I dare say; but it is about what I don't want to hear. I +don't know at all why you should think ill of me, Jane, and that I need +to be saved, and all that. I go to church very often in a morning, and +if I happen to miss a Sunday or two, I go twice in one day to make up +for it; and when there is a collection you don't know how much I put in +more than you think, depend upon it; and I shouldn't boast of it, only +one must speak up for one's self." + +"It is not what I think, dear Ellen; I only tell you sometimes what +the Bible says, and it is not possible to speak up for ourselves to +God, you know. You must hear what he says some day; and if you have no +Saviour to speak for you, what can you do?" + +"I hate to hear you, Jane," exclaimed Ellen impatiently; "it is all the +nonsense that Mrs. Davis has put into your head, and I don't believe a +word of it. You pretend to love me one minute, and the next you make +out that I am so wicked I can't go to heaven. And then you would rob +one of the only pleasure we have, our little treats on a Sunday." + +"I only want you to try to find your pleasure in another way, for +I quite agree with you that we do need pleasure, or change, or +recreation, whatever you please to call it, after six days' close work." + +"Then why in the world do you never take any?" asked Ellen, in great +astonishment at the admission; "it is our own day, and we ought to +enjoy it." + +"No, it is the Lord's day, and he gives the real rest, and the true +pleasure. Which of us gives the best proof of that on a Monday morning, +Ellen?" + +"Of course you expect me to say you, because you happen to get up +first." + +"Yes, I do; your head aches, you are so tired, you wish there was no +work to do, and then with a few others you grumble together and find +fault with everything because you miss the excitement and the flattery +of the day before." + +"While you and Mary sit at work thinking how good you are," said Ellen, +knowing full well the truth of her sister's statement. + +"We often think how good it is to have a day that no one has a right +to interfere with; when we may have time to read, and think, and pray +for all the help we need to make us happy and contented to work on the +other days, and to remind us that it is not merely to earn money, or +serve an earthly mistress, but to serve our heavenly Father. It is so +happy, Ellen, to turn from our work for the body to that clothing for +a better world prepared for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, which we have +nothing to do with the making of, but only to put it on." + +"All very fine indeed; and you pretend this makes you willing to get to +work again on Monday," said Ellen, scornfully. + +"It makes me happy to be just where God's will makes it my duty to be," +replied Jane, meekly. + +"I'm sure I wonder you condescend to be a milliner; I wonder it isn't +much too worldly a business for you." + +"I thought it was, and wanted to give it up; but Mrs. Davis convinced +me that one may earn an honest living in it without being worldly and +frivolous." + +"Well, you needn't expect me to go into partnership with you, and so I +shall tell uncle, for you would ruin our prospects at once, I see; but +I'm going out now, so good-by." + +"You have a cold, dear Ellen; pray do not stay out late: you know the +evenings are getting chilly, and come on early now. Do take a shawl, in +case you should feel cold in that light muslin." + +But Jane might as well have talked to the muslin itself, and Ellen +flitted away as light and thoughtless as ever. Her lesson was to be +learned under other teaching. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BRIGHTER DAYS. + +MR. SAUNDERS, in the mean time, had not been unmindful of his nieces' +interests, and having heard of a respectable business about to be +disposed of, he secured the premises and the good-will of the resigning +person, and then went to inform them of their future prospects. + +To his regret and surprise he was informed that Ellen had been taken +seriously ill, and had been removed by Jane's desire. Following Miss +Baylis's directions, he soon found himself at the neat little cottage +of a respectable widow, whose manners indicated the far superior +station of her former days. Here he was received with respect and +pleasure by Jane, who explained her reasons for the removal to his +entire satisfaction. + +"And what has made her ill; do you know, Jane?" he asked. + +Jane was silent, and Mrs. Davis relieved her by simply stating the +truth. "Late hours in the damps of autumn evenings, with too little +care in the matter of suitable clothing." + +"Very foolish, indeed," said Mr. Saunders; "but I should have thought +you had too much to do to admit of getting out often in an evening. +You don't mean Sundays, I hope?" and he looked again at Jane, who was +silent and embarrassed. "Really, Jane," said he gravely, "I see now how +it is, but I thought better of you; your letters have been so sensible +of late that it seemed time to trust you according to my promise; but +who can expect giddy, thoughtless Sabbath-breakers ever to do any good +for themselves in the world? It is not respectable to go holiday-making +instead of minding your church and your Bible on a Sunday. I wonder +Miss Baylis has not seen to it for you, if you can't judge for +yourselves." + +Jane replied that Miss Baylis usually went out of town on Saturday +night, and knew very little of her young people's habits on a Sunday. + +"Well, then, she ought to know them; I can't see how she can shirk the +responsibility. I see after the doings of my shopmen and servants, and +put them in the right way." + +Mr. Saunders's "right way," however, was not precisely the winning, +loving way that tends, under God's blessing, to make "the Sabbath a +delight, the holy of the Lord, and honorable." His views were those +of a respectable formalist, connecting God's blessing with human +obedience, in higher subjects, besides those of temporal interests, +which, it may readily be admitted, are usually benefited by such +outward respect. + +Mrs. Davis took an opportunity of exculpating Jane from her uncle's +condemnation; and though it seemed to make Ellen's conduct still more +reprehensible, yet he spoke with kindness and forbearance to the +suffering girl, and told her of his plans for their future welfare. + +Ellen was, indeed, seriously ill. She had paid no regard to Jane's +warning concerning her dress or the evening damp, and after taking tea +out on the grass with her young friends, at a place of public resort in +the country, had returned by water at a late hour, and the next day was +so ill from severe cold, that Miss Baylis gladly acceded to the earnest +request of Jane and Mary, that she might be removed to the care of one +who had been too sadly experienced in attendance on the sick. + +Ellen had declared that she should not like Mrs. Davis at all; but in +vain she tried to nourish her prejudices against the kind and gentle +hand that ministered to her wants, and the mild voice that spoke only +of sympathy and interest, and at last ceased to expect the severity +and lecturing which she had persisted in associating with the religion +of the Christian widow. She did not know that the weapons of Christian +love become polished by constant use, and that the mellowing influence +of its principles softens down the roughness or the severity which +sometimes tinges the efforts or the judgment of zealous spiritual youth. + +But, to the deep regret of her kind friends, she studiously evaded +every attempt to lead her mind to any serious thought, and employed +Fanny Ashton to retail to her the news of the town, and to supply her +with frivolous novels, with which she beguiled her time when able to +read. After recovering in some degree from the severer symptoms of +her illness, it became evident that no further progress was made, and +Ellen grew impatient of her incessant cough, her restless nights, and +continued weakness; and at last her medical attendant intimated to +Mrs. Davis, that his irritable patient was probably far gone in rapid +decline. + +It was a severe shock to the affectionate sister, whose spiritual life +and growth in grace and knowledge had only refined her love for this +nearest earthly relative; but to break the intelligence to the invalid +herself, became a source of the deepest and most painful anxiety. + +Fanny Ashton had begged Ellen to be prepared for a treat her brother +intended to give them, at a beautiful spot a few miles up the river. +He had obtained the loan of a pretty little sailing-bunt, manageable +either with canvas or oar, and the first fine Sunday was appointed for +the excursion. Fanny promised that instead of taking refreshment out of +doors, it should be prepared for them at the small inn, kept for the +accommodation of parties of pleasure, and that they should return home +before sunset. + + +The day arrived, and Ellen attempted to dress for the excursion, +notwithstanding Jane's assurances that her strength was unequal to the +effort. She insisted on trying, and protested that the air would revive +and refresh her. She looked up with envy into the healthy countenance +of her sister, who stood before her ready dressed for church, and whose +serenity was clouded only by anxiety for her. + +Poor Ellen tried her shawl, and declared it was too heavy, she could +not wear it; her bonnet hurt her head, everything went wrong, her hands +trembled with weakness and excitement; and at last, throwing aside her +preparations, she sank down upon her bed and burst into tears. + +"You are right, Jane," she sobbed, "I am not strong enough yet; you +must call and tell them I cannot go to-day." + +Jane turned tearfully away from the thin pale form of the lately +blooming girl, and went to do her bidding. + +That day, which had so painfully impressed the invalid with the +first real consciousness of her weakness, was passed in repining and +discontent, and when the hour for the assembling of Mrs. Davis's +reading party had arrived, and Jane still remained at her bedside, she +desired her to go down, and drawing a book from under her pillow, said +she preferred to read alone. + + +The next day a trying task devolved on Jane, who was considered the +most fit person to break to her sister news which must almost overwhelm +her, but which could not long be withheld. Several times during the day +Ellen had impatiently inquired for Fanny, who, she said, ought to have +been to see her. + +"But she will come in the evening, I am sure, to tell me all about the +party, and who went, and who was sorry that I could not go. Fanny is +a nice girl, Jane; I am surprised that you never liked her. I must go +there as soon as I can get out; Mr. Ashton won't call me vain and silly +now, since I've had this illness to make me so steady and quiet." And +she tried to smile at the bitter recollection. + +Jane made no reply, and Ellen looked again in her face. + +"Why, Jane," she exclaimed, "I hope you are not going to be ill too; +you really look dreadful, and as if you had been crying all night. What +is the matter with you?" + +"It was a very good thing you could not go out yesterday, dear Ellen," +said Jane, tenderly. + +"I don't think so at all; but that is not an answer to my question, +you have not been crying about me surely, Jane?" And again she gazed +inquisitively, and with some rising alarm, upon her sister. + +"Mr. Ashton called last night," said Jane. + +"Mr. Ashton? How very kind! I'm sure I did not expect him to come and +inquire after me." + +"He came to see if Fanny had been here." + +"Why? Did not Fanny go straight home after the party came back?" + +"The boat was very late in leaving to return, I believe," faltered +Jane; "and Henry Ashton, and the other young men had taken too much to +drink." + +"O Jane! Go on—what else?" whispered Ellen, turning deathly pale, and +trembling violently. "Tell me quickly, what else?" + +"The boat upset; Henry was picked up, and five of the others; but poor +Fanny—" + +Ellen heard no more; she sank back, apparently lifeless, and remained +so for some time. + +The unhappy young people, to the number of nine, having delayed their +return too late for the idle efforts of four half-intoxicated young +men, embarked hastily, in the hope of reaching a river steamer, which +might tow them easily along. The effort to catch the rope which was to +connect them with the steamer, caused a lurch, which frightened the +female portion of the party, and they rushed to one side; this upset +the boat, and in an instant they were all struggling in the water for +their lives. + +Fanny clung to her brother, who, in a moment of sobriety, might have +saved her; but now, stupefied with drink and fear, he was intent only +on self-preservation, and though the steamer hovered for a considerable +time about the fatal spot, three of the young women were seen no more. + +The wretched father had returned home after eager inquiries at the +river side, whence nothing could be seen of the boat, and was again on +his way, in almost frantic despair, when he was met by the bearers of +his son, and the news of his daughter's fate. + +Henry was seized with brain fever, and his struggles to reach his +sister, whose cries for help seemed to ring in his ears, were frightful +and distressing to his broken-hearted parents, who mourned too late +their negligence of parental duty. + +Ellen's lamentation for Fanny Ashton's unhappy end was mingled with +thankfulness for her own escape. "It would have killed me quite," said +she shuddering; "for had I been saved from drowning, I must have died +from the effects of such fright and cold." + +"And you feel you would not have been prepared for such a summons to +another world, dear Ellen," said Jane, when, after a time, her sister +thus recurred to the event. + +"O, I don't know about that; it did not come you know, so I need not +think about it!" + +"But it must come some day, and by some means. If not by sudden +accident, by sickness and—" + +"Well really, Jane, I wonder how you ever expect me to get well, +talking about such things," said Ellen, with irritation; "but I want +you to write to uncle, and ask for me to have a change of air directly; +I'm tired of being here, and I want some companions with more life and +spirit than you have, to rouse me out of melancholy thoughts. Poor +Fanny, she always had something pleasant to talk about." And Ellen wept +herself to sleep, with her hand upon the last novel that her friend +had brought, and which Jane softly drew away, leaving her Bible in its +place. + + +When Ellen awoke she discovered the exchange, and felt annoyed; but +suddenly her thoughts took a new turn. What if Jane's fears were really +excited about her health? What if all this excessive weakness, and +distracting cough, meant something more than temporary indisposition? +She had observed the looks of tender pity with which all seemed to +regard her, and the increased desire to guide her mind to heavenly +things. Could it be that her life was really in danger, and they wished +to make her aware of it without any sudden shock? Then she burst into +passionate weeping, burying her face in the pillow, against which she +leaned, until roused by the gentle hand of her kind nurse. + +"O Mrs. Davis!" she cried with broken voice. "Do tell me, am I—am I +dying? Is it possible that I cannot get well?" + +"Your soul will die, my child, if you do not ask the Lord Jesus Christ +to save it. If you had peace in him, you would resign yourself to his +will for life or death." + +"O! I cannot; I love the world, and I want to live. It is a cruel +thing to die so young. O, do send for other doctors, they may think of +something to cure me. I will have change of air and scene; I will try +everything." + +And in restless impatience, poor Ellen waited the arrival of her kind +uncle, who came to take her to his house, that she might try the effect +of her native air. + + +Mrs. Saunders was a more rigid formalist than her husband, and +carefully attended to all her "duties," under the conviction that her +own righteousness and merit must secure her a future heaven. Of a +present earnest of its blessedness she had no idea; of the Spirit of +adoption she knew nothing; the mighty cost of redemption she had never +calculated, and believed that her frigid rules, and unlovely notions +of a godly and sober life, fully entitled her to glory in herself, and +upbraid all who more manifestly failed in obedience to God's commands. + +Ellen had never troubled herself about her aunt's religion before: +but she thought it especially disagreeable now, and missed the loving +accents of true grace in the friends she had left. She did not +understand the difference between her aunt's and Mrs. Davis's religion, +but she felt its influence, and began to think that, if people must +needs be religious, those who made the Lord Jesus their only hope and +example were greatly preferable in temper, humility, self-denial, and +Christian charity. + +After a short residence in this uncomfortable home, she entreated leave +to return to Mrs. Davis; and her request was willingly seconded by Mrs. +Saunders, who declared that a more discontented, unchristian invalid +had never fallen to her charge. + + +And so poor Ellen, weaker, and sadder, and more irritable than before, +was welcomed again by the kind widow as a daughter, over whom her +loving heart yearned with the longing of one who knows what a piteous +object is an unsaved sinner in the day of trouble. She felt now that +the suffering of the weak body was a small consideration compared +with the impending destruction of the soul, and she spoke firmly and +solemnly to the dying girl, and, kneeling by her side, spoke for her to +Him who can prosper his word on its errand of mercy. + +A youthful heart, filled with vanity and worldliness, is a very +stubborn thing: habitual disregard of God and neglect of his word are +as fatal to such a one as to those whose bold iniquities proclaim their +ruin to the world, and must end in the same condemnation. + +The "convenient season" anticipated by every one who defers +acquaintance with God to some future time, is not often found in the +season of sickness. It is painfully inconvenient, when conscience is +terrified, the heart full of idols, the body languid through weakness, +or tormented by pain, to be groping in confusion and darkness after an +unknown and neglected God. + +Poor Ellen found it so, and amid her self-reproaches for wasted +opportunities, she was often heard to deplore with bitter regret those +misspent days, when she had resolutely cast in her lot with those who +feared not God, and refused to praise him for his goodness, and to hear +of "his wonderful works to the children of men." + + +Happy are those young people who can spend a Christian Sunday in a +Christian home; and deeply to be felt and cared for are those who have +only the house of the hireling to shelter them from the temptation +to wander in streets or revel in godless pleasures. But a home may +be without God; and a hireling's room may be a scene of heavenly +affection, when God and the sinner meet, blessing and blessed, in +hallowed intercourse, which— + + "Wafts the happy soul awhile + Far, far away from this low sphere; + And in a Saviour's loving smile, + Arms it anew for duty here." + +After Ellen's death Mr. Saunders very kindly, and in gratitude to Mrs. +Davis for her tender care, offered to Mary the partnership with Jane in +the business he had wished the two sisters to undertake; and Mary had +the satisfaction of once more surrounding her beloved mother with many +of the comforts to which she had been accustomed in earlier life. + +The friends adorned themselves "in modest apparel, as women professing +godliness," and found themselves able to execute expensive or +fashionable orders for their customers without commending worldliness, +or compromising their own personal consistency; and it was often owing +to their judicious and sensible advice, respectfully offered, that +advancing age was saved from merited ridicule, and extravagance checked +by due regard to means and station. + +As employers, they did not forget the experience of their past life in +their conduct toward their own dependents; and when Saturday's work was +done, it was one of their chief desires and pleasures to provide as far +as lay in their power, for the Christian enjoyment of the day of rest. +Their home was also their workwoman's home, if they had no other, and +maternal kindness and friendly interest made it attractive and happy. +And to those who were able to appreciate their many privileges and +advantages, the Lord's day became emphatically "a delight," and was +anticipated with joy as the workwoman's best and happiest day. + + + + THE END. + + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75954 *** diff --git a/75954-h/75954-h.htm b/75954-h/75954-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1521347 --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/75954-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2319 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + The Widow Davis and The Young Milliners. A Story for Young Girls., by Lucy Ellen Guernsey │ Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/image001.jpg" type="image/cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + font-size:12.0pt; + font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; +} + +p {text-indent: 2em;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} + +.w100 { + width: auto + } + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +p.t1 {text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 125%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t2 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 150%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t3 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: center + } + +p.t3b { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 100%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center + } + +p.t4 { + text-indent: 0%; + font-size: 80%; + text-align: center + } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.poem { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + padding: 20px 0; + text-align: left; + width: 555px; + } + +p.footnote {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 90%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75954 ***</div> + +<p>Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed.</p> + +<p>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the +public domain.</p> +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image001" style="max-width: 33.8125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image001.jpg" alt="image001"> +</figure> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image002" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"><a id="Image002"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image002.jpg" alt="image002"></a></figure> +<p class="t4"> +<b>The Wet Sunday.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h1>THE<br> +<br> +WIDOW DAVIS<br> +<br> +AND<br> +<br> +THE YOUNG MILLINERS</h1> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t1"> +A Story for Young Ladies.<br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +BY THE AUTHOR OF<br> +</p> + +<p class="t4"> +"THE MOTHER'S MISSION," "THE OBJECT OF LIFE," ETC.<br> +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +[<em>LUCY ELLEN GUERNSEY</em>]<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image003" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image003.jpg" alt="image003"></figure> + +<p class="t3"> +THREE ILLUSTRATIONS.<br> +</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image004" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image004.jpg" alt="image004"></figure> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="t4"> +NEW YORK:<br> +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +NELSON & PHILLIPS.<br> +</p> + +<p class="t4"> +CINCINNATI: HITCHCOCK & WALDEN.<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3b"> +CONTENTS.<br> +</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image005" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image005.jpg" alt="image005"></figure> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>CHAPTER</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_1">I. SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE DAVIS COTTAGE</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_2">II. JANE SAUNDERS SEEKING LIGHT</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_3">III. OBSTINATE ELLEN</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Chapter_4">IV. BRIGHTER DAYS</a></p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image006" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image006.jpg" alt="image006"></figure> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3b"> +Illustrations.<br> +</p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image007" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image007.jpg" alt="image007"></figure> + +<p><br></p> + +<p><a href="#Image002">THE WET SUNDAY</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Image009">JANE SAUNDERS</a></p> + +<p><a href="#Image010">THE YOUNG MILLINERS</a></p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t2"> +<b>THE WIDOW DAVIS</b><br> +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +AND<br> +</p> + +<p class="t1"> +<b>THE YOUNG MILLINERS.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image008" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image008.jpg" alt="image008"></figure> + +<p><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_1">CHAPTER I.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE DAVIS COTTAGE.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>MRS. DAVIS had once filled the situation of assistant teacher in a +school, where she had profited by opportunities of instruction; but +after a period of prosperity, a succession of trials and losses, +followed by widowhood and broken health, had reduced her to extreme +poverty. Subsequently her only child, Mary, having, through the +kindness of friends, been instructed in the various branches of the +millinery and dress-making business, was able to afford material help +to her mother, in the little income she earned, and on which they lived +in contented obscurity.</p> + +<p>Mary Davis was employed at the establishment of the chief milliner and +dressmaker in her native town, where her steady attendance and never +failing industry were greatly valued, and where tolerable regularity +in the hours of labor, and an hour snatched from rest, either in the +morning or evening, at home, enabled her to minister in many ways to +her mother's personal comfort.</p> + +<p>Sunday was Mary's happiest day; a portion of it was spent in the public +worship of God, and the study of his word; a portion in instructing +others at the Sunday school; and the remainder in enjoyment of her +mother's society.</p> + +<p>But very different were the Sunday enjoyments of Mary's young +companions at Miss Baylis's, some of whom had homes in the town, and +some lived in the house of business; and Mrs. Davis heard with pain +and regret of their plans for amusement and pleasure on the Lord's +day, which they considered entirely their own. Displays of finery, and +meetings for revelry and gossip, after the six days' restraints of +duty, constituted their chief idea of enjoyment, as if the cessation of +bodily toil implied also the waste of precious time, the misapplication +of other talents, and total neglect of the immortal soul.</p> + +<p>No longer able, through infirm health, to prosecute her labor of love +in the Sunday school, or the district, Mrs. Davis applied her heart and +mind, with prayerful interest, to the condition of these thoughtless +young people, and watched in anxious hope for some opportunity of +usefulness in their behalf. They were her daughter's companions +necessarily for six days every week; they were immortal creatures; +and they were living not only without God in the world, but in open +rebellion against his authority, and rejection of his love. This was +enough to enlist the active efforts of a practical Christian. She began +with a wet Sunday afternoon.</p> + +<p>Among the smaller miseries of human life, first in the catalogue of +the milliner's apprentice, the shopman or shopwoman, and indeed of all +employed in weekly labor, whose hearts have not found peace in Him who +"prepareth rain for the earth, giveth snow like wool, and causeth the +wind to blow," stands a wet Sunday afternoon. Vain were it to attempt +an enumeration of its powers to disappoint, to cross and irritate those +whose minds are set upon self-indulgence in one form or another, from +the tradesman, intent upon his drive, to the little servant maid whose +turn is the "Sunday out."</p> + +<p>"Rain again, mother," said Mary Davis, as she prepared for church one +Sunday morning; "how disappointed two of our new workwomen will be, +for they have talked of nothing all the week but a pleasure trip this +afternoon."</p> + +<p>"Do you think they would come here instead?" asked her mother. +"Perhaps, as they have not been long enough in the town to have made +many acquaintances, they might be glad of an invitation, rather than +remain in their own room."</p> + +<p>Mary shook her head; she did not think it probable that two such gay +and dressy girls as Jane and Ellen Saunders would like to come to her +quiet home, but she would be passing the house, and could call to ask +them; this, on her return from church, she did.</p> + +<p>She found the sisters sitting at the window, with most uncomfortable +tempers and discontented faces, looking out upon the dirty street and +the falling rain, making remarks upon every person who passed by, who +afforded any possible subject for their ridicule and criticism of dress +or manner.</p> + +<p>"Why, Mary Davis," exclaimed Jane, as Mary entered the room, "who would +have thought of seeing you here to-day? Are you come to sit with us, +and help us to get over this miserable day some how or other? I'm sure +I don't know what to do with myself." *</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<br>* See Frontispiece.<br> +<br> +</p> + +<p>Mary delivered her mother's message, and observed with pleasure that +Jane's countenance brightened up from its dull, heavy expression of +idleness and ill-temper, though Ellen still looked as sulky as before.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure it's very kind of your mother, and of you too, Mary, to think +of us, and to come in all this rain to ask us," said Jane.</p> + +<p>"You need not praise my kindness," said Mary, smiling, "for I have only +called on my way from church."</p> + +<p>"What, have you been to church such a morning as this? You are +wonderfully good I'm sure, and don't care about your clothes as much as +I do."</p> + +<p>"My cloak and boots are water-proof, you know; but I must not stay, so +what shall I tell my mother?"</p> + +<p>"That I shall be very glad to come, very glad indeed, won't you, Ellen?"</p> + +<p>"I—I really don't know," stammered Ellen; "perhaps it may clear up yet."</p> + +<p>"O no, I don't believe it will; there isn't a gleam of sunshine or a +bit of blue sky to be seen. I give it up altogether for to-day, and you +wouldn't be so ill-natured as to go without me, even if the weather +should get a little better."</p> + +<p>There was no knowing exactly what ill-natured thing Ellen might not +have been meditating, if her countenance at all indicated her feelings. +"Well," said she at last, "I'm much obliged to you, Mary, but I don't +think I shall like to go out at all."</p> + +<p>"I will come," said Jane, cheerfully; "what time shall I be at your +house?"</p> + +<p>"As early as you please," replied Mary. "I shall not be at home from my +Sunday school class till between four and five, but my mother will be +very glad to see you;" and away tripped Mary over the mud, and through +the rain to her frugal dinner at home, before attending the Sunday +school, where she taught a class of little children, few of whom would +probably be present that day.</p> + +<p>"I wonder at you, Jane," said Ellen scornfully, as soon as the sisters +were alone; "why you will have a duller afternoon than sitting here +looking out of our window; and somebody might happen to come that would +cheer us up a little; but at Mrs. Davis's, in that stupid dull lane, +what in the world is there to see? Besides, you will get wet in going."</p> + +<p>"O but I need not put on anything very nice to go there, you know; and +it will be a change, for I really am tired of sitting here. I like Mary +too; and as she is no gossip, she has not asked us to come for the sake +of amusing herself, but because she knew we must be disappointed of +going where we liked; and I call that kind."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe she is sorry we are disappointed though," said Ellen; +"you know she is rather religious, and I dare say her mother is as +stiff as buckram, and does nothing but read the Bible, and sing psalms; +or perhaps she will give you a lecture. Poor Jane, how you will repent +going within her reach!"</p> + +<p>And Ellen laughed satirically at the idea of her sister's mortification +under the lecture of her religious hostess.</p> + +<p>"For shame, Ellen," said Jane, half vexed and half laughing; "what +right have you to object to her reading the Bible and singing psalms if +it makes her comfortable? What else have old people to do? Enjoyment is +all over for them; and if they can get up something to pass away their +time, and make them easy about death, I'm sure I think it is a great +mercy for them. Besides, it is Sunday you know and a little religion +once a week is only proper for everybody, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"Well, then," retorted Ellen, "why did you not go to church this +morning, instead of grumbling here with me?"</p> + +<p>"Because," replied Jane, with honesty, "I did not like to spoil my best +things, and I did not choose to go in shabby ones. I can tell you, I +envied Mary that comfortable cloak, that we laughed at her for buying, +instead of having a pretty fancy mantle like ours. She thought of the +wet days, we only of the fine ones."</p> + +<p>"I do hate wet Sundays," exclaimed Ellen passionately; "I can't think +what they are made for, except it is to disappoint people who work hard +all the week and have no other day to enjoy themselves in."</p> + +<p>Jane looked at her sister with mingled surprise and compassion. She had +quite recovered from her own annoyance, and had never seen Ellen so +thoroughly out of temper on the subject before; and she justly feared +that something more was involved in the disappointment than she was at +present aware of.</p> + +<p>"Will it be of any use for me to stay at home with you, Ellen?" said +she, kindly. "I forgot when I accepted Mary's invitation, that you +would be alone."</p> + +<p>"O dear no, go by all means, and see how you like the old woman's +lecture. I dare say I shall hit upon some way to amuse myself by and +by."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>When Mary reached home in the afternoon, she found Jane seated there, +without any trace of weariness or discontent visible on her bright +face. She knew something of her mother's powers to attract and +interest, and was not surprised when Jane, turning round to notice her +entrance, exclaimed playfully, "I can't talk to you yet, Mary; I must +hear the end of what your mother is telling me first."</p> + +<p>"Are you wet, dear?" asked the mother, as Mary threw off her cloak.</p> + +<p>"Scarcely at all, mother, thank you; I am so glad I had this useful +cloak."</p> + +<p>"Ah, Mrs. Davis," said Jane, "Mary is a sensible girl; who knows it is +not all sunshine in this world, and we could not persuade her to buy a +thing that would not stand a shower."</p> + +<p>"I do not like to see people in distress about spoiling their clothes, +if it is right for them to be exposed to the risk of getting wet," +said Mrs. Davis; "and if we cannot afford to purchase for all kinds of +weather, it is wisest to get such as will not be greatly injured by any +weather."</p> + +<p>"Very true; but you see, Mrs. Davis, ours is a dangerous kind of +business for economy of that sort. We are engaged in making pretty +things, and setting people off to the best advantage; and it is +very natural to like to do the same for ourselves when we get an +opportunity. But I do confess that often when we have been tempted to +spend our money on what is elegant, we are obliged afterward to feel +the want of what is useful."</p> + +<p>"You speak very candidly," said Mrs. Davis, smiling kindly; "will you +forgive me for asking why the good sense, or the experience which has +taught you that you are liable to such temptation, does not carry you +one step further, and cause you to resist it?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is just what I should like to know," said Jane. "Here is your +good Mary who never yields to such temptations, nor covets any of the +beautiful things we make up, though they would look as well upon her as +on the people who are to wear them. What is the reason of it? I hate +a weak mind that has always to be troubled with repentance after the +mischief is done."</p> + +<p>"Is not the great safeguard against that unhappy consequence found in +acting always from steady principle, instead of being led by changeable +feelings?" asked Mrs. Davis.</p> + +<p>"I dare say it is. And Mary has a steady principle, then."</p> + +<p>"O do not quote me, Jane," interrupted Mary. "You do not know how +it would have been with me if I had not a mother, a dear Christian +mother," she added affectionately.</p> + +<p>"And a wiser and higher guide in the counsel and control of the Spirit +of God," said Mrs. Davis.</p> + +<p>"Dear, dear, how calmly you speak of such awful things!" said Jane, +somewhat alarmed, for she remembered her sister's warning about "a +lecture," and thought it must be coming now.</p> + +<p>"And why should we not speak calmly, and thankfully too, of truths +that are intended to give peace to our hearts, and consistency to +our conduct? You wished to know what would enable any one to resist +temptation, did you not, my dear?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but—but I did not know that it belonged to religion; I thought +you said something about principle."</p> + +<p>"So I did. I have no idea of any real, strong, trustworthy principle +which does not spring from true religion. I do not mean the dull, +formal, heartless profession which some are satisfied to call religion; +but I mean the sweet and happy pleasure of acting out in all we do the +love with which a living faith in the work and mercy of a most precious +Saviour fills our hearts. But I see Mary has made tea, and by and by, +if you please, you shall help us to read an interesting account of one +who was ruled by this principle, and it will show my meaning better +than my own words can do it."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>When Jane reached home at dusk that evening Ellen was absent; but her +arrival at the last moment allowed by the rules of the house, and +in the highest possible spirits, convinced her sister that she had, +according to her own predictions, "hit upon some way to amuse herself."</p> + +<p>"O Jane," she began, "what a pity you went out so early! Do you know +that good-natured Fannie Ashton sent her little brother to say that her +father and mother were going out, and she wished us to come and have +tea with her, for she was obliged to stay at home to mind the little +ones. So of course I went, and we have had such fun."</p> + +<p>"You and Fanny and the little ones?" said Jane, inquiringly.</p> + +<p>"Well, there was just another or two; and Henry Ashton brought in a +companion with him to tea, so we were a merry party. Fanny said she +ought to enjoy herself if she had to keep house, and she gave the +children cakes and sugar-plums to keep them in good humor, and got them +off to bed as soon as she could, and then we did enjoy ourselves till +I was obliged to come away. They all laughed about your going to Mary +Davis; and Fanny said you would be sure not to be caught so again. Did +you get the lecture I promised you?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," said Jane; "and I don't know that there was anything +to laugh at. I have had a very pleasant afternoon, and Mrs. Davis is +such a nice kind person, her manners and mind are quite like a lady's, +though she is not very well off now, I suppose. I was so glad when she +asked me to go whenever I like on a Sunday afternoon; and I shall very +often like, let who may laugh at it."</p> + +<p>"On wet Sundays, I suppose," said Ellen; "but of course you will not +go and mope there on fine ones. We are to go next Sunday the excursion +planned for to-day; and our party will have some other pleasant people +I can promise you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, Ellen, take care. You know uncle said you were too fond of company +and new acquaintances."</p> + +<p>"Well, do you think he would be pleased with your prim Mrs. Davis +and her daughter? Does he not wish us to associate with people above +us, rather than below us? So take care for yourself, Jane, and don't +suppose that you need to watch over me."</p> + +<p>"But you must come with me to Mary's some day," said Jane, "and judge +for yourself. You cannot help liking Mrs. Davis, I'm sure. And do you +know she actually read such a pretty story, and you thought she read +nothing but the Bible."</p> + +<p>"Now I know there were bits of the Bible in the book, weren't there, +Jane?" asked Ellen, laughing. "Else you would never have got the story: +I shan't let her choose stories for me."</p> + +<p>"It was all very good, wherever it came from," said Jane, "and quite +fit for Sunday, though interesting enough for other days. I shall go +and hear some more of it next Sunday; so, good-night."</p> + +<p>Jane and Ellen Saunders were orphans, left to the care of a +respectable, kind-hearted uncle, who had given them as much of +education as he considered suitable to their prospects in life, and +had promised that after they had obtained sufficient experience in the +business to which they had been apprenticed, he would set them up in a +small establishment for themselves. In the mean time they were to be +employed by the Misses Baylis, whose extensive connection furnished +opportunity for acquiring that further experience.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>The following Sunday proving again showery and dull, found Jane the +willing companion of Mary Davis, while Ellen still preferred to wear +out her temper and patience at the window, in anxious hope that some +congenial friend would take compassion on her solitude. This happened +at last, for the excursion having been again deferred, Fanny Ashton, +with her brother and his friend, called to invite her to a walk toward +some public gardens, where they could take tea, and find shelter if so +inclined. It never struck the vain and foolish girl to observe how her +company served the design of Fanny Ashton, by occupying the attentions +of the brother, under whose protection she left home, while she herself +appropriated those of his flattering friend. Nor did Ellen pause to +reflect, that had Henry Ashton been sincere in his professions of +regard, such scenes of Sabbath-breaking revelry as some of those which +he occasionally permitted her to witness or overhear, were not just +those to which feelings of respect and a sense of propriety would have +introduced her.</p> + +<p>Jane found her kind friends as agreeable as before, and soon became a +regular and welcome visitor at the cottage.</p> + +<p>By a natural and easy transition from opinion or opposition to decision +and proof, Mrs. Davis gradually led the attention of the ignorant +girl to the great standard of truth, and stimulated her interest by +occasionally calling upon Mary to name the chapter and verse in which +the desired reference occurred; and as Mary had learned Scripture +from her childhood, she served the purpose of a concordance to the +astonished Jane.</p> + +<p>"Dear Mary, I never knew anything like your memory," she exclaimed one +evening; "I wish I could remember where to find what I want in the +Bible as you do."</p> + +<p>"That is to be done by practice," said Mrs. Davis; "and if you will not +think it too childish, suppose I ask you to learn a text for me every +week. Say it over to yourself each day, and you will certainly know it +by Sunday."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I have no objection if it will please you," said Jane; +"you are the first person who ever made me think there was anything +interesting in the Bible, excepting to old people who are going to die +soon. You are not old yet you know," she added quickly.</p> + +<p>"I have no objection to be classed with old people, I assure you," said +Mrs. Davis, smiling, "if it is one of their privileges to find the +Bible their dearest consolation; but do not young people die sometimes?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps they do; but then one does not expect that they should, you +know."</p> + +<p>"But since it does often happen, is it not wise to be prepared at any +time for that which must come some time?"</p> + +<p>"I dare say you are quite right, but it is so melancholy to be thinking +about death; and while we are well I don't think it can be necessary: +there is no need to meet trouble half way, is there?"</p> + +<p>"It is only melancholy to those who do not know of a Friend in heaven, +with whom to be present is far better than any earthly pleasure."</p> + +<p>"My father and mother and two little brothers are in heaven," said +Jane, "but that does not make me wish to go there yet."</p> + +<p>"But have you a Saviour in heaven an advocate with the Father, who +has 'washed you from your sins in his own blood,' who represents you, +pleads for you, loves you with an everlasting love, for whose sake you +will be welcome to all the happiness and honor of his presence and +kingdom?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, Mrs. Davis, who can tell that?"</p> + +<p>"All who walk and live by faith in the Son of God, dear Jane, can tell +that."</p> + +<p>"Then I have no faith, for I know nothing about such things; and if +they make one wish to die, I don't want to know them yet."</p> + +<p>"It is not necessary to wish to die; but it is most comforting to know +and feel that which would take away the sting of death, if it pleased +God to cut short our term of life. But the very same faith and love +which would rejoice to depart and be with Christ, also enables God's +people to live in content and happiness on earth as long as he sees +good to spare them."</p> + +<p>"Do you wish to die?" asked Jane, abruptly.</p> + +<p>"Not now, dear. But I did wish it once when I had some severe trials; +I used to say with David, 'Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then +would I fly away, and be at rest . . . I would hasten my escape from +the windy storm and tempest.' But it was wrong, and I know now that in +heaven, where there is no sorrow, or sighing, or sin, we cannot glorify +God in the way that we may here amid the trials and temptations of +life."</p> + +<p>"But," exclaimed Jane, with the perversity of the natural heart, "I +should not wish to live if I thought I must have trials and miseries in +this world."</p> + +<p>"Then, dear girl, do you not perceive how desirable is that divine +grace which so overcomes the self-will and the selfishness of our +sinful nature, as to make us submissive and patient under all God's +dealings? You know you must submit after all, for who can successfully +resist his will? But to trust his love, like an affectionate, obedient +child who knows that he 'doth not willingly afflict,' is peace, most +precious peace, and the secret of true happiness."</p> + +<p>"Ah," thought Jane, "I am afraid Ellen would say I am getting the +lecture now."</p> + +<p>"But," said she, "if I wished to feel as you say, Mrs. Davis, how can I +be made to do so? Is it not very hard and difficult, and should I not +be obliged to give up a great many things that I like?"</p> + +<p>"The Bible does not say so, and I never heard any true child of God say +so. The message of the Gospel is not a command to give up anything, +or to be or do anything, of ourselves; it is just an invitation to +receive something. It offers to lost sinners a Saviour, in whom God has +provided every blessing, every gift, every supply of which we stand in +need."</p> + +<p>"But, Mrs. Davis, am I such a sinner as that—a lost sinner? I'm sure +I don't wish to sin; it is such a strong, disagreeable name to call +people who do nothing very bad."</p> + +<p>"Do you love the Lord God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and +strength? And do you love your neighbor as yourself?"</p> + +<p>"No, I can't say that I do," replied Jane, coloring; "but then I have +never done any harm to anybody that I know of."</p> + +<p>"But God's holy law demands that some thing must be done that is right, +as well as nothing done that is wrong; so if you have failed at all, +you are a sinner, and must not expect to escape the displeasure of +an offended God, who sees only two classes of human character—saved +believers and lost sinners. You are able to judge for yourself whether +you have cast yourself, with all your sins and weakness, on the love +and pity of the great Redeemer, who came to seek and to save that which +is lost; or whether you are hoping to need no mercy, and get to heaven +some other way. You read this evening what Scripture says of the people +who do that in the tenth chapter of John's Gospel."</p> + +<p>"But what do you mean, Mrs. Davis? You say we must obey God's law, and +yet that no one does obey it; how, then, can any one be saved?"</p> + +<p>"This is just the inquiry I like to hear you make, dear Jane. It takes +your attention at once to an answer in the life and death, the love and +power of the Son of God, who died for our sins, and rose again for our +justification. The law man could not keep with his evil heart, Jesus +kept and perfectly fulfilled; in place of the punishment man deserved, +and could never have escaped from, Jesus offered his own sufferings and +death for every sinner who believes in him; and all who will not trust +him entirely must bear the consequences of their unbelief, 'for there +is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be +saved.'"</p> + +<p>"Then it does not matter whether I obey God or not if Christ has died +for me, does it?"</p> + +<p>"You must first be satisfied that the benefits of his death are made +yours by faith personally. Do you think you could know positively +that a friend had endured some dreadful suffering and disgrace that +you might be spared, and not love that friend, and feel very deeply +grateful for his love to you?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed; I hope not, I think not."</p> + +<p>"And could you willfully grieve and disobey one whom you love, and take +pleasure in what he disapproves and caused his sufferings?"</p> + +<p>"O Mrs. Davis, I see what you mean now."</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear Jane, you see the tender bond by which true believers in the +Lord Jesus Christ are bound to obey his will, and to follow his steps. +His love constrains them. They no longer wish to live unto themselves, +but into him who died for them."</p> + +<p>"Then I must believe first, I suppose? It seems easy enough to do that."</p> + +<p>"It would appear that the apostle Paul did not think so, when he wrote +that 'the natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God.' +Saying 'I believe,' is not believing. True faith is the gift of God. +His Spirit takes of the things of Jesus, and shows them to the sinner's +heart. It is a lesson beyond human teaching, dear Jane, but one which +God the Holy Spirit teaches successfully, where he teaches at all, and +which we are too far fallen to learn of ourselves. The very desire to +learn of him is his work; and if you would believe in Jesus to the +salvation of your soul, ask for the blessing, and you cannot be denied."</p> + +<p>Jane remained silent and thoughtful, looking into the fire for some +time, and then suddenly asked for the text she had promised to learn.</p> + +<p>"Take the twenty-third verse of the sixth chapter of the Epistle to +Romans first," said Mrs. Davis. "'The wages of sin is death.' Is that +enough to make you feel happy all the week, Jane?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Jane, with a slight touch of sadness in her voice, "give me +some other; I told you I did not want to think about death yet."</p> + +<p>"Then learn the whole verse. 'The wages of sin is death; but the gift +of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.'"</p> + +<p>"Does it say that really?" And Jane seized the book to satisfy herself +that it did indeed say so.</p> + +<p>She was not forgotten that night in the affectionate prayers of her +faithful friends.</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_2">CHAPTER II.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>JANE SAUNDERS SEEKING LIGHT.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>ONE morning in the ensuing week, as the young people were busily +engaged upon some elegant dresses for a ball about to be given in the +neighborhood, Miss Baylis hastily entered the room with a roll of black +crape in her hands.</p> + +<p>"Young ladies," said she, in a voice somewhat agitated, "I am sure you +will be sorry to hear that the ball-dress for Miss M. is no longer +needed; she died last night after a very short illness."</p> + +<p>The work fell from every hand, and looks of astonishment and regret +overspread every countenance.</p> + +<p>"Dear, how awful!" exclaimed one. "And she was here only the other day, +looking so well and happy."</p> + +<p>"It is quite a warning to us all, I'm sure," said Miss Baylis; "she +had everything to make her happy, and was only just come out too. Poor +thing! It is very sad indeed. Pray put away those flowers and ribbons +that she was going to wear, I cannot bear to see you do another stitch +at that ball-dress; and here, Miss Davis, begin immediately to cut out +crape bonnets and mantles for poor Mrs. M. and the little sisters. This +will throw several families into mourning, and I'm afraid we shall have +a great deal to do in a very short time."</p> + +<p>And, with a few further directions, Miss Baylis disappeared.</p> + +<p>It was not possible for kind-hearted girls, however thoughtless, to +hear with indifference of the sudden removal of one who had so lately +stood among them, giving her orders for this ball-dress with the +greatest interest and satisfaction.</p> + +<p>They remembered how they had admired her beauty, and envied her rank +and station in life; how affably she had spoken to them, and how +they had watched her graceful figure as she remounted the beautiful +horse, which she told Miss Baylis was a birthday gift from her father +the day before; and how she had glanced up toward their window, with +consciousness that the eyes of some six or eight young people about her +own age were earnestly and admiringly regarding her. And now—ah, what a +painful contrast!</p> + +<p>"I declare I feel quite melancholy and miserable," said Ellen Saunders; +"do make haste, Mary, and let us get over this gloomy work. I wish the +poor thing had not been here so lately, it makes one think so much more +about her."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if she knew that text, Mary—my text," said Jane softly as +she helped Mary to fix the pattern about to be cut out. And in another +minute a tear stole down the young milliner's cheek, observed only by +the friend who understood and appreciated her feeling.</p> + +<p>"Let us hope that she did, dear Jane, and learn ourselves to value it, +so as to be safe and happy in life or death."</p> + +<p>"But if she did not know what your mother says all must know who are +saved, what then, Mary? So young, so pleasant, so happy!"—And Jane +paused.</p> + +<p>"God's word must be true, Jane; we have nothing to do with applying it +to any one's case but our own: only we know that the Judge of all the +earth will do right. He has sent us a very solemn lesson, and our day +of salvation is now; let us not neglect it, for it may soon be over +forever."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image009" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"><a id="Image009"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image009.jpg" alt="image009"></a></figure> +<p class="t4"> +<b>Jane Saunders.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>It happened that Jane Saunders, being an excellent fitter, was sent +to Mrs. M.'s to take the pattern for frocks for the children. She was +shown into a large and handsome room, where the front shutters were +closed, and a large blind hung to the ground, at the back window, +excluding nearly all light, and the view of trees and flowers in the +garden to which it opened. Jane sat waiting some time, feeling very +sad and gloomy, and then the door was softly opened, and a little girl +stole in with a frock in her hand.</p> + +<p>"If you please," said she in a low voice, "mamma cannot come to you, +but she says you are to make it like this."</p> + +<p>"May I draw up this blind a little way, that I may see to take your +pattern?" asked Jane, moving toward the back window.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I dare say you may, just for a minute, but there is no light +anywhere in the house more than this; and poor mamma is ill with crying +about dear Clara. Are you not sorry about her, too?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear, I am indeed, very sorry," said Jane, in a tone of sincere +sympathy.</p> + +<p>"But they say she has gone to heaven," said the child, "and everybody +is happy there. I don't feel so sorry since they told me that, for I +know who lives in heaven."</p> + +<p>"Whom do you mean, dear?" asked Jane timidly.</p> + +<p>"Why, I mean Jesus Christ. I have got a nice book that tells about him; +and it says he is so kind and good, and that he likes little children +to come to him, and to love him. So I shall go to him when I die; but +I must love him, and do what he wishes here first. I hope dear Clara +loved him, but she never told us. Do you love Jesus Christ?" added she, +turning round, and looking full into Jane's face.</p> + +<p>"I—I hope I shall," said Jane, astonished and perplexed at the +straightforward question.</p> + +<p>"Ah yes, I hope so: and then if you die, I can say that you loved him, +and I shall know that you are gone to heaven."</p> + +<p>Jane might have replied to one older; but to the simple, trusting child +she could not, dared not say that she knew nothing of Jesus Christ to +warrant a hope of happiness in heaven; and though she would gladly +have prolonged the conversation, she felt awkward and confounded, and +concluded her task in silence.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Miss Baylis was quite right in her anticipations of having a great +deal to do in a very short time; and Saturday found much work still +unfinished, which was expected by some of her best customers that +evening. What was to be done? There were some who would not be offended +if their dresses were sent in early on Sunday morning, rather than not +at all; and to secure the finish of as many as possible, Miss Robson, +the forewoman of the establishment and the expectant of a junior +partnership in the same, set herself diligently forward to accomplish +the wishes of her principals in the best manner their united wisdom +could devise.</p> + +<p>It was very rarely that the young people were detained long beyond +their appointed hours; but when especially requested to remain, they +usually were willing to comply. Every day of this particular week +they had worked early and late, and were not prepared for the further +demands of the obliging forewoman.</p> + +<p>"It will greatly oblige Miss Baylis if some of you will stay and work +until about eight or nine o'clock to-morrow morning, young ladies," +said she, on the Saturday afternoon; "we can accomplish a great deal +among us to-night, and it is but once in a way as it were. The poor +M.'s, you know, must have their things; we cannot refuse what death has +required; and then you see the ball takes place on Monday evening, and +we may have alterations to make in some of the things."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, Miss Robson, I am half asleep over what I am doing now," said +one of the girls, with a yawn; "I don't think Miss Baylis can expect us +to stay to-night. I mean to lie in bed all day on Sunday."</p> + +<p>"Well, you can go to bed, you know, directly you go home. I am sure we +would not deprive you of the whole of your Sunday. It is as a favor +Miss Baylis asks it; she does not, of course, demand it, but, for my +part, I have great pleasure in obliging her, and have no doubt that all +who are living in the house will feel the same."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I don't though," said Ellen, unhesitatingly; "I don't like to +give up my own day to please any one, and I never thought we should be +asked."</p> + +<p>"Only two or three hours of it, my dear," said Miss Robson, soothingly: +"in fact, I dare say we can have done all that is really wanted by +seven o'clock if we try hard."</p> + +<p>"And what shall we be fit for after sitting up all night, I should like +to know?" said Fanny Ashton, laughing satirically. "However, my mother +would not allow it, so it's of no use to ask me, Miss Robson."</p> + +<p>"Well, I will say no more than this," and Miss Robson looked round +with a meaning smile, "that I have always found Miss Baylis knows how +to appreciate an obligation; and those of the young ladies who do +nothing but lie in bed, or amuse themselves on a Sunday, might as well +do something useful for once to please another person. Miss Baylis +expressly said that she would not ask any one who she believes makes a +conscientious use of her Sunday, as Mary Davis does, going to church +and Sunday school regularly, and having a sick mother to attend to, +and so on, but only those who do not think it necessary to be so very +strict, and have nothing to do for others."</p> + +<p>Mary Davis, it should be observed, was not present when Miss Robson +made her appeal, but was gone down to the shop for some articles +required.</p> + +<p>"Then," said Jane, who had listened hitherto without making any remark, +"does Miss Baylis think that we, who are doing a little wrong to please +ourselves, might as well do more to please her?"</p> + +<p>"Doing wrong, Jane Saunders? What a strange speech!" exclaimed two or +three at once. "We are doing right to claim our own day, and to keep it +too; but it is certainly wrong to work on Sunday."</p> + +<p>"I am inclined to agree with Miss Robson and Miss Baylis," said Jane; +"and if I only wanted to please myself to-morrow, I don't see any great +difference in the wrong between my amusement and my work, and wouldn't +mind on that account working till noon, or all day."</p> + +<p>"O, but we need not do that, Miss Saunders. You are very kind, and I'll +tell Miss Baylis what you say," said Miss Robson complacently.</p> + +<p>"O no, pray do not, Miss Robson," exclaimed Jane, "for I cannot consent +to work after midnight. I wish to make a better use of Sunday now than +I used to do," she added, blushing; "and I hope never again to deserve, +as I have done, to be asked to work on that day."</p> + +<p>"That's Mary Davis's doing," whispered the young woman who sat nearest +to Miss Robson.</p> + +<p>"It's unfortunate just now, at any rate," returned Miss Robson, in the +same confidential tone; "but you've no idea how highly Miss Baylis +thinks of Mary. She says she does not agree with her in some things, +but she would trust her for truth, and uprightness, and honesty and +all that sort of thing, beyond any young person she ever knew, and I +wouldn't say a word against her for the world. She has been pretty well +watched I can tell you though, and Miss Baylis says she does more work +and better than any of the others, and is always here first on a Monday +morning, looking so fresh and happy, while some of you come lounging +and yawning in as if you were tired to death."</p> + +<p>"That's true enough," replied the other, laughing; "I always do feel +tired to death on a Monday, and I can't think why it is."</p> + +<p>"Well, you had better get Mary's remedy then. But get on with your +work as fast as you can. I know one reason why Mary does a great deal +more than some. She never gossips away her time, for you don't hear +her voice once in an hour." And the forewoman, conscious that she was +not just then setting the best of examples, began to stitch away with +redoubled vigor.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>On Monday morning Mary arrived at five o'clock, anxious to do her best +in the emergency. She found Jane in the work-room before her, and the +two friends who had honored God on Sunday, served their employers more +effectually on Monday than those who had yielded to Miss Robson's +proposal, for indolence could not very justly be reprimanded which was +declared to result from the overwork, and want of lawful rest.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding her good resolutions, Jane Saunders once or twice +yielded to Ellen's entreaties to join her and her companions in +Sunday afternoon excursions, but had not derived from them any of the +enjoyment so liberally promised. The fact was, that her conscience was +sufficiently awakened to perceive that their course was one of folly +and sin, and that there was evidently no fear of God before their eyes; +and if her heart did not at once candidly renounce their pleasures, it +was uneasy and disturbed while sharing them.</p> + +<p>She saw that Ellen was absorbed in vanity and pride, elated with +flattery, and discontented and restless when any other seemed likely to +attract the attention she coveted.</p> + +<p>Then Jane returned with thankfulness to her quiet afternoon with Mrs. +Davis. And after the sudden death of the interesting Miss M., she had +prevailed on one or two others to accompany her. These also, being +touched with the kind interest felt for their true welfare, and finding +themselves neither scolded nor lectured, repeated the visit, and soon +wished to follow Jane's example of learning a text every week.</p> + +<p>Thus, the little party grew by degrees, until all Mrs. Davis's chairs +and benches were in requisition, and one or two friends in the town, +hearing from their young dependents of the Bible-reading at this humble +refuge from Sunday idleness and sin, sent now and then a little present +of grocery, or other useful things, that the widow might be enabled to +"show hospitality" without embarrassment or privation in the week.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>"I wish, Jane," said Ellen, one day, "if you are determined to go to +that Mrs. Davis's, you would call for me at Mr. Ashton's on your way +home. I expect to spend the evening there, and they have so often asked +about you, that it seems quite disrespectful of you never to go near +them."</p> + +<p>"I did go, you know, Ellen, once, to please you, and I did not like the +way you all behaved at all."</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is your prim, precise nonsense, since you went so much with +Mary; but surely I have as much right to choose my friends as you +have," said Ellen, tossing her head; "but it is Mr. and Mrs. Ashton who +want to see you, or I'm sure I should not press it."</p> + +<p>"I will call for you, and wait in the shop until you are ready," said +Jane; "I would rather not come in."</p> + +<p>"Well, you will see how that will be; so I shall expect to see you."</p> + +<p>And the sisters parted, one to giddy amusement and folly with a young +party bent on doing their own pleasure; the other to the happy little +group assembled round the widow and her Bible.</p> + +<p>"You gave us so little to learn, Mrs. Davis," said Jane, "that I have +learned a long piece besides."</p> + +<p>"I cannot find fault with that, my dear," replied Mrs. Davis; "but +the reason I gave you little was, that you might consider it deeply, +because the sentence, though so short, contains the pith of many a +volume."</p> + +<p>"So you said; but really I cannot see so very much in it. They +crucified Him; what is it but a statement of a fact?"</p> + +<p>"It is, as you say, a statement of a fact, and how solemnly important a +fact, I hope you will learn to understand. But I want to tell you, dear +girls, about a friend of my early days, who found a great deal in that +text. She was, as you seem to be, anxious to be what she called 'very +good;' but I hope your efforts will be more Scriptural toward that end, +than hers were in the beginning of her course.</p> + +<p>"She was a warm-hearted, spirited girl, brought up by worldly parents, +and allowed to do very much as she pleased in most things. After she +grew up to womanhood, it happened that she heard some startling sermons +from an eminent preacher of the Gospel, which convinced her that there +must be something more interesting in religion than she yet understood, +and a great deal more to be done than she had ever attempted. So she +resolved to renounce 'the world,' which, in her view, consisted of +amusements, visiting, gay and expensive dress, and novel-reading, all +of which she rigidly denied herself, and thought she was wonderfully +successful in attaining an exalted position among the people of God. +Any appearance of remonstrance or opposition on the part of her +indulgent friends made her declare herself firm and ready for martyrdom +in defense of her new opinions. You do not need me to tell you that her +religion was as much opposed to the pure Gospel as her worldliness, +and more dangerous to her soul; for she was building herself up in +self-righteousness, while the religion of the heart, and the teaching +of God's Holy Spirit, were still unknown to her.</p> + +<p>"One day, during a course of lectures on the history of the Lord Jesus +Christ, Elizabeth's favorite minister took for his text this short +passage, and she sat ready, as usual, to listen and admire, proud of +her ability to appreciate what she called 'a good sermon.'</p> + +<p>"'How clever!' thought she, as she prepared her pencil and paper to +take notes. 'What can he say about such a little text as that?'</p> + +<p>"And now I am going to read to you what she was able to remember +afterward of the sermon.</p> + +<p class="letter"> +<br> + "'They crucified Him.'<br> +<br> + "'They,'" repeated the preacher, pausing on the word, "who were they? +'Crucified,' what was it? 'Him,' who was He? Let us answer the last +question first.<br> +<br> + "'God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto +the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by +his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things.' 'Who, being in +the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made +himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and +was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, +he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of +the cross.'<br> +<br> + "He was the same of whom it is written, 'The Word was with God, and the +Word was God;' and 'the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us . . . +the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.'<br> +<br> + "But how came this wonderful person in company with thieves, enduring +a disgraceful death, a public execution? He was not personally guilty, +for no charge deserving of punishment could be proved against him. He +was not powerless, for he could heal the sick and raise the dead; and +angels who were eagerly looking into the events of his extraordinary +career, would have sped to do his bidding.<br> +<br> + "The ignorant taunt of his enemies was, 'He saved others, himself +he cannot save,' which was only true because he did not choose to +take himself out of their hands. The crowning act of his earthly +ministry must be performed; and while 'by wicked hands' the Son of +God was 'crucified and slain,' the eternal purpose of redeeming love +was accomplished; and that sinners might be saved, Christ died. He +was 'made sin,' 'numbered with transgressors,' 'endured the cross, +despising the shame,' and 'lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him +should not perish, but have eternal life.' So 'they crucified him.'<br> +<br> + "Had the Jews been his executioners, they would have stoned him; but +being condemned by the Roman governor, the Roman punishment must +be inflicted. A painful, lingering, and cruel death; nay, more, an +accursed death, for it is written, 'Cursed is every one that hangeth on +a tree.'<br> +<br> + "God had manifested his displeasure against sin by casting out of +heaven rebellious angels, 'who kept not their first estate,' and by +pouring out a destroying flood upon rebellious men; but now he was +declaring 'the riches of his grace,' in his kindness toward us by Jesus +Christ; and drawing the eye of faith and the affections of the heart +to 'the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' So 'they +crucified him.'<br> +<br> + "'They.' Again let me ask, Who were they? You reply, The Roman soldiers +crucified him; and so they did, aggravating with every ingenuity the +sorrows they could not understand. But who put Jesus into the hand of +the Roman governor? The chief priests and scribes, who scorned his +instructions, envied his influence, and detested his purity. 'What will +ye that I shall do unto him?" asked the irresolute governor. 'Crucify +him,' shouted the false-witnesses and their angry masters. So 'they +crucified him.'<br> +<br> + "And are we to stop there? O no! 'Forasmuch as ye know,' some of you +at least, 'that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as +silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a +lamb without blemish and without spot.' Then, what if, passing by the +actual hands that struck, and the voices that shouted, we pass along +the stream of time, during which multitudes that no man can number +have been saved and blessed through this solemn fact, and consider +ourselves at the present moment, you and I, did we not crucify him? 'He +was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: +the chastisement of our peace was upon him; with his stripes we are +healed . . . and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.'<br> +<br> + "If Jesus had not died, we could never have been saved; if Jesus had +not died, man could never have estimated in any degree the depth and +power of that infinite love from which the plan of salvation sprang. +It was not that God needed to be appeased, 'for God so loved the +world, that he gave his only begotten Son;' but it was that his moral +government being thus righteously upheld, the lost might be sought +and found, and his love commended to us, 'in that, while we were +yet sinners, Christ died for us.' It was not that God was angry and +implacable, but that man, being redeemed by the blood of Christ, was to +be won and reconciled to him. It was the setting up, as it were, of an +eternal altar, on which sinners, feeling helpless and undone, might lay +their load of sin and care, and on which the one is consumed and put +away forever, and the other is changed into sanctifying discipline.<br> +<br> + "If your sins be not repented of and confessed, and blotted out there, +they are yet on your own heads; and unpardoned sinners must die, for +'the wages of sin is death.' O, it is an easy thing to read and believe +a history, and give a sigh to the fate of an unjustly condemned and +persecuted man, and this may be done sincerely by an amiable, kind +heart that is never influenced beyond the moment by the fact; but, it +is quite another thing to take God at his word, to receive his message +of mercy and love, and, believing in his love to you, to yield up +in return the affection of your hearts, and the grateful service of +your lives. I would solemnly ask you to go to your closets, search +and see what is your real position before God, look to Jesus who was +lifted up that he might draw all to him; and then, in penitence and +self-renunciation, you will learn who 'they' were that 'crucified him.'"<br> +<br> +</p> + +<p>Mrs. Davis paused, and left the minds of her young friends to meditate +for a little while on the truths she had read. She observed with +encouragement that no head was turned to question the impression made +upon another, and, perhaps, in that silence each, at least for once, +looked anxiously into her own heart.</p> + +<p>Then she resumed. "Elizabeth had prepared to follow the preacher with +her ready pencil, that she might enjoy over again, or detail to others, +the eloquence she so much admired. Soon, however, her hand paused, the +paper remained blank, and her eyes rose with astonishment and alarm to +the face of the earnest speaker.</p> + +<p>"At first she struggled proudly against the thought that she, if a +believer, could have anything to do with the death of Jesus. The +personal application of such a fact had never entered her mind before, +and yet the frightful alternative was not to be endured for a moment. +She meant to be saved, she must be saved. She could not, she would not, +cast in her lot with the enemies of God, with unbelievers, with lovers +of pleasure, and of the world which she thought she had renounced.</p> + +<p>"What then must she do? Lay aside her self-complacency, her +self-denials, her religious observances, her charitable acts, her +readiness for martyrdom, and take up 'only her sins,' and carry them to +Jesus? Must she be like the penitent Magdalene, the convicted Peter, +the man who would not so much as lift up his eyes in the temple, but +smote upon his breast, crying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner?' Yes, +she must do thus if she would be saved, because it was for sinners +that Jesus died. It was sin that crucified him, and the utmost daring +of her self-righteous spirit had never gone so far as to assert, or to +imagine, that she had not sinned.</p> + +<p>"She had a temper, and a tongue, and vanity and pride that could +have contradicted, at any moment, such self-complacent thoughts. She +had therefore always made the condescending admission that nobody is +perfect, that all have failings; but she hoped she was a great deal +better than many, and was doing something occasionally to commend +herself to the favor of a discerning God. And now came this humbling +Scriptural declaration of atoning merit and forgiving love, proclaiming +to faith and penitence a complete salvation, the effect of which +uproots the love of sin, dethrones self, and secures a loving obedience +to lawful authority; frees the toiling slave, and makes him an adopted +child.</p> + +<p>"Elizabeth went home sad that night; the words she had failed to +write on paper sinking into her proud heart and probing its secret +depths. She tried to pray as usual, but now it seemed no prayer at +all; she had to learn as a little child, and to seek a Divine but ever +ready teacher. I need not describe to you the exercises of her soul +under the unexpected light that had dawned upon her; but she was not +able to fight long against the sacred truth, that 'not by works of +righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved +us;' and then she saw how grateful love would seek to render every act +righteous, and impress every thought and feeling with the beauty of +holiness, not merely to save self, but to glorify God.</p> + +<p>"O my dear young friends, never suppose that God calls you to do +anything by way of merit in order that you may be saved, for there is +no merit in penitence or faith. And if you ask,—</p> + +<p>"'Must we not give up our gaiety, and our amusements, and our love of +dress, and our Sunday excursions, and our thoughtless, or envious, or +unholy talk,' or any other things in which you allow yourselves?</p> + +<p>"I answer, you are not told to think about giving up anything, except +as the proper fruit of faith and love to God and Christ, which the +Spirit of God has implanted in your heart; so that it is no longer +pleasure, but pain and grief, to do anything that is inconsistent with +obedience and devotedness to him.</p> + +<p>"It will then no longer be,—</p> + +<p>"'"Must" I give up this? Or deny myself that?'</p> + +<p>"But rather—</p> + +<p>"'What shall I render unto my Lord for all his benefits toward me? I +will take the cup of salvation . . . I will offer to thee the sacrifice +of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord. Whither he leads, +I will go; what he loves, I will love; and what he bids, I will do; his +friends shall be my friends, his foes my foes, his word my delight.'</p> + +<p>"It shall no longer be,—</p> + +<p>"'How near may I remain to the world, and yet be a believer in Him?'</p> + +<p>"But,—</p> + +<p>"'How far may I get from worldliness, and how closely may I walk with +Him?'</p> + +<p>"The love of Jesus and the love of dress and vanity cannot agree +together in the same heart; the love of Jesus and the practice of +Sabbath-breaking cannot exist in the same person; one must exclude the +other, and the way of holiness will be found the way of true enjoyment."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>"How I wish," said Jane Saunders to herself as she walked along, +according to promise, to call for her sister, "how I wish I had not to +call for Ellen to-night. I want to go and be alone and think, but she +will not let me. Why should I be troubled about her?"</p> + +<p>Then memory recalled, like a still small voice of gentle rebuke, +a portion of a chapter she had learned: "He first findeth his own +brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias; . . . +and he brought him to Jesus." She admired the brother's love: should a +sister's love be less zealous?</p> + +<p>When Jane was announced at Mr. Ashton's, a rush was made from the +sitting-room, which opened by a glass door into the shop, and before +she could express any will or wish upon the subject, she was dragged +into the midst of the party assembled there, who seemed to be about to +sit down to supper.</p> + +<p>"Ellen," said she, "I have called as you bade me, and we have only just +time to get home by nine o'clock. Will you get ready at once?"</p> + +<p>"Why did you not come earlier then?" said Ellen, vainly endeavoring to +conceal her annoyance. "But it will not matter for you to be a little +late for once; Miss Baylis will excuse you, I know."</p> + +<p>"I hope not to give her any cause for excusing me, Ellen; so be quick, +there's a dear girl, and let us go. Mrs. Ashton, I am sure you will +think it quite right for us to obey Miss Baylis's rules." And Jane +looked pleadingly toward Mrs. Ashton.</p> + +<p>"Certainly, my dear, certainly; we will not ask you to stay to-night. I +am very sorry, Miss Ellen, but I see we must not have the pleasure of +your company and your sister's to supper."</p> + +<p>"Pray do go and put on your bonnet, Ellen," whispered Jane, earnestly.</p> + +<p>"Really, I am quite sorry," said Mr. Ashton, rousing himself from a +doze in his easy chair; "one so seldom gets a sight of you, Miss Jane; +but you are quite right about minding rules. I'm a great advocate for +punctuality and obedience myself; there's no managing young people +without them. Well, but you can come in and spend next Sunday with us +instead."</p> + +<p>"O no, indeed, sir, thank you; I cannot indeed," said Jane quickly.</p> + +<p>"Cannot? Why who is to hinder you?" asked Mr. Ashton, looking at her +with some surprise.</p> + +<p>"I—I mean—I should say—I am very much obliged to you, sir, but I would +rather not," stammered Jane, coloring deeply.</p> + +<p>"O, that's another thing; will not and cannot have rather different +meanings, Miss Jane; but I hope you don't think there's any more harm +in coming here, than in going to visit some other friends on a Sunday. +We hear that you are turning religious, and we think it a pity you +should wish to grow dull and formal."</p> + +<p>"O, I am not religious," said Jane; "and I never knew, until I went to +Mrs. Davis's, what a happy thing it is to be so, at least, to have such +religion as hers. If Fanny and Ellen would come only once, they would +soon see that we are not dull and formal."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, my dear, I'm afraid you are getting on fast; but every +one to his taste. I'm sure I shall never persecute any one for his +creed, for everybody has a right to judge for himself, according to his +conscience, I think."</p> + +<p>Jane felt exceedingly uncomfortable, but she did not know how to reply +to a sentiment which, nevertheless, she knew to be false and dangerous. +At last, however, summoning courage, she said, as meekly as she could, +lest Mr. Ashton should think her presumptuous: "We study the Bible +at Mrs. Davis's, sir, to find out what is God's will, and then our +consciences can tell us afterward whether we try to do it or not."</p> + +<p>"Ah, I dare say; that is Mrs. Davis's way, you see," said Mr. Ashton.</p> + +<p>"O sir, surely it is the right way. How can we tell what is really true +and right in any other way?"</p> + +<p>"I never argue, my dear; I let people think as they please," said Mr. +Ashton, hastily.</p> + +<p>"Now, Ellen," again implored Jane, seeing her yet unprepared to depart, +"indeed I must go without you."</p> + +<p>And she opened the door, on which Ellen and Fanny darted up stairs, +leaving her to wait in the shop until their return.</p> + +<p>It was evident that the family in the sitting-room supposed she also +had gone up to hasten the process of dressing for the walk, for a +conversation immediately commenced, which they could scarcely have +intended for her ear, but the door not being completely closed, and +Jane having seated herself in the dark, to wait as desired, she could +not avoid hearing it.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what, Harry," said Mr. Ashton to his son, "it's easy +enough to be seen which of those two girls will make the sensible +woman, and I hope you won't be paying too much attention to that +foolish Miss Ellen."</p> + +<p>"O, you need not fear," replied the hopeful Mr. Harry; "it only amuses +us to see how she is puffed up with vanity and conceit. She little +thinks the fun we make of her for it. But I can tell you, we never talk +nonsense to prim Miss Jane."</p> + +<p>"All the better for her; she's a steady girl, though she may be getting +a little Methodistical; but that's a great deal better than the silly +thoughts that seem to fill her sister's mind. A vain, dressy, giddy +girl will make a miserable, helpless, extravagant wife for any man who +has the misfortune to marry her; and even if the old uncle could give +her a good settlement, I should never wish to see that little simpleton +daughter-in-law of mine."</p> + +<p>"Dear, dear, Mr. Ashton, of course not," said his wife; "Henry would +never be so foolish."</p> + +<p>Mr. Harry was saved the necessity of a reply by the entrance of Ellen +and Fanny, when he started up to offer his escort home. Whereupon Jane, +burning with indignation, threw open the door, and haughtily declined +his services.</p> + +<p>"Whatever is the matter with you, Jane?" exclaimed Ellen, as soon as +they had left the house; "I never saw you so rude and disagreeable +before."</p> + +<p>"I am very sorry, I don't wish to be rude or disagreeable," said Jane; +"but I do wish I could persuade you to—"</p> + +<p>"To come and be made a Methodist, I dare say," cried Ellen, angrily; +"but you need not expect it, so don't waste your trouble upon me."</p> + +<p>Jane said no more until they reached their own room, when, putting her +arm round her sister, and affectionately kissing her half reluctant +cheek, she whispered the conversation she had overheard, so far only as +it related to Ellen herself.</p> + +<p>In vain Ellen would have doubted; she knew that Jane scorned a +falsehood; and after a hysterical struggle to exhibit no other feeling +than indignation at the impertinence, she laid her head on her sister's +shoulder and wept bitter tears of mortification and distress.</p> + +<p>"Dear Ellen," said Jane, when the disappointed girl was a little +calmed, "if you would but trust those who love you, instead of such +friends as these, how happy we might be! Will you not hear about Jesus +Christ, and let us follow him together? O, Ellen, he is no pretended +friend, to laugh at our faults when we are out of sight. He screens +them from others, and shows them only to ourselves, that we may confess +them, and that he may forgive them. I do feel that this vexatious event +has strengthened in me every desire and resolution I ever had to serve +and follow him, for he is the faithful and true Friend, and just the +one we need to keep us safe from harm and trouble."</p> + +<p>And if the little girl at the house of mourning had been present to ask +again, in her artless tone of wishful inquiry, "Do 'you' love Jesus +Christ?" Jane's full heart would have prompted the reply, "'Lord, thou +knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.'"</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_3">CHAPTER III.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>OBSTINATE ELLEN.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>MARY DAVIS and her friend Jane were one day in the show-room together, +completing some arrangements for the display of fashions, which, at +stated periods of the year, brought all the ladies of the neighborhood +to inspect Miss Baylis's tasteful and tempting productions.</p> + +<p>"O Mary," said Jane, as she settled a bonnet on the stand, "I do so +often wish we were not milliners. I have never told you yet what I have +been thinking about it, because you are one yourself; but it seems to +me quite a different sort of business from what it did when I began it."</p> + +<p>"Does it? Why?" said Mary, going on with her work, which just then was +the completion of a pretty little cap.</p> + +<p>"Why, what have we been doing now, but setting out temptations to +people to come and spend their money on many things they do not really +want, who will be persuaded to commit all sorts of extravagances, +instead of doing good with the means that God has given them."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<figure class="figcenter" id="image010" style="max-width: 25.3125em;"><a id="Image010"> + <img class="w100" src="images/image010.jpg" alt="image010"></a></figure> +<p class="t4"> +<b>The Young Milliners.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>"I have thought of that," said Mary, "but I never persuade; I show the +thing I am asked for, and it seems to me, that as people must have +respectable clothing, they may as well buy what is new and pretty when +they are about it."</p> + +<p>"Ah! But it is not what 'must' be had that I am objecting to; you will +see, presently, many ladies will buy things they never thought of, +just because Miss Baylis says they are fashionable, or cheap, or very +becoming; and she says her bills are sure to be paid, because no lady +likes her milliner's account to be known. Besides, Mary, one is obliged +to be so insincere, and tell people things are becoming and suitable, +when one sees all the while they are just the very opposite."</p> + +<p>"Obliged?" said Mary.—"Obliged to say what is not true, Jane?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Baylis thinks so, and Miss Robson does it without any scruple, as +you will hear if you stay in the show-room."</p> + +<p>"But you and I, Jane?"</p> + +<p>"Well, dear Mary, not you, I am quite sure, but I can't say as much for +myself; if I should be determined to get on, I may be tempted. And you +may depend upon it that all who get on do it."</p> + +<p>"One might have a good business, I think, if one only worked for those +who mean what they say, and want what they come to look at," said Mary.</p> + +<p>"Good enough to satisfy you, perhaps; but is it not the gay and +fashionable, the vain and extravagant, who make milliners' fortunes?"</p> + +<p>"Well, but is it right to want to make a fortune? Does not the Bible +say, 'He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent;' and +'They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into +many foolish and hurtful lusts?' And they may do that in any kind of +business."</p> + +<p>"Then you would not think it right to induce people to buy your goods?"</p> + +<p>"Not against my conscience, and, as you said just now, my sense of +their being proper for them."</p> + +<p>"Well, now, whom would you wish to buy that pretty cap you have just +finished so nicely?"</p> + +<p>"Some nice-looking lady, who can afford to sit still, I think," replied +Mary, laughing, as she held up her work to see the effect; "for these +gossamer quillings will never keep their proper places in a breeze."</p> + +<p>"Hush, Mary! Look, look!" whispered Jane. "Here come some ladies to get +the first look at the thing."</p> + +<p>And two or three ladies advanced into the room.</p> + +<p>"I want a pretty cap, and Miss Baylis says there is one just the thing +here," said an elderly person in spectacles, with a florid complexion +and a bustling manner, but, who was one of the richest of Miss Baylis's +customers. "Is this it?" she asked, taking the cap out of Mary's hand, +and turning to one of her friends. "Very pretty, isn't it? And quite +new, Miss Baylis said. I'll just try it on."</p> + +<p>And the delicate little cap was presently placed on a head considerably +too large for the shape.</p> + +<p>"Will it do, do you think?" said the lady, looking good-humoredly +at Mary, while the friends had gone to some other part of the room, +perhaps to avoid giving an opinion.</p> + +<p>Mary saw at once that it did not "do" at all.</p> + +<p>"I think, ma'am," said she, modestly, "if you will allow me, I can show +you some others which may suit better!"</p> + +<p>"But this is a new style, is it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, ma'am, but—perhaps this, the style is not old of this one." And +she presented a comfortable looking cap, much better suited to the age +and appearance of the lady.</p> + +<p>"Ah, yes, this is very comfortable." And it looked comfortable too, +Mary thought.</p> + +<p>"But," continued the lady, "I want something a little more dressy, you +know. This is rather too much of a morning cap."</p> + +<p>"We can make up the same pattern in handsomer materials, if you think +proper, ma'am," said Mary respectfully.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes, do so then. I think this suits me very well, and it fits so +comfortably."</p> + +<p>At this moment Miss Baylis appeared, and immediately suspecting that +the millinery had not been recommended with any particular eloquence, +she began to praise the cap, entreated the lady to try it again, and +expatiated so warmly on the becoming effect of the latest fashion, that +the cap was purchased, and the lady departed, fully persuaded that she +had the prettiest head-dress in the town.</p> + +<p>"I wish Miss Robson to attend in the show-room, you know, Mary," said +Miss Baylis.</p> + +<p>"She was not quite ready, ma'am," replied Mary; "and she only asked me +to wait until she came."</p> + +<p>Then Miss Robson came forward, and being a stylish looking little +person, with a head and shoulders that suited every decoration that +could be put upon them, and admirably showed off Miss Baylis's fashion, +she seldom failed, by her flattery and insinuating manners, to persuade +any purchasers who came within the power of her tongue, that the thing, +whatever it might be, which seemed to please, or which required to be +got rid of, was, without doubt, the very article they most wanted, and +certainly ought to buy.</p> + +<p>"Mary, I was very near speaking out about that cap," said Jane, "for it +vexed me to see it carried off by that foolish old lady. I wonder her +companions did not advise her not to make herself look ridiculous."</p> + +<p>"I felt sorry to see so little idea of what is comfortable and suitable +in old age," said Mary; "I did what I could to help it."</p> + +<p>"Miss Baylis is to blame; she said many things that were untrue about +it, and now you see one reason why I dislike the business; I think I +shall ask uncle to let me do something else. But I shall talk to your +mother about it first."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Jane did not forget the subject, and when she told Mrs. Davis of her +wish to give up her present occupation, she felt a little disappointed +when her kind friend asked calmly, "On what ground, my dear, will you +name this wish to your uncle? He will want a good reason for it, of +course."</p> + +<p>"I shall tell him that it is a business which tempts people to be vain +and worldly, and that I do not like to spend my time so."</p> + +<p>"But examine well, dear Jane, before you blame the business. There will +always be people who have neither time, not inclination, nor ability to +make their own clothing; and is it not right that they should have it +done for them?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I suppose it is."</p> + +<p>"Well, cannot directions be obeyed, and the best method and the best +materials employed, without vanity, or insincerity, or worldliness on +the part of the workman?"</p> + +<p>"They might by Mary."</p> + +<p>"And why not by Jane, if she has the same principle to guide her, and +the same desire to adorn the Gospel she professes to love? It appears +to me that your idea is just met by the advice of the apostle, 'Let +every man abide in the calling wherein he is called,' if it be a lawful +one. The only objection you bring against your business is that which +covetousness or some such sin joins to it. There is nothing wrong in +itself; and if you see it abused into wrong by others, you should try +to prove that it is no more of necessity the minister of sin than any +other calling in the world."</p> + +<p>"But one would never get on, you know. It would be but a poor +second-rate sort of business, if one could not do as others do."</p> + +<p>"'What is 'getting on,' Jane? Where does one get to? What is the end +in view? Is it to glorify God in some prospect of a future that we may +never live to see? It seems to me that the Christian has nothing to do +with what the world calls 'getting on,' but his desire and duty are to +glorify God every day and every hour of his life in the present, the +only time he is sure of; and if doing that, 'why take ye thought for +the morrow?' 'Why envy the foolish their rapid prosperity, when so few +can bear it without being 'lifted up to their hurt?' How far better to +walk with God in conscientious regard to truthfulness and sincerity, +depending prayerfully on his providence, than to manage a first rate +fashionable business with a worldly eye to 'getting on.'"</p> + +<p>"Then don't you think one ought to wish to give up some day, and be—be +independent?" hesitated Jane. "To save something, I mean, that we may +have it to live upon when we are not able to work."</p> + +<p>"That may be done—it had better be done—quite honestly, Jane; and the +believer will not allow his present conscience to be blotted with any +known sin, to secure a future object. If God's Spirit is in him, and +God's word guides him, he will have patience, he will live frugally, +and he will give cheerfully, nor refuse to do good with his dime now, +because he hopes to have his dollar to give away by and by. The looking +forward to a time to spend in self-indulgence that which has been +laid up in years of industry, is one of the devil's snares to check +benevolence and foster covetousness; and he persuades men that it is +lawful from the highest to the lowest branch of earthly business. It is +not for the true Christian to stoop from his high calling to this; it +is of the world, it is like the world, it is meddling with forbidden +things, and yet it may be made to seem so plausible, that it needs a +careful exercise of Christian judgment and the strict watchfulness of +an enlightened conscience to discern motives for earning and saving, as +well as for giving and spending."</p> + +<p>"Then," said Jane, "you see no inconsistency in helping to make vain +and extravagant people more vain and extravagant still."</p> + +<p>"I see that Mary and you are engaged in obeying the orders of people of +very opposite dispositions, without being aware in many cases of what +they are, and without being influenced for the better or the worse by +them. Our consistency, my dear girl, does not lie in the power of those +around us; it must have its deep living root in the love of Christ in +our own hearts."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, Mrs. Davis, I am sure you will agree with me in the next +thing I am going to say. I mean to alter the style of my own dress at +once, and no longer look like a show-block for the exhibition of the +fashions."</p> + +<p>"I confess there is something about it occasionally that may be +improved, my dear; but it will be right to consider that in future, and +not cast aside what you have already bought, unless you can afford to +do so."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Then you think me wrong again I see?"</p> + +<p>"Be sure that God has changed your heart first, Jane. His work begins +within; and the heart that is being probed and cleansed and renewed +by his grace does not begin with external things. I knew a young lady +once—she was such by birth and station—who became acquainted with +a Christian family, and admired and loved them ardently. They were +extremely plain in their dress, and having resolved to follow them in +everything, she did so in that. She not only gave up the gay society +she had mixed in, and offended all her relatives by denouncing them as +worldly, and unworthy of her attention and love, but she gave away all +her ornaments, many of which were very valuable, burned or destroyed +all her fashionable clothes, and appeared abroad in a plain common +gown, and a bonnet with only ribbon enough on it to serve for strings. +Her friends began to think she was deranged; but she said that God's +people were 'a peculiar people,' and the Lord Jesus himself was said to +be mad.</p> + +<p>"She was sent from home for a time, in the hope of giving a turn +to her thoughts; but this only strengthened her resolutions, and +increased the ardor of her apparent devotion to her religious views. +At last, believing her to be sincere and conscientious in all these +singularities, her mother received her again, allowing her to dress, +act, visit, read, and go among the sick and poor as she pleased, while +the subject of religion was never mentioned in her presence excepting +with respect and concurrence in anything she thought proper to say.</p> + +<p>"By degrees she wearied of a profession which had no enduring +life-giving energy within, and no connection with true faith from +above; and after the lapse of about two years, the cessation of all +opposition left the sparks she had kindled herself to die out. I +met her in the street to her way to pay a morning visit, dressed +expensively and fashionably, even to a white bonnet and feathers; and +I heard of her shortly afterwards dancing among the gayest and most +thoughtless at a ball given by some of her worldly friends, who were +delighted to perceive that she had what they called 'come to her senses +again.'</p> + +<p>"Once afterward I had an opportunity of speaking to her, when she +boldly denounced all who made any profession of religion, as hypocrites +or self-deceivers, and said she should forever suspect everybody who +wore a straight ribbon, or a common gown unsuited to her station in +life; that she had made a great mistake herself in being influenced +by the example of others while in their society; but that she had now +regained the exercise of her own independent judgment, and was once +more a reasonable creature. Thus, you see, she had returned from the +extremity of outward opposition to the world and its ways, to the point +from which she set out."</p> + +<p>"But did she never have any more religious thoughts or desires?" asked +Jane.</p> + +<p>"I do not know; but I should suppose her hours of private meditation, +if she ever had any, could not be very happy ones."</p> + +<p>"Poor girl, it was very sad," said Jane; "I hope I shall not be like +her, Mrs. Davis."</p> + +<p>"I hope not, indeed, dear Jane; but I have mentioned her to you, that +you may see how possible it is to assume 'a form of godliness,' without +knowing anything of 'the power thereof.' Be sure that what outward +changes you make, you do so because you love God, and desire to glorify +him, and can ask him to sanctify the motive, which no eye but his own +can see in its true light."</p> + +<p>"O! Mrs. Davis, how kind you are to talk to me in this way. I am a very +weak, foolish creature, and I fear I am wanting to be doing something +to look religious, before I have got any real religion at all. But I do +sometimes feel sure that I love the Lord Jesus Christ, and then I want +to do something to please him."</p> + +<p>"That is quite right, Jane; and God forbid that I should check that +loving thought."</p> + +<p>"Ah, but then I find myself wanting to seem better than others, instead +of remembering how wretchedly worthless I am myself before God. I +cannot think how it is, but I never seem to have a good thought or a +right feeling about salvation, but something vain or self-righteous or +abominable gets by the side of it directly, and then I hate myself more +than ever."</p> + +<p>"O thank God, dear girl, for revealing to you something of the +deceitfulness of your own heart, for nothing else can make us depend +entirely on the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no safe place for the soul, +no purifying influence for the heart, and no real fulfillment of duty, +except looking unto him; and to be drawing contrasts or making outward +differences between ourselves and others, is just a plot of Satan +to turn aside our gaze from the right direction and our step front +progress in our Master's service."</p> + +<p>"But there are many differences between God's people and the people of +the world that should be seen, are there not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, many; but they are, if I may venture to use the expression, +differences of growth and feature: they will come with our spiritual +progress, and should not be assumed as a badge by ourselves. It is as +easy and natural for a real Christian to dress with modest simplicity, +as for a worldly person to be in the height of the fashion; and as +easy to restrain the wishes within the limit of one's means, as for an +extravagant person to exceed them. The love of God is a regulator of +all such matters, when the Holy Spirit has planted it with renewing +power within our hearts. His children bear his likeness without any +unnatural effort of their own."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Ellen's displeasure against her friends, the Ashtons, gradually +subsided. Fanny, she knew, had nothing to do with the cause of offense; +and when her changed manner to Mr. Harry had induced his urgent +inquiries into the reason, she had allowed herself to be satisfied with +his assurances that he had only spoken to disguise from his parents the +real state of his feelings toward her, until he should be able to act +independently of their authority. Alas! Poor Ellen in her gratified +vanity did not pause to reflect, that the sin of the excuse was still +greater than the original mischief; but, had she done so, she would +have had no reason for surprise, for he who deliberately disregarded +God was not likely to be scrupulous about the fifth commandment, or any +other which opposed his inclination.</p> + +<p>Jane observed the renewal of the intercourse with great uneasiness, +and made many attempts, by giving up her own greatest pleasure that of +joining Mrs. Davis on a Sunday in order to induce her sister to walk +with her alone, or remain at home together.</p> + +<p>"Have you quarreled with Mary Davis," asked Ellen on one occasion when +this proposal was made, "that you are always teasing me to stay with +you?"</p> + +<p>"No; but I have not quarreled with you either, and we so seldom have an +afternoon together."</p> + +<p>"Why, you are so dreadfully dull now, you have nothing to talk about."</p> + +<p>"I am sure I will talk if you will listen to me," said Jane cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"Ah, you will, I dare say; but it is about what I don't want to hear. I +don't know at all why you should think ill of me, Jane, and that I need +to be saved, and all that. I go to church very often in a morning, and +if I happen to miss a Sunday or two, I go twice in one day to make up +for it; and when there is a collection you don't know how much I put in +more than you think, depend upon it; and I shouldn't boast of it, only +one must speak up for one's self."</p> + +<p>"It is not what I think, dear Ellen; I only tell you sometimes what +the Bible says, and it is not possible to speak up for ourselves to +God, you know. You must hear what he says some day; and if you have no +Saviour to speak for you, what can you do?"</p> + +<p>"I hate to hear you, Jane," exclaimed Ellen impatiently; "it is all the +nonsense that Mrs. Davis has put into your head, and I don't believe a +word of it. You pretend to love me one minute, and the next you make +out that I am so wicked I can't go to heaven. And then you would rob +one of the only pleasure we have, our little treats on a Sunday."</p> + +<p>"I only want you to try to find your pleasure in another way, for +I quite agree with you that we do need pleasure, or change, or +recreation, whatever you please to call it, after six days' close work."</p> + +<p>"Then why in the world do you never take any?" asked Ellen, in great +astonishment at the admission; "it is our own day, and we ought to +enjoy it."</p> + +<p>"No, it is the Lord's day, and he gives the real rest, and the true +pleasure. Which of us gives the best proof of that on a Monday morning, +Ellen?"</p> + +<p>"Of course you expect me to say you, because you happen to get up +first."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do; your head aches, you are so tired, you wish there was no +work to do, and then with a few others you grumble together and find +fault with everything because you miss the excitement and the flattery +of the day before."</p> + +<p>"While you and Mary sit at work thinking how good you are," said Ellen, +knowing full well the truth of her sister's statement.</p> + +<p>"We often think how good it is to have a day that no one has a right +to interfere with; when we may have time to read, and think, and pray +for all the help we need to make us happy and contented to work on the +other days, and to remind us that it is not merely to earn money, or +serve an earthly mistress, but to serve our heavenly Father. It is so +happy, Ellen, to turn from our work for the body to that clothing for +a better world prepared for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, which we have +nothing to do with the making of, but only to put it on."</p> + +<p>"All very fine indeed; and you pretend this makes you willing to get to +work again on Monday," said Ellen, scornfully.</p> + +<p>"It makes me happy to be just where God's will makes it my duty to be," +replied Jane, meekly.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure I wonder you condescend to be a milliner; I wonder it isn't +much too worldly a business for you."</p> + +<p>"I thought it was, and wanted to give it up; but Mrs. Davis convinced +me that one may earn an honest living in it without being worldly and +frivolous."</p> + +<p>"Well, you needn't expect me to go into partnership with you, and so I +shall tell uncle, for you would ruin our prospects at once, I see; but +I'm going out now, so good-by."</p> + +<p>"You have a cold, dear Ellen; pray do not stay out late: you know the +evenings are getting chilly, and come on early now. Do take a shawl, in +case you should feel cold in that light muslin."</p> + +<p>But Jane might as well have talked to the muslin itself, and Ellen +flitted away as light and thoughtless as ever. Her lesson was to be +learned under other teaching.</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<h3><a id="Chapter_4">CHAPTER IV.</a></h3> + +<p class="t3"> +<b>BRIGHTER DAYS.</b><br> +</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>MR. SAUNDERS, in the mean time, had not been unmindful of his nieces' +interests, and having heard of a respectable business about to be +disposed of, he secured the premises and the good-will of the resigning +person, and then went to inform them of their future prospects.</p> + +<p>To his regret and surprise he was informed that Ellen had been taken +seriously ill, and had been removed by Jane's desire. Following Miss +Baylis's directions, he soon found himself at the neat little cottage +of a respectable widow, whose manners indicated the far superior +station of her former days. Here he was received with respect and +pleasure by Jane, who explained her reasons for the removal to his +entire satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"And what has made her ill; do you know, Jane?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Jane was silent, and Mrs. Davis relieved her by simply stating the +truth. "Late hours in the damps of autumn evenings, with too little +care in the matter of suitable clothing."</p> + +<p>"Very foolish, indeed," said Mr. Saunders; "but I should have thought +you had too much to do to admit of getting out often in an evening. +You don't mean Sundays, I hope?" and he looked again at Jane, who was +silent and embarrassed. "Really, Jane," said he gravely, "I see now how +it is, but I thought better of you; your letters have been so sensible +of late that it seemed time to trust you according to my promise; but +who can expect giddy, thoughtless Sabbath-breakers ever to do any good +for themselves in the world? It is not respectable to go holiday-making +instead of minding your church and your Bible on a Sunday. I wonder +Miss Baylis has not seen to it for you, if you can't judge for +yourselves."</p> + +<p>Jane replied that Miss Baylis usually went out of town on Saturday +night, and knew very little of her young people's habits on a Sunday.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, she ought to know them; I can't see how she can shirk the +responsibility. I see after the doings of my shopmen and servants, and +put them in the right way."</p> + +<p>Mr. Saunders's "right way," however, was not precisely the winning, +loving way that tends, under God's blessing, to make "the Sabbath a +delight, the holy of the Lord, and honorable." His views were those +of a respectable formalist, connecting God's blessing with human +obedience, in higher subjects, besides those of temporal interests, +which, it may readily be admitted, are usually benefited by such +outward respect.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Davis took an opportunity of exculpating Jane from her uncle's +condemnation; and though it seemed to make Ellen's conduct still more +reprehensible, yet he spoke with kindness and forbearance to the +suffering girl, and told her of his plans for their future welfare.</p> + +<p>Ellen was, indeed, seriously ill. She had paid no regard to Jane's +warning concerning her dress or the evening damp, and after taking tea +out on the grass with her young friends, at a place of public resort in +the country, had returned by water at a late hour, and the next day was +so ill from severe cold, that Miss Baylis gladly acceded to the earnest +request of Jane and Mary, that she might be removed to the care of one +who had been too sadly experienced in attendance on the sick.</p> + +<p>Ellen had declared that she should not like Mrs. Davis at all; but in +vain she tried to nourish her prejudices against the kind and gentle +hand that ministered to her wants, and the mild voice that spoke only +of sympathy and interest, and at last ceased to expect the severity +and lecturing which she had persisted in associating with the religion +of the Christian widow. She did not know that the weapons of Christian +love become polished by constant use, and that the mellowing influence +of its principles softens down the roughness or the severity which +sometimes tinges the efforts or the judgment of zealous spiritual youth.</p> + +<p>But, to the deep regret of her kind friends, she studiously evaded +every attempt to lead her mind to any serious thought, and employed +Fanny Ashton to retail to her the news of the town, and to supply her +with frivolous novels, with which she beguiled her time when able to +read. After recovering in some degree from the severer symptoms of +her illness, it became evident that no further progress was made, and +Ellen grew impatient of her incessant cough, her restless nights, and +continued weakness; and at last her medical attendant intimated to +Mrs. Davis, that his irritable patient was probably far gone in rapid +decline.</p> + +<p>It was a severe shock to the affectionate sister, whose spiritual life +and growth in grace and knowledge had only refined her love for this +nearest earthly relative; but to break the intelligence to the invalid +herself, became a source of the deepest and most painful anxiety.</p> + +<p>Fanny Ashton had begged Ellen to be prepared for a treat her brother +intended to give them, at a beautiful spot a few miles up the river. +He had obtained the loan of a pretty little sailing-bunt, manageable +either with canvas or oar, and the first fine Sunday was appointed for +the excursion. Fanny promised that instead of taking refreshment out of +doors, it should be prepared for them at the small inn, kept for the +accommodation of parties of pleasure, and that they should return home +before sunset.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>The day arrived, and Ellen attempted to dress for the excursion, +notwithstanding Jane's assurances that her strength was unequal to the +effort. She insisted on trying, and protested that the air would revive +and refresh her. She looked up with envy into the healthy countenance +of her sister, who stood before her ready dressed for church, and whose +serenity was clouded only by anxiety for her.</p> + +<p>Poor Ellen tried her shawl, and declared it was too heavy, she could +not wear it; her bonnet hurt her head, everything went wrong, her hands +trembled with weakness and excitement; and at last, throwing aside her +preparations, she sank down upon her bed and burst into tears.</p> + +<p>"You are right, Jane," she sobbed, "I am not strong enough yet; you +must call and tell them I cannot go to-day."</p> + +<p>Jane turned tearfully away from the thin pale form of the lately +blooming girl, and went to do her bidding.</p> + +<p>That day, which had so painfully impressed the invalid with the +first real consciousness of her weakness, was passed in repining and +discontent, and when the hour for the assembling of Mrs. Davis's +reading party had arrived, and Jane still remained at her bedside, she +desired her to go down, and drawing a book from under her pillow, said +she preferred to read alone.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>The next day a trying task devolved on Jane, who was considered the +most fit person to break to her sister news which must almost overwhelm +her, but which could not long be withheld. Several times during the day +Ellen had impatiently inquired for Fanny, who, she said, ought to have +been to see her.</p> + +<p>"But she will come in the evening, I am sure, to tell me all about the +party, and who went, and who was sorry that I could not go. Fanny is +a nice girl, Jane; I am surprised that you never liked her. I must go +there as soon as I can get out; Mr. Ashton won't call me vain and silly +now, since I've had this illness to make me so steady and quiet." And +she tried to smile at the bitter recollection.</p> + +<p>Jane made no reply, and Ellen looked again in her face.</p> + +<p>"Why, Jane," she exclaimed, "I hope you are not going to be ill too; +you really look dreadful, and as if you had been crying all night. What +is the matter with you?"</p> + +<p>"It was a very good thing you could not go out yesterday, dear Ellen," +said Jane, tenderly.</p> + +<p>"I don't think so at all; but that is not an answer to my question, +you have not been crying about me surely, Jane?" And again she gazed +inquisitively, and with some rising alarm, upon her sister.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Ashton called last night," said Jane.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Ashton? How very kind! I'm sure I did not expect him to come and +inquire after me."</p> + +<p>"He came to see if Fanny had been here."</p> + +<p>"Why? Did not Fanny go straight home after the party came back?"</p> + +<p>"The boat was very late in leaving to return, I believe," faltered +Jane; "and Henry Ashton, and the other young men had taken too much to +drink."</p> + +<p>"O Jane! Go on—what else?" whispered Ellen, turning deathly pale, and +trembling violently. "Tell me quickly, what else?"</p> + +<p>"The boat upset; Henry was picked up, and five of the others; but poor +Fanny—"</p> + +<p>Ellen heard no more; she sank back, apparently lifeless, and remained +so for some time.</p> + +<p>The unhappy young people, to the number of nine, having delayed their +return too late for the idle efforts of four half-intoxicated young +men, embarked hastily, in the hope of reaching a river steamer, which +might tow them easily along. The effort to catch the rope which was to +connect them with the steamer, caused a lurch, which frightened the +female portion of the party, and they rushed to one side; this upset +the boat, and in an instant they were all struggling in the water for +their lives.</p> + +<p>Fanny clung to her brother, who, in a moment of sobriety, might have +saved her; but now, stupefied with drink and fear, he was intent only +on self-preservation, and though the steamer hovered for a considerable +time about the fatal spot, three of the young women were seen no more.</p> + +<p>The wretched father had returned home after eager inquiries at the +river side, whence nothing could be seen of the boat, and was again on +his way, in almost frantic despair, when he was met by the bearers of +his son, and the news of his daughter's fate.</p> + +<p>Henry was seized with brain fever, and his struggles to reach his +sister, whose cries for help seemed to ring in his ears, were frightful +and distressing to his broken-hearted parents, who mourned too late +their negligence of parental duty.</p> + +<p>Ellen's lamentation for Fanny Ashton's unhappy end was mingled with +thankfulness for her own escape. "It would have killed me quite," said +she shuddering; "for had I been saved from drowning, I must have died +from the effects of such fright and cold."</p> + +<p>"And you feel you would not have been prepared for such a summons to +another world, dear Ellen," said Jane, when, after a time, her sister +thus recurred to the event.</p> + +<p>"O, I don't know about that; it did not come you know, so I need not +think about it!"</p> + +<p>"But it must come some day, and by some means. If not by sudden +accident, by sickness and—"</p> + +<p>"Well really, Jane, I wonder how you ever expect me to get well, +talking about such things," said Ellen, with irritation; "but I want +you to write to uncle, and ask for me to have a change of air directly; +I'm tired of being here, and I want some companions with more life and +spirit than you have, to rouse me out of melancholy thoughts. Poor +Fanny, she always had something pleasant to talk about." And Ellen wept +herself to sleep, with her hand upon the last novel that her friend +had brought, and which Jane softly drew away, leaving her Bible in its +place.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>When Ellen awoke she discovered the exchange, and felt annoyed; but +suddenly her thoughts took a new turn. What if Jane's fears were really +excited about her health? What if all this excessive weakness, and +distracting cough, meant something more than temporary indisposition? +She had observed the looks of tender pity with which all seemed to +regard her, and the increased desire to guide her mind to heavenly +things. Could it be that her life was really in danger, and they wished +to make her aware of it without any sudden shock? Then she burst into +passionate weeping, burying her face in the pillow, against which she +leaned, until roused by the gentle hand of her kind nurse.</p> + +<p>"O Mrs. Davis!" she cried with broken voice. "Do tell me, am I—am I +dying? Is it possible that I cannot get well?"</p> + +<p>"Your soul will die, my child, if you do not ask the Lord Jesus Christ +to save it. If you had peace in him, you would resign yourself to his +will for life or death."</p> + +<p>"O! I cannot; I love the world, and I want to live. It is a cruel +thing to die so young. O, do send for other doctors, they may think of +something to cure me. I will have change of air and scene; I will try +everything."</p> + +<p>And in restless impatience, poor Ellen waited the arrival of her kind +uncle, who came to take her to his house, that she might try the effect +of her native air.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Mrs. Saunders was a more rigid formalist than her husband, and +carefully attended to all her "duties," under the conviction that her +own righteousness and merit must secure her a future heaven. Of a +present earnest of its blessedness she had no idea; of the Spirit of +adoption she knew nothing; the mighty cost of redemption she had never +calculated, and believed that her frigid rules, and unlovely notions +of a godly and sober life, fully entitled her to glory in herself, and +upbraid all who more manifestly failed in obedience to God's commands.</p> + +<p>Ellen had never troubled herself about her aunt's religion before: +but she thought it especially disagreeable now, and missed the loving +accents of true grace in the friends she had left. She did not +understand the difference between her aunt's and Mrs. Davis's religion, +but she felt its influence, and began to think that, if people must +needs be religious, those who made the Lord Jesus their only hope and +example were greatly preferable in temper, humility, self-denial, and +Christian charity.</p> + +<p>After a short residence in this uncomfortable home, she entreated leave +to return to Mrs. Davis; and her request was willingly seconded by Mrs. +Saunders, who declared that a more discontented, unchristian invalid +had never fallen to her charge.</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>And so poor Ellen, weaker, and sadder, and more irritable than before, +was welcomed again by the kind widow as a daughter, over whom her +loving heart yearned with the longing of one who knows what a piteous +object is an unsaved sinner in the day of trouble. She felt now that +the suffering of the weak body was a small consideration compared +with the impending destruction of the soul, and she spoke firmly and +solemnly to the dying girl, and, kneeling by her side, spoke for her to +Him who can prosper his word on its errand of mercy.</p> + +<p>A youthful heart, filled with vanity and worldliness, is a very +stubborn thing: habitual disregard of God and neglect of his word are +as fatal to such a one as to those whose bold iniquities proclaim their +ruin to the world, and must end in the same condemnation.</p> + +<p>The "convenient season" anticipated by every one who defers +acquaintance with God to some future time, is not often found in the +season of sickness. It is painfully inconvenient, when conscience is +terrified, the heart full of idols, the body languid through weakness, +or tormented by pain, to be groping in confusion and darkness after an +unknown and neglected God.</p> + +<p>Poor Ellen found it so, and amid her self-reproaches for wasted +opportunities, she was often heard to deplore with bitter regret those +misspent days, when she had resolutely cast in her lot with those who +feared not God, and refused to praise him for his goodness, and to hear +of "his wonderful works to the children of men."</p> + +<p><br></p> + +<p>Happy are those young people who can spend a Christian Sunday in a +Christian home; and deeply to be felt and cared for are those who have +only the house of the hireling to shelter them from the temptation +to wander in streets or revel in godless pleasures. But a home may +be without God; and a hireling's room may be a scene of heavenly +affection, when God and the sinner meet, blessing and blessed, in +hallowed intercourse, which—</p> + +<p class="poem"> +<br> + "Wafts the happy soul awhile<br> + Far, far away from this low sphere;<br> + And in a Saviour's loving smile,<br> + Arms it anew for duty here."<br> +<br> +</p> + +<p>After Ellen's death Mr. Saunders very kindly, and in gratitude to Mrs. +Davis for her tender care, offered to Mary the partnership with Jane in +the business he had wished the two sisters to undertake; and Mary had +the satisfaction of once more surrounding her beloved mother with many +of the comforts to which she had been accustomed in earlier life.</p> + +<p>The friends adorned themselves "in modest apparel, as women professing +godliness," and found themselves able to execute expensive or +fashionable orders for their customers without commending worldliness, +or compromising their own personal consistency; and it was often owing +to their judicious and sensible advice, respectfully offered, that +advancing age was saved from merited ridicule, and extravagance checked +by due regard to means and station.</p> + +<p>As employers, they did not forget the experience of their past life in +their conduct toward their own dependents; and when Saturday's work was +done, it was one of their chief desires and pleasures to provide as far +as lay in their power, for the Christian enjoyment of the day of rest. +Their home was also their workwoman's home, if they had no other, and +maternal kindness and friendly interest made it attractive and happy. +And to those who were able to appreciate their many privileges and +advantages, the Lord's day became emphatically "a delight," and was +anticipated with joy as the workwoman's best and happiest day.</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +THE END.<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75954 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/75954-h/images/image001.jpg b/75954-h/images/image001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fd5de48 --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image001.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image002.jpg b/75954-h/images/image002.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..04440ae --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image002.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image003.jpg b/75954-h/images/image003.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a80551e --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image003.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image004.jpg b/75954-h/images/image004.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e45c3c4 --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image004.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image005.jpg b/75954-h/images/image005.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a17a25 --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image005.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image006.jpg b/75954-h/images/image006.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b8914ef --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image006.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image007.jpg b/75954-h/images/image007.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0d00c0e --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image007.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image008.jpg b/75954-h/images/image008.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..63ef2c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image008.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image009.jpg b/75954-h/images/image009.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d8d5bcf --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image009.jpg diff --git a/75954-h/images/image010.jpg b/75954-h/images/image010.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..046290c --- /dev/null +++ b/75954-h/images/image010.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b5dba15 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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