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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78137 ***
+
+[Illustration: Nurse encourages Diligence and Indolence to wake up and
+get ready for their journey _See Page 5._]
+
+
+
+
+THE WARNING CLOCK; OR, THE VOICE OF THE _New Year_.
+
+[Illustration: Divider]
+
+BY MRS. CAMERON, _Author of “Margaret Whyte,” &c. &c._
+
+[Illustration: Divider]
+
+_NEW EDITION._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+LONDON: PRINTED FOR HOULSTON AND CO. 65, Paternoster-Row.
+
+
+
+
+THE WARNING CLOCK.
+
+
+Many years ago, two little children disobliged a tender father very
+highly, by their rebellious and undutiful conduct; so much so that he
+banished them to a distance from himself: but as he had still thoughts
+of pity towards them, he placed over them a faithful nurse, whose
+business it was to watch their behaviour, and to report faithfully to
+them such messages as he might vouchsafe from time to time to send to
+them.
+
+Early one fine morning, as these two little children were sleeping side
+by side, their nurse came into their room; and she said, “Arise, my
+little children, you have a long journey to take to-day, and you must
+lose no more time in sleep.”
+
+“Where are we going?” asked one of the little girls, whose name was
+Diligence.
+
+“You are going home; and I hope you will reach your father’s house
+before night: for your elder brother has sent you word that your father
+desires to see you this very day; and when you return, he will kill for
+you the fatted calf, and there will be music and dancing!”
+
+“And is our father willing to forgive us?” said Diligence, earnestly.
+
+“Yes,” answered the nurse; “your elder brother has interceded for you,
+and you are no more to be banished from his house: and even now, your
+father is looking for you, and, no doubt, when you are yet a great way
+off, he will run and fall on your neck, and kiss you.”
+
+Then Diligence rose in great haste from her bed, and put on her
+clothes; and when she was dressed, she called to her sister, and she
+said, “Sister, are you not rising?”
+
+Then Indolence rubbed her eyes, and she answered, faintly, “I was
+dreaming so pleasantly; why do you awake me?”
+
+_Diligence._ I awake you to tell you the good news; our father has sent
+for us!
+
+_Indolence._ I am coming, but I cannot open my eyes yet.
+
+_Diligence._ But we must be at our father’s house by night.
+
+_Indolence._ There are many hours till night; I cannot get up yet,
+I must have a little more sleep. (So she shut her eyes, and turned
+herself round, and was asleep again in a few moments.)
+
+Then the nurse said to Diligence, “You must not lose any more time;
+gird yourself for your journey, and here is a staff which your father
+has sent you, and I have with me certain other refreshments, provided
+by his kindness for you to eat and drink by the way, and to strengthen
+you, for the journey is long.”
+
+“Oh!” answered Diligence, “I cannot leave my sister behind me! must she
+never see my father’s house? Oh! Indolence, my sister.” Then Diligence
+awoke Indolence, and she said to her, “My sister, my beloved sister,
+awake, and come with me. I am going to the land that is very far off:
+we have lived in the house of our banishment together, O let us live
+together in our father’s mansions.”
+
+Indolence opened her eyes, and stared vacantly at Diligence. “I will
+sleep one more hour, and then I will follow you,” she said. So she
+slept again, and Diligence tried in vain to awaken her.
+
+Just then the clock struck; and the nurse said to Diligence, “You must
+wait no longer, the time is urgent. I will strive to waken your sister
+when you are gone.”
+
+Then she put into the hands of Diligence her staff and the sweet
+refreshments prepared for her, and she gave her directions for the
+journey, and pointed her way to the Everlasting Hills, among which her
+father’s palace stood.
+
+[Illustration: Diligence holding her staff looking towards the hills]
+
+So Diligence gave a last farewell look at her sleeping sister, and
+turned her face towards her father’s house. The shadows of the morning
+were long, and the dew was on the grass, when the little pilgrim set
+off. She began her journey betimes, her steps were light and cheerful,
+and the innocent gaiety of childhood was sanctified and nourished by
+holy hope and love.
+
+In the mean time, Indolence lay sleeping on her bed of down. Again the
+clock struck, and the nurse knocked loudly at her door. But she faintly
+answered, “I will get up presently.” Again she slept--and slept till
+the nurse knocked more loudly; and she started up just in time to count
+the clock striking twelve. Its deep and solemn sound struck her ear,
+and she recollected that her sister had been set off nearly six hours.
+“How shall I overtake her?” said she. “It is impossible.”
+
+The nurse just at that moment came in, and rejoicing to find her awake,
+she affectionately repeated all her father’s tender invitations, she
+dwelt upon the great things her elder brother had done for her, and she
+earnestly entreated and urged her to arise.
+
+At length she prevailed with her so far, that she began to put on some
+of her clothes; and she promised the nurse that she would make haste
+to dress herself. But her faithful adviser had scarcely left the room,
+when a fit of drowsiness coming on, she persuaded herself that it would
+be better for her just to take one little nap, before she undertook her
+long and fatiguing journey.
+
+The noon had passed and the afternoon was fast wearing away, when the
+nurse, who had been waiting below with a staff and refreshments for
+Indolence, came up again into her room, and to her great grief found
+her still asleep. Again she awoke her, and in an angry voice bade her
+count the hour of six. “It is twelve hours since your sister set out,”
+said the nurse, “and she has probably reached her father’s house in
+peace, while you are still sleeping here. How many times has that clock
+vainly called unto you, ‘Up, and be doing!’”
+
+[Illustration: Nurse wakes Indolence]
+
+“It is not yet too late,” answered Indolence: “many travellers begin
+their journey at a later hour than this.”
+
+“It is true,” replied the nurse, “that this is sometimes the case;
+but it is rarely so: for it is very hazardous and very fatiguing to
+travel through bad roads, when the freshness of the morning is past,
+and the light of the day is fading away. The twilight of morning is
+the forerunner of the sun, and we walk by that twilight in sweet
+expectation; but the twilight of evening is succeeded by the darkness
+of night. But come, it is better late than never. Lose no time, lose
+not an instant to begin your journey. Awake! awake!”
+
+“When the clock strikes seven I will set off,” answered Indolence: “I
+shall then have several hours before midnight; and it will be cooler
+at that time, and I shall travel with greater ease: at present, the
+sultriness of the evening is insupportable.”
+
+The nurse shook her head, and withdrew; for Indolence had closed her
+eyes, and closed them in eternal sleep. For the clock tolled the hour
+of seven, and eight, and nine, and ten, and Indolence awoke not; and
+before the hour of eleven had struck, a messenger arrived at the
+house where Indolence was asleep: and he was in haste, and would brook
+no delay, and his errand was this--to say that Diligence was arrived
+safely at her father’s house, that she was clothed in white, and had
+rings upon her hand and shoes upon her feet; that she rested herself
+after her journey in the presence of her father and her brother, and
+refreshed herself with their smiles and the tokens of their love. He
+had also to say to Indolence, that her day of grace was passed for
+ever, and the doors of her father’s house were closed against her.
+The commission of the messenger was, further,--to convey Indolence to
+the dark and dreadful abode of the slothful and unprofitable servant,
+to the abode of _outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing,
+and gnashing of teeth: where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not
+quenched_.
+
+[Illustration: Messenger knocks on the door]
+
+Then was it fulfilled, that the child that loveth his life shall lose
+it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life
+eternal.
+
+                                                                      L.
+
+
+FINIS.
+
+
+
+
+_By the same Author._
+
+
+  EMMA and her NURSE. Price 2_s._ 6_d._
+  The WORKHOUSE. Price 1_s._ 6_d._
+  MARTEN and his SCHOLARS. Price 1_s._ 6_d._
+  FIDELITY and PROFESSION. Price 1_s._
+  MARGARET WHYTE. Price 6_d._
+  The RAVEN and the DOVE. Price 6_d._
+  The HOLIDAY QUEEN. Price 6_d._
+  The CASKETS. Price 6_d._
+  The LOST CHILD. Price 6_d._
+  The POLITE CHILDREN. Price 6_d._
+  The MOTHER’S GRAVE. Price 6_d._
+  DIALOGUES for Youth. Part the First. Price 3_d._
+  Ditto, Part the Second. Price 4_d._
+  The TWO LAMBS. Price 3_d._
+  The THREE FLOWER-POTS. Price 2_d._
+  The LITTLE DOG FLORA, with her Silver Bell. Price 1_d._
+  The NOSEGAY of HONEYSUCKLES. Price 1_d._
+  The KIND LITTLE BOY. Price 1_d._
+  The STRAWBERRY-GATHERERS. Price 1_d._
+
+
+
+
+TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
+
+
+Illustrations (except the frontispiece) have been moved
+to the end of paragraphs that they depict.
+
+Italic words are marked with _underscores_.
+
+Thought breaks are marked with five spaced asterisks, like so.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78137 ***