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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/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, 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. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f9c4ad --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #63572 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63572) diff --git a/old/63572-0.txt b/old/63572-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f2078eb..0000000 --- a/old/63572-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3017 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Gold Thread and Wee Davie, by Norman MacLeod - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Gold Thread and Wee Davie - Two Stories for the Young - -Author: Norman MacLeod - -Release Date: October 29, 2020 [eBook #63572] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Carol Brown, Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THREAD AND WEE DAVIE *** - - - - -[Illustration: “Look yonder; that is the house of Darkeye the forester. -We are safe!”] - - - - -THE - -GOLD THREAD - -AND - -WEE DAVIE - - -TWO STORIES FOR THE YOUNG - - -BY - -NORMAN MACLEOD, D.D. - -AUTHOR OF “THE STARLING,” “THE OLD LIEUTENANT AND HIS SON,” ETC. - - -THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD. - -LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - “Look yonder; that is the house of Darkeye the forester. - We are safe!” _Frontispiece_ - - “See that tall tower,” said Wolf 16 - - “Isn’t he a bonnie bit bairn?” 96 - - William never moved, though his great chest seemed to - heave 144 - - - - -THE GOLD THREAD - -A STORY FOR THE YOUNG - - - - -THE GOLD THREAD. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - -Once upon a time, a boy lost his way in a vast forest that filled many -a valley and passed over many a hill――a rolling sea of leaves for -miles and miles, farther than the eye could reach. His name was Eric, -son of the good King Magnus. He was dressed in a blue velvet dress, -with a gold band round his waist, and his fair locks in silken curls -waved from his beautiful head. He was a lovely boy, and if you looked -into his large blue eyes, and saw his sweet smile, you would say in -your heart, “There is a boy so winning and brave and true, that I -would dearly like to have him as a friend and companion.” But, alas! -his hands and face were scratched, and his clothes torn with the -briars, as he ran here and there like one much perplexed. Sometimes he -made his way through tangled brushwood, or crossed the little grassy -plains in the forest, now losing himself in dark ravines, then -climbing up their steep sides, or crossing with difficulty the streams -that hurried through them. For a long time he kept his heart up, and -always said to himself, “I shall find it, I shall find it;” until, as -the day advanced, he was wearied and hungry; and every now and then he -cried, “Oh, my father! where is my father? I’m lost! I’m lost!” And -“Where, oh, where is my gold thread?” - -All day the forest seemed to him to be very sad. He had never seen it -so gloomy. There was a strange sadness in the rustle of the leaves, -and a sadness in the noise of the streams. He did not hear the birds -sing as they used to do. But he heard the ravens croak with their -hoarse voice, as their black forms swept along the precipices which -here and there rose above the forest, and he never saw so many large -hawks wheeling in the sky. They always appeared to be wheeling over -his head, pausing, and fluttering as if about to dart down upon him. -But on he journeyed, in the hope of finding his way out of the -boundless forest, or of meeting some one who would be his guide. At -last the sun appeared to be near its setting, and he could see the -high branches of the trees shining like gold, as its rays from the -west fell upon them. But underneath, the forest was getting darker and -darker, and all the birds were preparing to sleep, and everything at -last became so still that he could hear his steps echoing through the -wood, and if he stopped, he heard his heart beating, or a leaf -falling; but nowhere did he see a house, and no human being had he met -since morning. Then the wind suddenly began to rise, and he heard it -at first creeping along the tree-tops like a gentle whisper, and -by-and-by to call louder and louder for the storm to come. Dark clouds -gathered over the sky, and rushed along chased by the winds, that were -soon to search the forest and fight with the old trees. No wonder if -the boy began to fear, in case some evil would happen to him. Not that -he was a coward, but a very bravehearted boy; _but he had done wrong_, -and it was that which made him afraid. - -At last, wearied and hardly able to go further, he sat down at the -root of an old oak, burying his face in his hands, not knowing what to -do. He then tried to climb the tree, and there to sleep somewhere -among its branches, in case wild beasts should attack him. But as he -was climbing up, he heard some one singing with a loud voice. He -listened attentively, and looking eagerly through the leaves, he saw a -boy apparently older than himself, dressed in rough shaggy clothes, as -if made from skins of wild animals. His long matted hair escaped over -his cheeks from under a black bearskin cap. With a short thick stick -he was driving a herd of swine through the wood. “Hey there, you black -porker!” cried the boy, as he threw a stone at some pig which was -running away. “Get along, you lazy long snout!” he shouted to another, -as he came thump on its back with his short stick. And then he sang -this song with a loud voice which made the woods ring:―― - - “Oh, there’s nothing half so fine - As to be a herd of swine, - And through the forest toddle, - With nothing in my noddle, - But rub a dub, a dub, hey up, halloo! - - “How my little porkers gallop - As their ugly hides I wallop! - How they grunt, and how they wheeze! - How they grub among the trees! - Oh, rub a dub, a dub, hey up, halloo! - - “How their backs begin to bristle - When they hear their master whistle! - How they kick at every lick - That I give them with my stick! - Oh, rub a dub, a dub, hey up, halloo!” - -“Get along, you rascals,” cried the savage-looking herd, “or I’ll kill -and roast you before your time;” and soon the herd, with his swine, -were concealed from Eric’s sight by the wood; but he still heard his -“rub-a-dub” chorus, to which he beat time with a sort of rude drum, -which he had made for himself with a skin and hoop. Eric determined to -make his acquaintance, or at all events to follow him to some house; -so he descended from the tree, and ran off in the direction from which -he heard the song coming. He soon overtook him. - -“Hollo!” said the wild-looking lad, with as much astonishment as if -Eric had fallen from the clouds. “Who? where from? where to?” - -“I have lost my way in the wood,” said Eric, “and want you to guide -me.” - -“To Ralph?” asked the swineherd. - -“Ralph! pray, who is he?” - -“Master, chief, captain, all,” replied the young savage. - -“I will go anywhere for shelter, as night is coming on; but I will -reward you if you bring me to my father’s home.” - -“Who is your father, my fine fellow?” inquired the swineherd, leaning -on his stick. - -“The king,” replied Eric. - -“You lie! Ralph is king.” - -“I speak the truth, swineherd.” - -The swineherd by this time was examining Eric’s dress with an impudent -look. “Pay me now,” said he; “give me this gold band, and I will guide -you.” - -“I cannot give you this gold band, for my father gave it to me, and I -have lost enough to-day. By the bye, did you see a gold thread waving -anywhere among the trees?” - -“A gold thread! What do you mean? I saw nothing but pigs until I saw -you, and I shall treat you like a pig, d’ye hear? and lick you too, -for I have no time to put off. So give me your band. Come, be quick!” -said he, with his fierce face, and holding up his stick as he came up -to Eric. - -“Keep off, swineherd; don’t touch me!” - -“Don’t touch you! why shouldn’t I touch you? Do you see this stick? -How would you like to have it among your fine curls, as I drive it -among the pigs’ bristles?” and he began to flourish it over his head, -and to press nearer and nearer. “Once! twice! when I say thrice, if -you do not unbuckle, I shall save you the trouble, and leave you to -the wild beasts, who would like a tender bit of prince’s flesh better -than pork. Come; once! twice!” - -Eric was on his guard, and said, “I shall fight you, you young robber, -till death, rather than give you this band――so keep off.” - -“Thrice!” shouted the herd, and down came his thick cudgel, which he -intended should fall on Eric’s head. - -But Eric sprang aside, and before he could recover himself, dashed in -upon him, tripped him up, and threw him on the grass, getting on top -of him and seizing him by the throat in a moment. The herd, in his -efforts to get out of Eric’s grasp, let go his cudgel, which Eric -seized and held over his head. “Unless you promise, master swineherd, -to leave me alone, I may leave _you_ alone with the wild beasts.” - -“You are stronger than I thought,” said the herd. “Let me up, or I -shall be choked. Let me up, I say, and I promise to guide you.” - -“I shall trust you,” said Eric, “though you would not trust me. Rise!” - -So the herd rose and picked up his cap, but Eric would not give him -his stick until he guided him to some house. “Come along,” said he -sulkily. - -“What is your name?” asked Eric. - -“They call me Wolf. I killed a wolf once with my boar-spear.” - -“Why, Wolf, did you try to kill me?” - -“Because I wanted your gold belt.” - -“But it is a great sin to rob and kill.” - -“Other people rob me, and would kill me too if I did not take care of -their pigs,” said Wolf carelessly. - -“You should fear God, Wolf.” - -“I fear that name truly, for Ralph always swears by it when he is in a -rage. But I do not know what it means.” - -“O Wolf, surely your father and mother told you about God, who made -all things, and made you and me; God, who loves us, and wishes us to -love Him, and to do what is right?” - -“I have no father or mother,” replied Wolf, “nor brothers or sisters, -and I never heard of God. No one cares for me but my pigs, and so I -sleep with them, and eat with them.” - -“Poor fellow!” said Eric, with a look of kindness; “I am sorry for -you. Here is all the money I have. Take it. I wish to show you that I -have no ill will to you;” and Eric gave him a gold coin. - -Wolf gave a grunt like one of his pigs, and began his song of -“Rub-a-dub.” - -“No one ever gave me money before,” remarked Wolf almost to himself, -as he examined the coin on his rough hand, which looked like tanned -leather. “How much is this?” inquired Wolf. - -Eric explained its value. The herd was astonished, and began to think -what he could purchase with it. He seemed very anxious to conceal it, -and at last did so in the top of his hairy cap. - -[Illustration: “See that tall tower,” said Wolf.] - -“See that tall tower,” said Wolf, “which looks like a rock above the -trees; that is the only house near for twenty miles round. You can -reach it soon; and when you do reach it,” said Wolf, speaking low, as -if some one might hear him, “take my advice, and get away as fast as -you can from my master Ralph, for”――and Wolf gave a number of winks, -as much as to say, I know something. - -“What do you mean?” asked Eric. - -“Oh, nothing, nothing; but take Wolf’s advice, and say to Ralph you -are a beggar. Put the gold band in your pocket, and swear to remain -with him, but run off when you can. Cheat him; that’s my way.” - -“It is not my way,” replied Eric, and, come what may, never will be, -for a voice says to me,―― - - ‘Better to die - Than ever to lie,’” - -“Ha! ha!” said Wolf; “I wish you lived with Ralph. He would teach you -another lesson, my lad.” - -“I would rather that I had you, Wolf, to live in my house. I would be -kind to you, and help you to be good, and tell you about God, who -lives in the sky.” - -“And is that He who is speaking? Listen!” - -Thunder began to mutter in the sky. - -“Yes, it is He,” replied Eric; “and if you listen, you will also hear -Him often speak with a small still voice in your heart.” - -“I never heard Him,” replied Wolf; “but I cannot stay longer with you, -for my pigs will wander: there is a black rascal who always leads them -astray. Now, king’s son, give Wolf the stick; it is all he has.” - -“Here it is to you, and I am sure you will not use it wrongly; you -will try to be good, Wolf? for it will make you happy.” - -“Humph!” said Wolf, “I am happy when I get my pigs home, and Ralph -does not strike me. But I must away, and see you don’t tell any one -you gave me money. They would rob me.” And away he ran among the trees -in search of his pigs, while Eric heard his little drum, and his song -of “Rub-a-dub, halloo!” die away in the distance. - -Another loud peal of thunder and flash of lightning made Eric start, -and off he ran towards a light which now beamed from the tower. But he -thought to himself, “I am much worse than that poor Wolf, for I knew -what was right, and did not do it. I heard the voice, but did not -attend to it. Oh, my father, why did I not obey you?” - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - -Sometimes he lost sight of the light, and again he caught it, till it -became brighter and brighter, and very soon he came to a high rock, on -the top of which was perched a tall dark tower. After groping about, -he found a narrow path that led up to the tower. From one of the -windows of the tower the light was brightly shining. He went up a -flight of steep steps till he reached a massive door covered with -iron, and knocked as loud as he could, when a large dog began barking -furiously inside, and springing up to the door, as if it would tear it -down. Then a gruff voice called out of a window over the door, “Who is -there? Who disturbs me in this way?” - -The little boy replied, “Please, sir, I am Eric, son of King Magnus, -and I have lost my way in this wood.” - -“The son of the king, are you?” asked the voice. “That is a grand -joke! Let me have a sight of you.” Then the window was shut, and he -heard footsteps coming tramp, tramp down the stairs, and the voice -said to the dog, “Lie down, hound, and don’t be greedy! You would not -eat a young prince, would you? Lie down!” - -The door was then opened by a fierce-looking man with a long beard. -The man bid him enter, and examined him about himself and his journey. -Eric answered truly every question. - -Then the man rang a bell for an old woman who lived in the house, and -bid her take the boy with her, and give him his supper. The old woman -looked very ugly and very cross, and led Eric up, up, a great number -of dark gloomy stairs, until she reached a small room, with a bed and -table in it, where she bade Eric wait till she brought him supper. - -The big hound followed them, and stayed in the room while the woman -went away. Eric was at first afraid of the dog, he was so large and -wild-looking; but he came and laid his head on his knee, and Eric -scratched his ears, and patted him, and was very kind to him. The -supper came, and little Eric managed to keep a few bits of meat out of -his own supper for the dog, and when the old woman went out of the -room he fed the hound, who seemed very hungry, and said to him, “Good -dog, I love you very much.” The dog wagged his tail, and looked up -kindly with his large eyes, for he was thankful for his supper, and -ate much more than Eric. - -“Now,” said the old woman gruffly, when she took away the remains of -the supper, “you have ate what would do me for a week. You won’t -starve, master prince. Go to bed.” - -The old woman left him, but suddenly returning, she discovered Eric on -his knees. As he rose she scoffed and jeered him, and asked, “Do you -always say your prayers?” - -“Yes, always,” replied the boy. - -“Who taught you?” - -“My mother, who is dead.” - -The old woman heaved a deep sigh, but the boy did not know why. -Perhaps she used to pray when she was a little girl herself, and had -given up doing so, and become wicked; or perhaps she thought of some -child of her own whom she had never taught to pray. She then went away -without speaking a word more, and Eric was left in darkness. He looked -out through the narrow window of his room, but could see nothing but -black clouds rushing over the sky. Far down he heard a stream roaring, -and the wind, which now blew a gale, came booming over the tree-tops, -and howling round the tower. Every now and then a flash lighted up the -forest, and the thunder crashed in the sky. It was a fearful night! - -By-and-by Eric heard footsteps at his door, and immediately the man -with the beard entered it, and sat down. “Do you know,” he asked, -“where your father is?” - -“No,” said Eric; “as I told you, I lost my way in the forest, and have -been wandering all day, and cannot find him; but perhaps you will send -some one to-morrow with me to show me the way to his castle, and I am -sure my kind, good father will give you a rich reward.” - -“You are very, very far from your father’s house,” said the man, “and -I fear you will never see him again; but come with me, and I shall -show you some beautiful things that will please you.” So the man took -Eric by the hand, and, carrying a bright lamp in the other, led him -into a room that seemed full of gold and silver, with beautiful -dresses sparkling with diamonds, and every kind of splendour, and he -said, “Stay with me, my boy, and I will give you all this, for I am a -king too, and will make you my heir.” - -“Oh no, no,” said Eric; “I will never forsake my own father.” - -The man then said, “If you stay with me, you need never go to school -all day, but may amuse yourself from morning till night, and have a -beautiful pony to ride, and a gun to shoot deer with, and also -fishing-rods, and a servant to attend you, and any kind of meat and -drink you like best. Do stay with me!” - -“You are very kind,” said Eric, “but I cannot be happy without my -father. Oh, my dear father! if I found you I would never leave you -more!” - -“Come then with me, my fine fellow, and I shall show you something -different,” said the man, seizing Eric firmly by the arm, and looking -very fierce. - -After walking along a passage, from the end of which confused noises -came, a door was opened, and in a large hall, round a great oak table, -sat a company of fierce-looking men, drinking from large flagons which -stood before them. Their faces were red, and their eyes gleamed like -fire. Ralph placed Eric on the table. One of the robbers was singing -this song:―― - - “We’re the famous robber band―― - Hurrah! - The lords of all the land―― - Hurrah! - A fig for law or duty, - If we only get our booty; - With a fa, lal, la, la, la! - - “Our law is what we will―― - Hurrah! - So we lie, and rob, or kill―― - Hurrah! - ‘Every man to mind himself,’ - Is the rule of Captain Ralph; - With a fa, lal, la, la, la!” - -No wonder poor Eric trembled as he heard that lawless band thus -glorying in their shame, and like demons singing their horrid song in -praise of all that was most dreadful and most wicked. He had read -stories of robbers, which sometimes made him think that they were -fine, brave fellows, but now that he was among them, he saw how -depraved, cruel, and frightful they were. Their savage, coarse looks -terrified him; but he was held by Ralph on the table. - -When the song was ended, one of them asked, “Whom have we got here?” - -“Who do you think?” replied Ralph. “What would you say, my men, to a -young prince――no less than the son of our great enemy, King Magnus?” - -“A young prince! The son of Magnus! What a prize!” they exclaimed. -“What shall we do with him?” - -“First of all, let us have his gold belt,” said Ralph, unbuckling -Eric’s belt. “Ha! what a pretty thing it is!” - -“My father gave it to me, and I don’t wish to part with it. The -swineherd Wolf tried to take it from me, but I fought him, and kept -it,” said Eric. - -“Wolf is a brave young robber,” replied Ralph, “and he shall have it -for his trouble. In the meantime, my lad, it is mine. But what, my -men, shall we do with the prince?” - -“Kill him,” said one. - -“Starve him to death,” said another. - -“Put his eyes out, and send him back to his father,” said a third. - -Eric prayed to God, but said nothing. - -“I propose,” said Ralph, “to make him a captain if he will stay with -us.” - -“Never!” said Eric; “I would rather die!” - -“Let him die, then,” said a fierce robber; “for his father hung my -brother for killing one of his nobles.” - -“I tell you what we will do with the lion’s whelp,” said Ralph: “let -us keep him in prison, and send a message to his father that we have -him snug in a den among the mountains, and that, unless he sends us an -immense ransom, we shall kill him.” - -“That will do famously,” said the robbers; “so off with him!” - -Then Ralph led the boy downstairs――down, down, until Eric thought they -never would stop――and at last they came to an iron door, with great -bars on it, and a large lock, and Ralph turned to Eric, and said, “I -know your father, and I hate him! for he sends his soldiers after me, -and tries to save travellers from me; and now I have got his son. I -will keep you here till you die, or till he pays!” Then he opened the -dungeon door, and thrust Eric in. When it closed it echoed like -thunder through the passages. Eric lay down on the dungeon floor, and -wept till his heart seemed to break. - -All seemed a strange dream. Oh, how he repented having disobeyed his -father! and how he seemed to be as bad as the dreadful robbers in -having done what he pleased, and followed his own will, instead of -doing what was right! After some time he heard some rustling, as if -high up on the wall, and a voice whispering “Eric!” - -“Who is there?” asked Eric, and his little heart trembled. - -“Silence! quiet! it is Wolf. Here is a small window in your prison, -and I have opened it outside; climb up, get out, and run for your -life.” - -Eric heard no more, but scrambled in the dark up the rough stones in -the wall until he reached the window. As he looked out he saw the -stars and the woods. He soon forced his way through, and dropped down -on the opposite side. Some one caught him in his arms. It was Wolf. - -“Here is your gold band, Eric. I got it from Ralph; for He who was -speaking in the thunder has been saying things in my heart. You were -kind to poor Wolf. Now run for your life! I shall close the window -again. Ralph will never know how you got out, and he will not open the -prison door till after breakfast. So you have a long time. Run as long -as you can along that road till you reach a hill, then cross it and -follow a stream. Run off!” - -“Bless you, Wolf!” said Eric; “I shall never forget you.” - -Poor Eric! how he ran, and ran, beneath the stars! He felt no fatigue -for a time. He thought he heard the robbers after him; every time the -wind blew loud, he imagined it was their wild cry. On he ran till he -reached the hill, and crossed it, and came to a green spot beneath a -rock, when he could run no more, but fell down, and whether he fainted -or fell asleep he could not tell. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - -Eric knew not how long he slept, but as in a dream he heard a sweet -voice singing these words:―― - - “Rest thee, boy, rest thee, boy, lonely and weary, - Thy little heart breaking from losing the way; - Thy father has not left thee friendless though dreary, - When learning through suffering to fear and obey,” - -Eric opened his eyes, but moved not a limb, as if under some strange -fascination. It was early morning. High overhead a lark was also -“singing like an angel in the clouds.” The mysterious voice went on in -the same beautiful and soothing strain,―― - - “Oh, sweet is the lark as she sings o’er her nest, - And warbles unseen in the clear morning light; - But sweeter by far is the song in the breast - When in life’s early morning we do what is right!” - -Eric could neither move nor speak; but in his heart he confessed with -sorrow that he had done what was wrong. And again the voice sang,―― - - “Now, darling, awaken! Thou art not forsaken! - The old night is past and a new day begun. - Let thy journey with love to thy father be taken, - And at evening thy father will welcome thee home.” - -“I shall arise and go to my father!” said Eric, springing to his feet. -He saw beside him a beautiful lady, who looked like a picture in his -father’s room of his dead mother, or like one of those angels from -heaven about whom he had often read. - -And the lady said, “Fear not! I know you, Eric, and how it came to -pass that you are here. Your father sent you for a wise and good -purpose through the forest, and gave you hold of a gold thread to -guide you, and told you never to let it go; but instead of doing your -duty, and keeping hold of the thread, you let it go to chase -butterflies and gather wild berries and to amuse yourself. This you -did more than once. You neglected your father’s counsels and warnings, -and so you lost your thread, and then you lost your way. What dangers -and troubles have you thus got into through disobedience to your -father’s commands, and want of confidence in his love and wisdom! But -if you had only trusted your father’s directions, the gold thread -would have brought you to his beautiful castle, where there is to be a -happy meeting of your friends, with all your brothers and sisters.” -Poor little Eric began to weep! “Listen to me, child,” said the lady -kindly, “for _you cannot have peace but by being good_. Do you know, -all your brothers and sisters made this very journey by help of the -gold thread, and they are at home with great joy.” - -“Oh, save me, save me!” cried Eric, and caught the lady’s hand. - -“Yes, I shall save you,” said she, “if you will learn obedience. I -know and love you, dear boy. I know and love your father, and have -been sent by him to deliver you. I heard what you said, and know all -you did, last night, and I was very glad that you proved your love to -your father, and your love of truth, and your love of others, and this -makes me hope all good of you for the future. Come now with me.” - -And so the beautiful woman took him by the hand. The storm had passed -away, and the sun was shining on the green leaves of the trees, and -every drop of dew sparkled like a diamond. The birds were all warbling -their morning hymns, and feeding their young ones in their nests. The -streams were also dancing down the rocks and through the glens. “The -mountains broke forth into singing, and all the trees clapped their -hands with joy.” Everything thus seemed so happy to Eric, for he -himself was happy at the thought of doing what was right, and of going -home. The lady led him to a sunny glade in the wood, covered with wild -flowers, from which the bees were busy gathering their honey, and she -said, “Now, child, are you willing to do your father’s will?” - -“Oh yes!” - -“Will you do it, whatever dangers may await you?” - -“Yes!” - -“Well, then, I must tell you that your father has given me the gold -thread you lost; and he bids me remind you that if you keep hold of -it, and follow it wherever it leads, you are sure to come to him at -sunset; but if you let it go, you may wander on in this dark forest -till you die, or are again taken prisoner by robbers.” - -“Oh, bless you,” said Eric, “for such good news! I am resolved to do -my duty, come what may.” - -“May you be helped to do it!” said the lady. She then gave him a cake, -to support him in his journey. “And now, child,” she added, “one -advice more I will give you, and it was given you by your father, -though you forgot it; it is this――if ever you feel the thread slipping -from your hands, or are yourself tempted to let it go, pray -immediately, and you will get wisdom and strength to find it, to lay -hold of it, and follow it. Before we part, kneel down and ask -assistance to be good and obedient, brave and patient, until you meet -your father.” - -The little boy knelt down and repeated the Lord’s Prayer; and as he -said, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven,” he felt -calm and happy as he used to do when he knelt at his mother’s knee, -and he thought her hand was on his head, and that she kissed his cheek -and blessed him. When he lifted up his head there was no one there but -himself; but he saw an old gray cross, and a GOLD THREAD was tied to -it, and passed away, away, shining through the woods. - -With a firm hold of his gold thread, the boy began his journey home. -He passed along pathways on which the brown leaves of last year’s -growing were thickly strewn, and from among which flowers of every -colour were springing. He crossed little brooks that ran like silver -threads and tinkled like silver bells. He went under trees with huge -trunks, and huge branches that swept down to the ground and waved far -up in the blue sky. The birds hopped about him, and looked down upon -him from among the green leaves, and they sang him songs, and some of -them seemed to speak to him. He thought one large bird like a crow -cried, “Good boy, good boy!” and another whistled, “Cheer up, cheer -up!” and so he went merrily on, and very often he gave the robins and -blackbirds that came near him bits of his cake. - -After a while, he came to a green spot in the middle of the wood, -without trees, and a footpath went direct across it, to the place -where the gold thread was leading him, and there he saw a sight that -made him wonder and pause. It was a bird about the size of a pigeon, -with feathers like gold and a crown like silver, and it was slowly -walking not far from him, and he saw gold eggs glittering in a nest -among the grass a few yards off. Now he thought it would be such a -nice thing to bring home a nest with gold eggs! The bird did not seem -afraid of him, but stopped and looked at him with a calm blue eye, as -if she said, “Surely you would not rob me?” He could not, however, -reach the nest with his hand, and though he pulled and pulled the -thread, it would not yield one inch, but seemed as stiff as a wire. - -“I see the thread quite plain,” said the boy to himself, “the very -place where it enters the dark wood on the other side. I will just -jump to the nest, and in a moment I shall have the eggs in my pocket, -and then spring back and catch the thread again. I cannot lose it -here, with the sun shining; and, besides, I see it a long way before -me.” So he took one step to seize the eggs; but he was in such haste -that he fell and crushed the nest, breaking the eggs to pieces, and -the little bird screamed and flew away; and then all at once the birds -in the trees began to fly about, and a large owl flew out of a dark -glade, and cried, “Whoo――whoo――whoo-oo-oo!” and a cloud came over the -sun! - -Eric’s heart beat quick, and he made a grasp at his gold thread, but -it was not there! Another, and another grasp, but it was not there! -and soon he saw it waving far above his head, like a gossamer thread -in the breeze. You would have pitied him, while you could not have -helped being angry with him for having been so silly and disobedient -when thus tried, if you had only seen his pale face, as he looked -above him for his thread, and about him for the road, but could see -neither! And he became so confused with his fall, that he did not know -which side of the open glade he had entered, nor to which point he was -travelling. But at last he thought he heard a bird chirping, -“Seek――seek――seek!” and another repeating, “Try again――try -again――try――try!” and then he remembered what the lady had said to -him, and he fell on his knees and told all his grief, and cried, “Oh, -give me back my thread! and help me never, never, to let it go again!” - -As he lifted up his eyes, he saw the thread come slowly, slowly down; -and when it came near, he sprang to it and caught it, and he did not -know whether to laugh, or cry, or sing, he was so thankful and happy! -“Ah!” said he, “I hope I shall never forget this fall!” That part of -the Lord’s Prayer came into his mind which says, “Lead us not into -temptation, but deliver us from evil.” - -“Who would have thought,” said he to himself, “that I was in any -danger in such a beautiful, green, sunny place as this!” - -Then on he went, and a large crow on a tree was hoarsely croaking, -“Beware, beware!” - -“Thank you, Mr. Crow,” said the boy, “I shall;” and he threw him a bit -of bread for his good advice, and ran on gaily to make up for lost -time. - -But now the thread led him through the strangest places. One was a -very dark deep ravine, with a stream that roared and rushed far down, -and overhead the rocks seemed to meet, and thick bushes concealed the -light, and nothing could Eric see but the gold thread, that looked -like a thread of fire, though even that grew dim sometimes, until he -could only feel it in his hand. And whither he was going he knew not. -At times he seemed to be on the edge of a precipice, until he almost -thought the next step _must_ lead him over and plunge him down; but -just when he came to the very edge, the thread would lead him quite -safely along it. Then appeared a rock which looked like a wall, and he -would say to himself, “Well, I must be stopped here! I shall never be -able to climb up!” But just as he touched it, he would find steps cut -in it, and up, up, the thread would lead him to the top! Then it would -bring him down, down, until he once stood beside a raging stream, and -the water foamed and dashed. “And now,” he would think, “I must be -drowned; but never mind, I will not let my thread go.” But so it was, -that when he came so near the stream as to feel the spray upon his -cheek, and thought he must leap in if he followed his thread, what -would he see but a little bridge that passed from bank to bank, and by -which he crossed in perfect safety; until he began to lose fear, and -to believe more and more that he would always be in the right road, as -long as he did not trust mere appearances, but kept hold of his -thread! - -At last Eric got very tired and hungry, for his cake was nearly done, -and he had started early, and it was now well on in the day. But what -was very strange, the thread supported him more than a staff could -have done, and seemed to lift him up from the ground and make him go -lightly along. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - -Eric had now to endure a great trial of his faith in the thread. As he -journeyed on, the thread led him up a winding path towards the summit -of a hill, descending which the large trees of the forest were left -behind, and small stunted bushes grew among masses of gray rocks. The -path was like the bed of a dry brook, and was often very steep. There -were no birds, except little stonechats, that hopped and chirped among -the large round stones. Far below, he could see the tops of the trees, -and here and there a stream glittering under the sunbeams. Nothing -disturbed the silence but the hoarse croak of the raven, or the wild -cry of a kite or an eagle, that, like a speck, wheeled far up in the -sky. But, suddenly, Eric heard a roar like thunder, that seemed to -come from the direction towards which the thread was leading him. He -stopped for a moment, but the thread was firm in his hand and led -right up the hill. On he went, and no wonder he was afraid, when, as -he turned the corner of a rock, he heard another roar, and saw the -head of a large lion looking out of what seemed to be a cave, a few -yards back from the edge of a dizzy precipice! He saw, too, that the -path he must follow was between the lion’s den and the precipice! What -now was to be done? Would he give up his thread and fly? No! A voice -in his heart encouraged him to be brave and not fear, and he knew from -his experience that he had always been led in safety and peace when he -followed the road, holding fast to his thread. He was certain that his -father never would deceive him, or bid him do anything but what was -right; and he was sure, too, that the lady, from her love to him, and -her teaching him to trust God and to pray, would not have bid him do -anything that was wrong. And then an old verse his nurse taught him -came into his mind,―― - - “Fear not to do right, - Fear not the grave; - But fear to do wrong, - Your life to save.” - -All this, and much more, passed through little Eric’s mind in a -minute, and so he resolved to go on, come what might. There was just -one thing he saw which cheered him, and that was a white hare, sitting -with her ears cocked, quite close to the lion’s den, and he wondered -how she had no fear, but could not explain it at the time. On he went, -but he could hardly breathe, as the thread led still nearer and nearer -the den. These big eyes were glaring on him, and seemed to draw him -closer and closer! There the lion was, on one side of the path, and -the great precipice on the other. One step more, and he was between -them. He went on until he was so near that he seemed to feel the -lion’s breath, when suddenly he sprang out on him, and tried to strike -him with his huge paw that would have crushed him to the dust! Eric -shut his eyes, and gave himself up for lost. But the lion suddenly -fell back, for he was held fast by a great iron chain, and so Eric -passed in safety! - -Oh! how thankful he was! and how gladly he ran downhill, the lion -roaring behind him in his den. Down he ran until all was quiet again. -As he pursued his journey in the beautiful green woods, something told -him his greatest trial was past. He felt very peaceful and strong. And -now, as he reached some noble old beech-trees, the thread fell on the -grass, and he took this as a sign that he should lie down too, and so -he did, grateful for the rest. He ate some of his cake that tasted so -nice, and drank from a clear spring beside him, and gathered wild -strawberries which grew in abundance all round him, and thus had quite -a feast. He then stretched himself on his back among soft moss, and -looked up through the branches of the gigantic trees, and watched with -delight the sunlight speckling the emerald green leaves and brown bark -with touches of silver, and, far up, the deep blue sky with white -clouds reposing on it, like snowy islands on a blue ocean; and he -watched the squirrels with their bushy tails, as they ran up the -trees, and jumped from branch to branch, and sported among the leaves, -until he fell into a sort of pleasant day-dream, and felt so happy, he -hardly knew why. - -As he lay here, he thought he heard in his half-waking dream a little -squirrel sing a song. Was it not his own heart, now so glad because -doing what was right, which was singing? This was the song which he -thought he heard:―― - - “I’m a merry, merry squirrel; - All day I leap and whirl, - Through my home in the old beech-tree; - If you chase me, I will run - In the shade and in the sun, - But you never, never can catch me! - For round a bough I’ll creep, - Playing hide-and-seek so sly, - Or through the leaves Bo-peep, - With my little shining eye. - Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! - - “Up and down I run and frisk, - With my bushy tail to whisk - All who mope in the old beech-trees; - How droll to see the owl, - As I make him wink and growl, - When his sleepy, sleepy head I tease! - And I waken up the bat, - Who flies off with a scream, - For he thinks that I’m the cat - Pouncing on him in his dream. - Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! - - “Through all the summer long - I never want a song, - From my birds in the old beech-trees; - I have singers all the night, - And with the morning bright, - Come my busy humming fat brown bees. - When I’ve nothing else to do, - With the nursing birds I sit, - And we laugh at the cuckoo - A-cuckooing to her tit! - Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! - - “When winter comes with snow, - And its cruel tempests blow - All the leaves from my old beech-trees, - Then beside the wren and mouse - I furnish up a house, - Where like a prince I live at my ease! - What care I for hail or sleet, - With my cosy cap and coat! - And my tail upon my feet, - Or wrapped about my throat! - Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!” - -As Eric opened his eyes and looked up, he saw a little squirrel with -its tail curling up its back, sitting on a branch looking down upon -him; and then it playfully ran away with the tail waving after it. -“Farewell, happy little fellow!” said Eric; “I must do my work now, -and play like you afterwards;” for now the thread again became tight, -and Eric, refreshed with his rest, and hearty for his journey, stepped -out bravely. He saw, at some distance beyond an open glade in the -forest, a rapid river towards which he was descending, when he thought -he perceived something struggling in the stream, and then heard a loud -cry or scream for help, as if from one drowning. He was almost tempted -to run off to his assistance without his thread, but he felt thankful -that the thread became tight again, and led in the very direction from -whence he heard the cries coming. So off he ran as fast as he could, -and as he came to the brink of a deep, dark pool in the river, he saw -the head of a boy rising above the water, as the poor little fellow -tried to keep himself afloat. Now he sank――again he rose――until he -suddenly sank down and did not again appear. Eric laid hold of his -thread with a firm hand and leaped in over head and ears, and then -rose to the surface, and with his other hand swam to where the boy had -disappeared. He soon caught him, and brought him with great difficulty -to the surface, which he never could have done unless the thread had -supported them both above the water. - -“Eric!” cried the gasping boy, opening his eyes, almost covered by his -long wet hair. - -“Wolf, is it you?” It was indeed poor Wolf, who lay panting on the dry -land, with his hairy clothes dripping with water, and himself hardly -able to speak. “Oh, tell me, Wolf, what brought you here? I am so glad -to have helped you!” - -After a little time, when Wolf could speak, he told him in his own -way, bit by bit, how Ralph had suspected him; and how the old woman -had heard him speaking as she was looking out of an upper window; and -how when Ralph asked the gold belt he could not give it; and how he -was obliged himself to fly; and how he had been running for his life -for hours. “Now let us fly,” said Wolf; “I am quite strong again. I -fear that they are in pursuit of us.” - -They both went on at a quick pace, Eric having shown Wolf the thread -he had asked him about the day before, and explained to him how he -must never part with it, come what might. “Oh, rub-a-dub, dub!” said -Wolf, squeezing the water out of his hair, as he trotted along; “I am -glad to be away. Ralph would have killed me like a pig. The voice told -me to run after you.” So on they went as fast as they could, when -suddenly Wolf stopped, and listening with anxious face he said, “Hark! -did you hear anything?” - -“No,” said Eric; “what was it?” - -“Hush!――listen!――there again――I hear it!” - -“I think I do hear something far off like a dog’s bark,” replied Eric. -“Hark!” - -So they both stopped and listened, and far away they heard a deep -“Bow-wow-wow-wow-o-o-o-o-o” echoing through the forest. - -“Let us run as fast as we can,” said the boy, in evident fear; “hear -him――hear him!” - -“Bow-wow-wow-o-o-o-o,” and the sound came nearer and nearer. - -“What is it? why are you so afraid?” anxiously inquired Eric. - -“Oh! that is Ralph’s bloodhound, Tuscar,” cried Wolf, “and he is -following us. He won’t perhaps touch me, but you he may.” So Eric ran -as fast as he could, but never let go the gold thread, which this time -led up a steep hill, which they were obliged to scramble up. “Run, -Eric!――quick――hide――up a tree――anywhere!” - -“I cannot, I dare not,” said Eric; “whatever happens, I must hold fast -my thread.” - -But they heard the “Bow-wow-o-o-o” coming nearer and nearer, and as -they looked back they saw an immense hound rush out of the wood, and -as he came to the water he saw the boys on the opposite hill, and so -he leaped into the stream, and in a few minutes would be near them. -And now he came bellowing like a fierce bull up the hill, his tongue -hanging out, and his nose smelling along the ground, following their -footsteps. - -“I shall run and meet him,” said Wolf, “and stop him if I can;” and -down ran the swineherd, calling “Tuscar! Tuscar! good dog, Tuscar!” - -But though Tuscar knew Wolf, he passed him, and ran up to Eric. As he -reached Eric, who stood calm and firm, the bloodhound stopped panting, -smelling his clothes all round, but, strange to say, wagging his huge -tail, and then ran back the way he had come, as if he had made a -mistake, and all his race was for nothing! It was the large hound Eric -had fed! So his kindness was not lost even on the dog. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - -Eric and Wolf now pursued their journey with light and hopeful hearts, -for they had got out of what was called the wild robber country, and -he knew that he was drawing near home. The thread was stronger than -ever, and every hour it helped more and more to support him. On the -two went together, Wolf trotting along with his short stick, and -sometimes snorting and blowing with fatigue like one of his own pigs. -They conversed as best they could about all they had seen. - -“Did you see big Thorold the lion?” asked Wolf. - -“I did,” said Eric; “he is very awful, but he was chained.” - -“Lucky for you,” said Wolf, “for Ralph hunts with him and kills -travellers. He will obey none but Ralph. I heard him roaring. He is -hungry. He once ate one of my pigs, and would have ate me if he had -not first caught the porker. I escaped up a tree.” - -And thus they talked, as they journeyed on through woods, and across -green plains, and over low hills, until, as they were walking along, -Wolf complained of hunger. Eric at once gave him what remained of his -large cake; but it did not suffice to appease the appetite of the -swineherd, who was, however, very grateful for what he got. To their -delight they now saw a beautiful cottage not far from their path, and, -as they approached it, an old woman with a pretty girl, who seemed to -be her daughter, came out to meet them. - -“Good-day, young gentleman!” said the old woman, with a kind smile and -a courtesy; “you seem to be on your travels, and look wearied. Pray -come into my cottage, and I shall refresh you.” - -“What lucky fellows we are!” said Wolf. - -“We are much obliged to you for your hospitality,” replied Eric. But -alas! the thread drew him in an opposite direction; so turning to Wolf -he said, “I cannot go in.” - -“Come, my handsome young gentleman,” said the young woman, “and we -shall make you so happy. You shall have such a dinner as will delight -you, I am sure; and you may remain as long as you please, and I shall -dance and sing to you; nor need you pay anything.” And she came -forward smiling and dancing, offering her arm to Eric. “Surely you -won’t be so ungallant as refuse me! you are so beautiful, and have -such lovely hair and eyes, and I never saw such a belt as you wear: do -come!” - -“Come, my son,” said the old woman to Wolf, as she put her hand round -his neck. - -“With all my heart,” replied Wolf; “for, to tell the truth, I am -wearied and hungry: such offers as yours one does not get every day.” - -“I cannot go,” again said Eric. _They_ could not see the thread, for -to some it was invisible; but _he_ saw it, and felt it like a wire -passing away from the cottage. “Who are you, kind friends?” inquired -Eric. - -“Friends of the king and of his family. Honest subjects, good people,” -said the old woman. - -“Do you know Prince Eric?” asked Wolf. - -“Right well!” replied the young woman. “He is a great friend of mine; -a fine tall comely youth. He calls me his own little sweetheart.” - -“It is false!” said Eric; “you do not know him. You should not lie.” -But he did not tell her who he was, neither did Wolf, for Eric had -made a sign to him to be silent. “I won’t enter your dwelling,” said -Eric, “for my duty calls me away.” - -They both gave a loud laugh, and said, “Hear him! Only hear a fine -young fellow talking about duty! Pleasure, ease, and liberty are for -the young. We only want to make you happy: come!” - -“I shall go with you,” said Wolf; “do come, Eric.” - -“Wolf, speak to me,” said Eric, whispering to the swineherd. “You know -_I_ cannot go, for my duty tells me to follow the thread. But now I -see that this is the house of the wicked, for you heard how they lied; -they neither knew the king nor his children; and they laugh, too, at -duty. Be advised, Wolf, and follow me.” - -Wolf hesitated, and looked displeased. “Only for an hour, Eric.” - -“Not a minute, Wolf. If you trust them more than me, go; but I am sure -you and I shall never meet again.” - -“Then I will trust you, Eric,” said Wolf; “the voice in my heart tells -me to do so.” - -And so they both passed on. But the old woman and the girl began to -abuse them, and call them all manner of evil names, and to laugh at -them as silly fellows. The girl threw stones at them, which made Wolf -turn round and flourish his stick over his head. At last they -re-entered the cottage, the old woman shaking her fist, and calling -out from the door, “I’ll soon send my friend Ralph after you!” - -“Oh, ho! is that the way the wind blows?” exclaimed the swineherd, -with a whistle; and, grasping Eric’s arm, said, “You were right, -prince! I never suspected them. I see now they are bad.” - -“I saw that before,” replied Eric, “and knew that no good would come -to us from making their acquaintance.” - -“Were they not cunning?” - -“Yes; but probably, with all their smiles, flattery, and fair -promises, they would have proved more cruel in the end than either -Ralph or old Thorold.” - -“What would they have done to us? Why did they meet us? Who are they, -think you?” - -“I don’t know, Wolf; it was enough for me that they lied, and did not -wish us to do what was right.” - -Not long after this strange adventure they reached a rising ground -from which a magnificent view burst upon them. Below there was a large -lake, surrounded by wooded hills, above which rose noble rocks fringed -with stately pines, and higher ranges of mountains beyond, some of -whose summits were covered with snow that glittered like purest -alabaster in the azure blue of the sky. Eric gave a cry of joy; for he -saw the house of one of his father’s foresters, where he had once been -with his father. “Wolf! Wolf!” he exclaimed, “look yonder; that is the -house of Darkeye the forester. We are safe!” and the thread was -leading straight down in the very direction which they wished. - -Darkeye’s house was built on a small green island in the lake. The -island was like a little fort, for on every side the rocks descended -like a wall. It could only be approached by a boat, which Darkeye kept -on the island, and then by a narrow stair cut out of the rock. No -robbers could thus get near it, and Darkeye was there to give shelter -to travellers, and to help any of the poor who had to pass that way. -The thread led down to the shore and the narrow ferry. They forgot -their fatigue, and ran down till they reached the ferry. “Boat ahoy!” -shouted Eric. - -By-and-by two boys were seen running out of the cottage, and after -looking cautiously at those who were calling for the boat, they rowed -off, and soon were at the shore, where stood Eric with his gold belt, -and Wolf in his rough skins. “Don’t you remember me?” asked Eric. The -boys looked astonished as they recognized the young prince, and -received him joyfully into their boat, he holding by the thread, which -seemed to cross the ferry towards the cottage. - -How many questions were mutually put and answered in a few minutes! -They told him their father was at home; and how he had lately seen the -king; and how the king was anxiously looking for Eric’s return; and -how glad all on the island would be to see him. And the younger boy -told him how they had a tame otter, that fished in the lake, and a -fine golden eagle which they had got young in her nest, that lived on -the island with them; and how their mother had got another baby since -he had been there, and how happy they all were, and so on, until they -arrived at the island. And there was old Darkeye himself waiting to -receive them; and when he saw who was in the boat, he ran down the -stone steps and grasped the young prince’s hand, and drew him to his -heart. “Welcome, welcome!” said he; “I knew you had been in the -forest, but your father would not tell me anything more about you. He -only said that he longed for your coming home. But who is this?” asked -Darkeye, pointing to Wolf. - -“A friend of mine,” said Eric, with a smile. - -“My name is Wolf,” grunted the swineherd. - -“I think I have seen him before. But no! What? Yes!” said Darkeye, -examining him; then added, as if he had discovered some old -acquaintance, “Surely I _have_ seen him. Tell me, my fine fellow, did -you――――” - -It was evident Darkeye had seen Wolf killing his game, or in some -affray with the robbers. Wolf looked steadily at Darkeye, then at -Eric, but said nothing. - -“O Darkeye, do not trouble poor Wolf, but let him go into the cottage, -and come you with me, as I wish to tell you all that has happened to -me during these few days.” - -So, while the boys took Wolf to the cottage, and food was being -prepared, Eric told Darkeye all his adventures; and you would have -been sure that the forester was hearing something which surprised and -interested him wonderfully, had you seen his face, and how he -sometimes laughed, or knit his brows and looked angry, or sad and -solemn, or sprang to his feet from the rock on which he was sitting -beside Eric. - -When Eric came to speak about the old woman and her daughter, “Ah!” -said Darkeye, “there are not worse people in that wicked country! They -say that the old woman is a witch of some kind. But whether she -poisons travellers or drowns them, I know not. No doubt she is in -league with Ralph the robber, and would have robbed you or kept you -fast in some way or other till you were handed over to him. You were -right, my prince, in all you did. The only way of being delivered from -temptation is to be brave, and do what is right, come what may.” At -last, grasping Eric by the hand, he led him back to the cottage. There -Darkeye’s wife received him like a mother, and all the children -gathered round him in surprise and admiration, he looked so brave and -lovely. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - -One of the walls of the cottage was reared on the edge of the rock, so -that it seemed a continuation of it, and to rise up from the deep -waters of the lake. The boys were thus able often to fish with a long -line out of the window. A winding stair led to a look-out on the roof, -from which the whole island, called “The Green Island of the Lake,” -could be seen. It was about a mile or more in circumference, and was -dotted all over with the cottages of the other foresters and king’s -huntsmen, each surrounded with clumps of trees, through which the -curling smoke from the chimneys might be seen ascending. There were -everywhere beautifully kept gardens, with fruits, and flowers, and -beehives; and fields, too, with their crops. On the green knolls and -in the little valleys might be seen cows and sheep; while flocks of -goats browsed among ivy-covered rocks. - -In the middle of the island was a little shallow lake, beside which -the otter had his house among the rocks; and there the eagle also -lived. All the children in the island were the best of friends, and -they played together, and sailed their boats on the little lake, and -every day met in the house of one of the foresters to learn their -lessons; and on Sunday, as they were very far away from any church, -old Darkeye used to read good books to them, and worship with them, -and did all he could to make them good and happy. They often met at -such times in the open air, beneath a large tree which sheltered them -from the sun. - -There was also in the island a house where, by the king’s orders, all -poor travellers could find refuge and refreshment. And it was a great -pleasure to the boys and girls to visit them; and if they were sick -and confined to bed, to read to them, and attend to their wants. If -the stranger had any children, the young islanders always shared their -sports with them. And nothing pleased these stranger children more -than to get leave to sail a boat, or to have the loan of a -fishing-rod, or to hear the boys call Oscar――for that was the name of -the otter――out of his den, and play with Tor the eagle; or to see them -feed Oscar with some of the fish they had caught, and Tor with a bit -of meat. The dogs were so friendly, too, that they never touched -Oscar, but would swim about in the same pool with him. And so all were -happy in the Green Island; because Darkeye had taught them what a -wicked thing selfishness was, and that the only way to be happy was by -thinking about others as well as themselves, and by loving one -another. He also used to say: “Now, when you work, work like men, and -when you play, play like boys: be hearty at both.” And so while there -was no idleness, there was abundance of recreation. - -Another evil was never permitted in the island, and that was -disobedience to parents, or want of respect to the old. But, indeed, -punishment for these offences was seldom or never needed. The young -learned to _like_ to do what was right, and were too brave and manly -to give pain and trouble to others. - -I should have mentioned, also, that they had a little band of -musicians. One beat the drum, a few played the fife, and others some -simple instrument; while almost all could sing tolerably well in -parts. Thus, many a traveller would pause and listen with delight as -he heard on a summer’s evening the chorus song from many voices, or -the music from the band coming from the island. “Young people,” -Darkeye used to say, “have much wealth and happiness given them, if -they only used their gifts.” - -But I am forgetting Eric and Wolf. They were both, you may be sure, -ready for their dinner, and there was laid for them on a table, cream, -cakes, and fresh trout, and such other good things as the kind woman -could get ready. - -But now the thread began to move, as if it wished Eric to move also. -Before rising to depart, he told Wolf how Darkeye, for his sake, would -be so glad to take care of him, until he got his father’s permission -to bring him into the castle; that he would learn to be a huntsman, -and be taught what was good, and to know about the voice that spoke in -his heart, and that all the boys in the island would make him their -friend if he did what was right. - -“Ralph will come here!” said Wolf, hanging his head. - -“I wish the rascal did,” said Darkeye, “for he would never go back. -But he cannot enter my fort, and knows me and my huntsmen too well -ever to try it. I have had more than one brush with the villain, and -we hope soon to drive him and his brood from their bloody nest. Wolf, -you are welcome and safe, for Eric’s sake!” Then turning to Eric, he -said, “I shall teach him, and make a man of him, my young prince, -depend upon it. And now, before we part, I have to ask a favour,” -continued Darkeye. “You know our custom near evening? If the thread -permits, remain and be one of us.” - -“I remember it,” said Eric, “and will remain and be one of you, and -let poor Wolf also be one.” - -And so they entered the cottage, and all sat down round an open window -which looked out upon the beautiful lake dotted with wooded islands, -and surrounded by the noble forest, above which rose the giant peaks -and precipices. The water was calm as glass, and reflected every -brilliant colour from rock and tree, and, most of all, from the golden -clouds, which already began to gather in the west. Darkeye read from -the Blessed Book of one who had left his father’s house, and went to a -far country, where he would fain have satisfied his hunger from the -husks which the swine did eat, but who at last returned home after -having suffered from his disobedience. When he closed the Book, all -stood up and sang these words with sweet and happy voices:―― - - “Father! from Thy throne above, - Bless our lowly home below! - Jesus, Shepherd! in Thy love, - Save Thy flock from every foe. - - “Thine we are! for Thou hast made us; - Thine, for we’re redeemed by Thee; - Thine, for Thou hast ever led us, - Thine, we evermore shall be! - - “May we love Thee, may we fear Thee, - May Thy will, not ours, be done; - Never leave us till we’re near Thee - In Thy Home, where all are one!” - -Then they knelt down, and Darkeye spoke to God in the name of them -all, thanking Him for His goodness, and telling Him their wants. When -they rose from their knees, the gold thread shone brilliantly, and, -like a beam of light, passed out at the door in the direction of the -ferry. During the singing of the verses, Wolf seemed for the first -time quite overcome. He bent his head, and covered his face with his -hands. He then said, in a low voice, when the short service was over, -and as if speaking to himself, while all were silent listening to him, -“I had a dream. Long, long ago. A carriage――a lady. She was on her -knees crying. She had hold of me. Ralph was there and the robbers. I -forget the rest.” He rose and looked out of the window, gazing -vacantly. - -“What can he mean?” asked Eric aside to Darkeye, who was looking -tenderly on Wolf. - -“Ah! who knows, poor boy! Singing always touches the heart of these -wanderers. Perhaps――yes――it may be,” he said, so that Eric alone could -hear him, “that he has been taken when a child by Ralph from some rich -traveller, and perhaps his mother was killed! He may have been the -child of good people. Was that his mother who prayed for him? If so, -her prayers are now answered, for her boy will be delivered――poor -Wolf!――Wolf, my boy,” said Darkeye, “come and bid farewell to your -friend.” - -Wolf started as from a dream, and came to Eric. - -“Farewell, my kind Wolf, and I hope some day to see you in my father’s -house.” The swineherd spoke not a word, but wiped his eyes with the -back of his rough hand. “Cheer up, Wolf, for you will be good and -happy here.” - -“Wolf is happy already, and he will take care of the pigs, or do -anything for you all.” He then held out his stick to Eric, and said, -“Take it; it is all Wolf has: Ralph has the gold coin.” - -“Thank you, good Wolf; but you will require it, and I need nothing to -remember you.” - -“Don’t be angry, Eric, for what I did in the forest when we met. My -heart is sorry.” - -“We did not know one another then, Wolf, and I shall never forget that -to you I owe my escape.” - -“Wolf loves you, and every one here.” - -“I am sure you do, Wolf, and I love you. God bless you, Wolf, I must -go; farewell!” - -And so they parted. But all gathered round Eric, and accompanied him -to the boat, blessing the little prince, and wishing him a peaceful -and happy journey. Eric thanked them with many smiles and tender -words. Darkeye alone went with him into the boat, wondering greatly at -the thread, and most of all at the prince, who shone with a beauty -that seemed not of this world. The prince landed, but Darkeye knew for -many reasons that he could not accompany him in his journey, which he -must take alone. Eric landed on the shore, embraced Darkeye, and -waving his hand to all on the island, he soon was lost to their sight -in the great forest. - -A winding pathway, over the ridge of hills, led down to a broad and -rapid but smooth river, and on its banks was a royal boat, beautiful -to look upon. The thread led into the boat, and though no one was -there, Eric entered, and sat on a velvet cushion on which the golden -thread laid itself down. No sooner had he gone on board of the boat, -than――as if his little foot, when it touched her, had sent her from -the shore――she slowly moved into the centre of the channel, and was -carried downwards by the current. On she swept on the bosom of that -clear stream, between shores adorned with all that could delight the -eye――rocks and trees and flowers, with here and there waterfalls, -white as snow, from mountain rivulets which poured themselves into the -great river. The woods were full of song, and birds with splendid -plumage gleamed and flashed amidst the foliage like rainbow hues -amidst the clouds. - -Eric knew not whither he was being carried, but his heart was sunshine -and peace. On and on he swept with the winding stream, until at last -darting under a dark archway of brick, and then emerging into light, -the boat grounded on a shore of pure white sand, while the thread rose -and led him to the land. - -No sooner had he stepped on shore and ascended the green bank, than he -found himself at the end of a long, broad avenue of splendid old -trees, whose tops met in a green arch overhead. The far-off end of the -avenue was closed by a great stair of pure white marble steps which -ascended to a magnificent castle. Wall rose above wall, and tower over -tower. He saw grand flights of stairs, leading from one stately -terrace to another, with marble statues, clear gushing fountains, and -flower gardens, and every kind of lovely tree. It was his father’s -castle at last! He ran on with breathless anxiety and joy. He soon -reached it. A large gate was before him, that seemed to be covered -with glittering gold. The thread led directly to it. As he reached the -door, he saw the thread tied to a golden knocker, shaped like the old -cross in the forest. Inscribed over the door were the words, “He that -persevereth to the end shall be saved.” And on the knocker, “Knock, -and it shall be opened.” He seized the knocker, and the moment it -fell, the thread broke and vanished. A crash of music was heard -inside. The door opened, and there stood Eric’s father, surrounded by -his brothers and sisters; and the beautiful lady was there too, and -many, many more to welcome Eric. His father clasped him to his heart, -and said, “My son was lost, but is found!” - -While all crowded around Eric with his weary feet and torn dress, kept -together by his golden band, a chorus was heard singing,―― - - “Home where the weary rest, - Home where the good are blest, - Home of the soul; - Glorious the race when run, - Glorious the prize when won, - Glorious the goal!” - -Then there rose a swell of many young voices singing,―― - - “Oh, be joyful, be joyful, let every voice sing! - Welcome, brothers, our brother, the son of the king; - His wanderings are past, to his father he’s come; - Little Eric, our darling, we welcome thee home! - Oh, blessed is the true one who follows the road, - Holding fast to his GOLD THREAD OF DUTY TO GOD, - Who, when tempted, is firm, who in danger is brave, - Who, forgetting himself, will a lost brother save. - Then be joyful, be joyful, for Eric is come; - Little Eric, our darling, we welcome thee home!” - -And then the sun set, and the earth was dark, but the palace of the -king shone like an aurora in the wintry sky. - - - - -“WEE DAVIE.” - - - - -“WEE DAVIE.” - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -“And a little child shall lead them.” - - -“Wee Davie” was the only child of William Thorburn, blacksmith. The -child had reached the age in which he could venture, with prudence and -reflection, on a journey from one chair to another, his wits kept -alive by maternal warnings of “Tak’ care, Davie; mind the fire, -Davie.” And when his journey was ended in safety, and he looked over -his shoulder with a cry of joy to his mother, he was rewarded, in -addition to the rewards of his own brave and adventurous spirit, by -such a smile as equalled only his own, and by the well-merited -approval of “Weel done, Davie!” - -Davie was the most powerful and influential member of the household. -Neither the British fleet, nor the French army, nor the Armstrong gun, -nor the British Constitution had the power of doing what Davie did. -They might as well have tried to make a primrose grow or a lark sing! -He was, for example, a wonderful stimulus to labour. His father, the -smith, had been rather disposed to idleness before his son’s arrival. -He did not take to his work on cold mornings as he might have done, -and was apt to neglect many opportunities which offered themselves of -bettering his condition; and Jeanie was easily put off by some -plausible objection when she urged her husband to make an additional -honest penny to keep the house. But “the bairn” became a new motive to -exertion; and the thought of leaving him and Jeanie more comfortable, -in case sickness laid the smith aside, or death took him away, became -like a new sinew to his powerful arm, as he wielded the hammer, and -made it ring the music of hearty work on the sounding anvil. The -meaning of benefit-clubs, sick-societies, and penny-banks was fully -explained by “wee Davie.” - -Davie also exercised a remarkable influence on his father’s political -views and social habits. The smith had been fond of debates on -political questions, and no more sonorous growl of discontent than his -could be heard against the powers that be, the injustice done to the -masses, and the misery which was occasioned by class legislation. He -had also made up his mind not to be happy or contented, but only to -endure life as a necessity laid upon him, until the required reforms -in Church and State, at home and abroad, had been attained. - - [Illustration: “Isn’t he a bonnie bit bairn?” - _See page 100._] - -But his wife, without uttering a syllable on matters which she did not -pretend even to understand, and by a series of acts _out_ of -Parliament, by reforms in household arrangements, by introducing good -_bills_ to her own House of Commons, and by a charter, whose points -were chiefly very commonplace ones, such as a comfortable meal, a tidy -home, a clean fireside, a polished grate, above all, a cheerful -countenance and womanly love――these _radical_ changes had made her -husband wonderfully fond of his own house. He was, under this -teaching, getting every day too contented for a patriot, and too happy -for a man in such an ill-governed world. His old companions could not -at last coax him out at night. He was lost as a member of one of the -most philosophical clubs in the neighbourhood. His old pluck, they -said, was gone. The wife, it was alleged by the patriotic bachelors, -had “cowed” him, and driven all the spirit out of him. But “wee Davie” -completed this revolution. - -One failing of William’s had hitherto resisted Jeanie’s silent -influence. The smith had formed the habit, before he was married, of -meeting a few companions, “just in a friendly way,” on pay-nights at a -public-house. It was true that he was never “what might be called a -drunkard,” “never lost a day’s work,” “never was the worse of liquor,” -etc. But, nevertheless, when he entered the snuggery in Peter Wilson’s -whisky shop, with the blazing fire and comfortable atmosphere; and -when, with half a dozen talkative and, to him, pleasant fellows and -old companions, he sat round the fire, and the glass circulated, and -the gossip of the week was discussed, and racy stories were told, and -one or two songs sung, linked together by memories of old merry -meetings; and current jokes were repeated, with humour, of the -tyrannical influence which some would presume to exercise on “innocent -social enjoyment”――then would the smith’s brawny chest expand, and his -face beam, and his feelings become malleable, and his sixpences begin -to melt, and flow out in generous sympathy into Peter Wilson’s fozy -hand, and there counted beneath his sodden eyes. And so it was that -the smith’s wages were always _minus_ Peter’s gains. - -His wife had her fears――her horrid anticipations――but did not like to -“even” her husband to anything so dreadful as what she in her heart -dreaded. She took her own way, however, to win him to the house and to -good, and gently insinuated wishes rather than expressed them. The -smith, no doubt, was only “merry,” and never was ill-tempered or -unkind; “yet at times――” “and then, what if――” Yes, Jeanie, you are -right! The demon sneaks into the house by degrees, and at first may be -dispelled, and the door shut upon him; but let him only once take -possession, then he will keep it, and shut the door against everything -pure, and lovely, and of good report, and bar it against thee and “wee -Davie,” ay, and against better than thee and than all else, and fill -the house with sin and shame, with misery and despair! But “wee -Davie,” with his arm of might, drove the demon out. - -It happened thus. One evening when the smith returned home so that -“you would know _it_ on him,” his child toddled to him, and, lifting -him up, he made him stand before him on his knee. The child began to -play with the locks of the Samson, and to pat him on the cheek, and to -repeat with glee the name of “dad-a.” The smith gazed at him intently, -and with a peculiar look of love, mingled with sadness. - -“Isn’t he a bonnie bit bairn?” asked Jeanie, as she looked over her -husband’s shoulder at the child, nodding and smiling to him. - -The smith spoke not a word, but gazed still upon his boy, while some -sudden emotion was strongly working in his countenance. “It’s done!” -he at last said, as he put his child down. - -“What’s wrang? what’s wrang?” exclaimed his wife, as she stood before -him, and put her hands round his shoulders, bending down until her -face was close to his. - -“Everything is wrang, Jeanie!” - -“Willie, what is’t? are ye no’ weel?――tell me what’s wrang wi’ -you?――oh, tell me!” she exclaimed in evident alarm. - -“It’s a’ richt noo!” he said, rising up, and seizing his child, lifted -him up to his breast, and kissed him. He then folded him in his arms, -clasped him to his heart, and looking up in silence, said, “Davie has -done it, along wi’ you, Jeanie. Thank God, I am a free man!” - -His wife felt awed, she knew not how. - -“Sit doon,” he said, as he took out his handkerchief and wiped away a -tear from his eye, “and I’ll tell you a’ aboot it.” - -Jeanie sat on a stool at his feet, with Davie on her knee. - -Her husband seized his child’s little hand with one of his own, and -with the other took his wife’s. “I havena been what ye may ca’ a -drunkard,” he said, “but I hae been often as I shouldna hae been, and -as, wi’ God’s help, I never, never will be again!” - -“Oh!” exclaimed Jeanie. - -“Let me speak,” said William. “To think, Jeanie”――here he struggled as -if something was choking him――“to think that for whisky I might beggar -you and wee Davie; tak’ the claes aff your back; drive ye to the -workhouse; break your heart; and ruin my bonnie bairn, that loves me -sae weel, in saul and body, for time and for eternity! God forgie me! -I canna stand the thocht o’t, let alane the reality!” and the strong -man rose, and little accustomed as he was to show his feelings, he -kissed his wife and child. “It’s done, it’s done!” he said; “dinna -greet, Jeanie. Thank God for you and Davie, my best blessings.” - -“Except Himsel’!” said Jeanie, as she hung on her husband’s neck. - -“Amen!” said the smith; “and noo, woman, nae mair aboot it; it’s done. -Gie wee Davie a piece, and get the supper ready.” - -“Wee Davie” was also a great promoter of social intercourse, an -unconscious link between man and man, and a great practical -“unionist.” He healed breaches, reconciled differences, and was a -peace-maker between kinsfolk and neighbours. For example: Jeanie’s -parents were rather opposed to her marriage with the smith; some said -because they belonged to the rural aristocracy of country farmers. -They regretted, therefore, the day――though their regret was expressed -only to old friends――when the lame condition of some of the horses had -brought Thorburn into communion with their stable, and ultimately with -their house. Thorburn was admitted to be a sensible, well-to-do man; -but then he was, at best, but a smith, and Jeanie was good-looking, -and “by ordinary,” with expectations of some “tocher,” and as her -mother remarked, “though I say it, that shouldna say it,” etc., and -so, with this introduction, she would proceed to enlarge on Jeanie’s -excellences, commenting on the poor smith rather with pauses of -silence, and expressions of hope “that she might be mistaken,” all of -which, from their very mystery, were more depreciatory than any direct -charges. But when “wee Davie” was born, the old couple deemed it -proper and due to themselves――not to speak of the respect due to their -daughter, whom they sincerely loved――to come and visit her. Her mother -had been with her, indeed, at an earlier period; and the house was so -clean, and Thorburn so intelligent, and the child pronounced to be so -like old David Armstrong, Jeanie’s father, especially about the -forehead, that the two families, as the smith remarked, were evidently -being welded, so that a few more gentle hammerings would make them -one. - -“Wee Davie,” as he grew up, became the fire of love which heated the -hearts of good metal so as to enable favourable circumstances to give -the necessary finishing stroke which would permanently unite them. -These circumstances were constantly occurring until, at last, -Armstrong called on every market-day to see his daughter and grandson, -and he played with the boy (who was his only grandson), and took him -on his knee, and put a “sweetie” into his mouth, and evidently felt as -if he himself was reproduced and lived in the boy. This led to closer -intercourse, until David Armstrong admitted that William Thorburn was -one of the most sensible men he knew, and that he would not only back -him against any of his acquaintances for a knowledge of a good horse, -but for wonderful information as to the state of the country -generally, especially of the landed interest and the high rent of -land. Mrs. Armstrong finally admitted that Jeanie was not so far -mistaken in her choice of a husband. The good woman always assumed -that the sagacity of the family was derived from her side of the -house. But whatever doubts still lingered in their minds as to the -marriage, these were all dissipated by one look of “wee Davie.” “I’m -just real proud aboot that braw bairn o’ Jeanie’s,” she used to say to -her husband. She added one day, with a chuckling laugh and smile, -“D’ye no’ think yersel’, gudeman, that wee Davie has a look o’ auld -Davie?” - -“Maybe, maybe,” replied auld Davie; “but I aye think he’s our ain -bairn we lost thirty years syne.” - -“That has been in my ain mind,” said his wife; “but I never liked to -say it. But he’s no’ the waur o’ being like baith.” - -Again: There lived in the same common passage, and opposite to William -Thorburn’s door, an old soldier, a pensioner. He was a bachelor, and -by no means disposed to hold much intercourse with his neighbours. The -noise of the children was obnoxious to him. He maintained that “an -hour’s drill every day would alone make them tolerable. Obedience to -authority; right about, march! That’s the thing,” the Corporal would -say to some father of a numerous family in the “close,” as he -flourished his stick with a smile rather than a growl. Jeanie -pronounced him to be “a selfish body.” Thorburn had more than once -tried to cultivate acquaintance with him, as they were constantly -brought into outward contact. But the Corporal was a Tory, and more -than suspected the smith of holding “Radical” sentiments. To defend -things as they were was a point of honour with the pensioner――a -religion. Any dislike to the Government seemed a slight upon the army, -and therefore upon himself. Thorburn at last avoided him, and -pronounced him proud and ignorant. But one day “wee Davie” found his -way into his house, and putting his hands on his knees as he smoked -his pipe at the fireside, looked up to his face. The old soldier was -arrested by the beauty of the child, and took him on his knee. To his -surprise, Davie did not scream; and when his mother soon followed in -search of her boy, and made many apologies for his “impudence,” as she -called it, the Corporal maintained that he was a jewel, a perfect -gentleman, and dubbed him “the Captain.” - -Next day, tapping at Thorburn’s door, the Corporal gracefully -presented a toy in the shape of a small sword and drum for his young -hero. That night he smoked his pipe at the smith’s fireside, and told -such stories of his battles as fired the smith’s enthusiasm, called -forth his praises, and, what was more substantial, a most comfortable -tea by Jeanie, which clinched their friendly intercourse. He and “the -Captain” became constant associates, and many a loud laugh might be -heard from the Corporal’s room as he played with the boy, and educated -his genius. “He makes me young again, does the Captain!” remarked the -Corporal to his mother. - -Mrs. Fergusson, another neighbour, was also drawn into the same net by -“wee Davie.” She was a fussy, gossiping woman, noisy and disagreeable. -She found Jeanie uncongenial, who “kept herself to herself,” instead -of giving away some of her good self to her neighbour, and thus taking -some of her neighbour’s bad self out of her. But her youngest child -became seriously ill, and Jeanie thought, “If Davie was ill I would -like a neighbour to speir for him,” and so she went upstairs to visit -Mrs. Fergusson, and begged pardon, but “wished to know how Mary was?” -and Mrs. Fergusson was bowed down with sorrow, and thanked her, and -bid her “to come ben.” And Jeanie did so, and spoke kindly to the -child, and told her, moreover, what pleasure it would give her to -nurse her baby occasionally; and she invited the younger children to -come down to her house and play with “wee Davie,” and thus keep the -sick one quiet; and she helped also to cook some nutritive drinks, and -got nice milk from her father for the sick one, and often excused -herself for apparent meddling by saying, “When one has a bairn o’ -their ain, they canna but feel for other folk’s bairns.” - -Mrs. Fergusson’s heart became subdued, softened, and friendly, and she -said, “We took it as extraordinar’ kind in Mrs. Thorburn to do as she -has done. It is a blessing to have sic a neighbour.” - -But it was “wee Davie” did it. - -The street in which the smith lived was as uninteresting as any could -be. A description of its outs and ins would have made a “social -science” meeting shudder. Beauty or even neatness it had not. Every -“close” or “entry” in it looked like a sepulchre. The back courts were -a huddled confusion of outhouses; strings of linens drying; stray dogs -searching for food; pigeons similarly employed with more apparent -success and satisfaction; and cats creeping about; with crowds of -children, laughing, shouting, and muddy to the eyes, acting with -intense glee the great dramas of life, marriages, battles, deaths, and -burials, with castle-building and extensive farming and commercial -operations. But everywhere smoke, mud, wet, and an utterly -uncomfortable look. And so long as we in Scotland have a western ocean -to afford an unlimited supply of water, and western mountains to -condense it as it passes in the blue air over their summits, and -western winds to waft it to our cities, and so long as it will pour -down, and be welcomed by smoke above and earth below――then -consequently so long we shall find it difficult to be “neat and tidy -about the doors,” or to transport the cleanliness of England into our -streets and lanes. But, in spite of all this, how many cheerful homes, -with bright fires and nice furniture, and rows of books, and -intelligent, sober, happy men and women, with healthy, nice children, -are everywhere to be found in those very streets, that seem to the eye -of those who have never penetrated farther than their outside, to be -“dreadful-looking places;” and who imagine that all their inhabitants -must be like pigs in pigstyes, steeped in wretchedness and whisky; and -infer that every ignorant and filthy and drunken Irish brawler and -labourer is a fair type of the whole of our artisans. - -There is, I begin to suspect, a vast deal of exaggerated nonsense -written about the working classes. Be that as it may, I feel pretty -certain of this, that there is no country on earth in which the -skilled and well-conducted artisan can get so much for his money, -socially, physically, intellectually, and morally, as in our own -Britain, and none in which there are to be found so many artisans who -take advantage of these benefits. But for the ignorant and -ill-disposed, the idle and the drunken, there is no country where -their degradation is more rapid, and their ruin more sure. The former -can easily rise above the mud, and breathe a free and happy -atmosphere; but if he falls into it, it is likely he will be sooner -smothered and buried than anywhere else on earth. - -A happier home could hardly be found than William Thorburn’s, smith, -as he sat, after coming home from his work, at the fireside, reading -his newspaper, or some book of weightier literature, Jeanie sewing -opposite to him, and, as it often happened, both absorbed occasionally -in the rays of that bright light, “wee Davie,” which filled their -dwelling, and the whole world, to their eyes; or listened to the grand -concert of his happy voice, which mingled with their busy work and -silent thoughts, giving harmony to all. How much was done for his -sake! He was the most sensible, efficient, and thoroughly -philosophical missionary of social science in all its departments who -could enter that house. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - -My heart is sore as I write it, that “wee Davie” got ill. He began to -refuse his food, and nothing would please him; then to get peevish and -cross, so that he would hardly go to his father, except to kiss him -with tearful cheeks, and then stretch out his hands with a cry for his -mother. His mother nursed him on her knee, and rocked him, and walked -with him, and sang to him her own household lullabies; and put him to -bed, and lifted him up, and laid him down, and “fought” with him day -and night, caring for neither food nor sleep, but only for her child’s -ease and comfort. What lessons of self-sacrificing love was she thus -unconsciously taught by her little sufferer! The physician was at last -called in, who pronounced it “a bad case――a _very_ serious case.” I -forget the specific nature of the illness. The idea of danger to Davie -had never entered the minds of his parents. The day on which William -realized it, he was, as his fellow-workmen expressed it, “clean -stupid.” They saw him make mistakes he had never made before, and knew -it could not be from drink, but could not guess the cause. “I maun -gang hame!” was his only explanation, when, at three o’clock, he put -on his coat and stalked out of the smithy, like one utterly -indifferent as to what the consequences might be to ploughs or -harrows, wheels or horse-shoes. Yet taking an old fellow-workman -aside, he whispered to him, “For auld friendship sake, Tam, tak’ -charge this day o’ my wark.” - -“What ails Willie?” was the only question put by him and others, to -which no reply could be given. - -It was on the afternoon of next day that “the minister” called. It -must here be confessed that William was a rare attender of any church. -The fact was, he had been hitherto rather sceptical in his tendencies; -not that his doubts had ever assumed a systematic form, or had ever -been expressed in any determined or dogmatic manner. But he had read -Tom Paine, associated the political rights of man with rebellion -against all old authorities, all of whom seemed to him to have denied -them, and he had imbibed the idea at the old “philosophical” club, -that ministers, especially those of the Established Church, were the -enemies of all progress, had no sympathy with the working classes, -were slaves to the aristocracy, preached as a mere profession and only -for their pay, and had, moreover, a large share of hypocrisy and -humbug in them. The visit of Dr. M’Gavin was, therefore, very -unexpected. - -When the Doctor entered the house, after a courteous request to be -allowed to do so, as it was always his principle that the poorest man -was entitled to the same respect as the man of rank or riches, he -said, “I have just heard from some of your neighbours, whom I have -been visiting, that your child is seriously unwell, and I thought you -would excuse me intruding upon you to inquire for him.” - -William made him welcome and begged him to be seated. The call was -specially acceptable to Jeanie. Old David, I should have mentioned, -was an “elder” in a most worthy dissenting congregation, and his -strong religious convictions and church views formed in his mind a -chief objection to the marriage of his daughter with a man “who was -not,” as he said, “even a member of any kirk.” Jeanie had often wished -her husband to be more decided in what she felt herself to be a duty -and a privilege. The visit of the Doctor, whose character was well -known and much esteemed, was therefore peculiarly welcome to her. In a -little while the Doctor was standing beside the little bed of the -sufferer, who was asleep, and gently touching “wee Davie’s” hand, he -said, in a quiet voice, to the smith, “My brother, I sincerely feel -for you! I am myself a father, and have suffered losses in my family.” - -At the word _losses_, William winced, and moved from his place as if -he felt uneasy. - -The Doctor quickly perceived it, and said, “I do not, of course, mean -to express so rash and unkind an opinion as that you are to lose this -very beautiful and interesting boy, but only to show you how I am -enabled, from experience, to understand your anxiety, and to -sympathize with you and your wife.” And noiselessly walking to the -arm-chair near the fire, he there sat down, while William and Jeanie -sat near him. After hearing with patience and attention the account -from Jeanie of the beginning and progress of the child’s disease, he -said, “Whatever happens, it is a comfort to know that God our Father -is acquainted with all that you suffer, all you fear, and all you -wish; and that Jesus Christ, our Brother, has a fellow-feeling with us -in all our infirmities and trials.” - -“The Deity must know all,” said William, with a softened voice; “He is -infinitely great and incomprehensible.” - -“Yes,” replied the Doctor; “and so great, that He can attend to our -smallest concerns; yet not so incomprehensible but that a father’s -heart can truly feel after Him, so as at least to find Him through His -Son. Ah! my brother,” continued the Doctor, “what a comfort and -strength the thought is to all men, and ought to be to you working -men, and to you parents, especially with your dear child in sickness, -that He who marks a sparrow fall, smitten by winter’s cold, and who -feeds the wild beasts, is acquainted with us, with our most secret -affairs, so that even, as it were, the hairs of our heads are -numbered; that He who is the Father, Almighty Maker of the heavens and -the earth, knows the things which we need; that He has in us, -individually, an interest which is incomprehensible, only because His -love to us is so in its depth; that He considers each of us, and -weighs all His dealings towards us with a carefulness as great as if -we alone existed in His universe; so that, as a father pitieth his -children, He pitieth us, knowing our frames, and _remembering_ we are -dust.” - -William bent his head and was silent, while Jeanie listened with her -whole soul. - -“It is not easy, minister,” said William, breaking silence, “for -hard-wrought and tried men to believe that.” - -“Nor for any man,” replied the Doctor. “I find it very difficult to -believe it myself as a real thing, yet I know it to be true; and,” he -continued, with a low and affectionate voice, “perhaps we never could -have known it and believed it at all, unless God had taught it to us -by the life of His own Son, who came to reveal Him. But as I see _Him_ -taking up little children into His loving arms, when others would keep -them away who did not understand what perfect love was, and as I see -in such doings how love cannot but come down and meet the wants of its -smallest and weakest object, oh! it is then I learn in what consists -the real greatness of God, ‘whose name is Love.’” The Doctor paused -for a moment, and then went on: “Because, my brother, I see in this -love of Christ more than the love of a good man merely; I see revealed -in it the loving tenderness towards us and ours of that God whom no -eye hath seen or can see, but whom the eye of the spirit can perceive; -for, as Jesus said, ‘He who seeth _Me_, seeth the Father.’” - -“I believe a’ ye say, Doctor,” said Jeanie meekly. “_I_ wadna like to -keep my bairn frae Him; but, oh! sir, I hope――I hope He wull lift him -up, and do to us now as He did to many distressed ones while on -earth!” - -“I hope,” said the Doctor, “God will spare your boy; but you must ask -Him sincerely so to do, and you must trust Him, and commit your child -into His hands without fear, and acquiesce in His doing towards you -and your boy as He pleases.” - -“That is hard!” remarked William. - -“Hard?” mildly replied the Doctor. “What would you choose else, had -you the power of doing so, rather than of acquiescing in the will of -God? Would you trust your own heart, for instance, more than the heart -of God? or would you rather have your child’s fate decided by any -other on earth than by yourself?” - -“No, for I know how I love the boy.” - -“But God loves him much more than you do; for he belongs to God, and -was made by Him and for Him.” - -“Excuse me, Doctor, but yet I canna thole the thocht o’ parting wi’ -him!” said Jeanie. - -“May God spare him to you, my friends!” replied the minister, “if it -be for your good and his. But,” he added, “there are worse things than -death.” - -This remark, made in almost an under voice, was followed by silence -for a few moments. The Doctor’s eyes were cast down as if in -meditation or prayer. - -“Death is hard enough!” said the smith. - -“But hard chiefly as a sign of something worse,” continued the -minister. “Pardon me for asking you such questions as these:――What if -your child grew up an enemy to you? What if he never returned your -love? What if he never would trust you? What if he never would speak -to you? What if he always disobeyed you? Would this not bring down -your gray hairs with sorrow to the grave?” - -“Eh! sir,” said Jeanie, “that _would_ be waur than death!” - -“But excuse me, Doctor, for just remarking,” interrupted William, -“that I never knew any child with a good parent who would so act. I -really don’t think it possible that our ain wee Davie, even with our -poor bringing up, would ever come to _that_. It would be so -unnatural.” - -“God knows, Thorburn,” said the Doctor. “There are many unnatural -things in this world. Listen to me kindly; for I sincerely thank you -for having allowed one who is a stranger to speak so frankly to you, -and for having heard me with such considerate patience.” - -“Oh, gang on, gang on, Doctor; I like to hear you,” said Jeanie. - -“Certainly, sir,” added the smith. - -“Well, then,” said the Doctor, “I have no wish to appear even to find -fault with you at such a time. I feel more disposed to weep with you -in your sorrow than to search your heart or life for sin. But I feel -at such solemn times as these, solemn to you and to your wife, that -the voice of a Father is speaking to you in the rod, and it ought to -be heard; and that His hand is ministering discipline in time, and you -ought to give Him reverence, and be in subjection to the Father of our -spirits that you may live; and therefore, in order to impart to you -more strength and comfort in the end, let me beseech of you, after I -am gone, to consider candidly whether you have not perhaps been acting -towards _your_ Father in heaven in the very way in which did your -child grow up and act towards you would be reckoned as worse than -death. Therefore honestly ask yourselves whether there has been from -you love to God your Father in return for His love to you. Has there -been cordial friendship or the reverse? Confidence or distrust? -Disobedience or rebellion? Communion in frank, believing, and -affectionate prayer, or silence? I do not ask you to reply to me; but -I wish you and myself, as loving fathers of our children, to ask -whether we have felt and acted towards the best and most loving of -fathers as we wish our children to feel and act towards ourselves.” -The Doctor paused for a moment. Jeanie shook her head slowly, and the -smith stared with her at the fire. “My friends, we have all sinned, -and this is our sin of sins, that we have _not known nor loved our -Father_, but have been forgetful of Him, strange, shy to Him; yes, we -have been cold, heartless, prodigal, disobedient children.” Another -short pause, and the Doctor then spoke on in the same quiet and loving -voice――“But whatever we are or have been, let us hope in God, or we -perish. Every sinner is doomed, but no man is doomed to be a sinner. -God is our Father still; and just as you both have nourished and -cherished your dear boy, and have been loving when he knew it not, nor -could understand that great love in your hearts which, sure am I, will -never grow cold but in the grave, so has it been with God to us His -children. Open your hearts to His love, as you would open your eyes to -the light which has been ever shining. Believe it as the grand -reality, as you would have your boy open his heart to and believe in -your love when he awakens from his sleep. Your love, as I have said, -is deep, real to your boy, irrespective of his knowledge or return of -it. But what is this to the love of God? ‘_Herein_ is love, not that -we loved God, but that He loved us, and gave His Son to be a -propitiation for our sins.’ Let us, my friends, never rest till we are -enabled in some degree to see and to appreciate this, and to say, ‘We -have known and believed the love which God has to us.’” - -“Dr. M’Gavin,” said William, “you have spoken to me as no man ever did -before, and you will believe me, I am sure, when I say that I respect -you and myself too much to flatter you. But there is surely a meaning -in my love to that boy which I never saw before. It begins to glimmer -on me.” - -“Thank God if it does! But I do not speak to you――and this you must -give me credit for――as if it were my profession only; I speak to you -as a man, a father, and a brother, wishing you to share the good which -God has given to me and gives to you. So I tell you again, and would -repeat it and repeat it, that if we would only have to God that simple -confidence, hearty love, frank, cheerful communion, peace and joy, -which we wish our children to have towards us, we would experience a -true regeneration. And what was the whole life of Jesus Christ save a -life of this blessed, confiding, obedient, childlike sonship? Oh, that -we would learn of Him, and grow up in likeness to Him! But this -ignorance of God is worse than death. For if knowledge be life, -spiritual ignorance is death. My good friends, I have been led to give -you a regular sermon!” said the Doctor, smiling; “but I really cannot -help it. To use common everyday language, I think our treatment of God -has been shameful, unjust, and disgraceful on the part of men with -reason, conscience, and heart. I do not express myself half so -strongly as I feel. I am ashamed and disgusted with myself, and all -the members of the human family, for what we feel, and feel _not_, to -such a Father. If it were not for what the one Elder Brother was and -did, the whole family would have been disgraced and ruined most -righteously!” - -“Doctor,” said William, with a trembling voice, “thank ye, thank ye, -from my heart. I confess I have been very careless in going to the -church, but――” - -“We may talk of that again, if you allow me to return to-morrow. Yet,” -continued the Doctor, pointing to the child, “God in His mercy never -leaves Himself without a witness. Look at your child, and listen to -your own heart, and remember all I have said, and you will perhaps -discover that though you tried it you could not fly from the Word of -the Lord. A father’s voice by a child has been preaching to you. Yes, -Thorburn, when in love God gave you that child, He sent an eloquent -and holy missionary to your house to preach the gospel of what our -Father is, and what we as children ought to be. Only listen to that -sermon, and you will soon be prepared to listen to others.” - -The Doctor rose to depart. Before doing so, he asked permission to -pray, which was cheerfully granted. Wishing to strengthen the faith of -those sufferers in prayer, he first said, “If God _cannot_ hear and -answer prayer, He is not supreme; if He _will_ not, He is not our -Father. But blessed be His name, His own Son, who knew Him perfectly, -who Himself prayed, and was heard in that He prayed, has enabled our -parental hearts, from our love to our own children, to feel the beauty -and truth of this His own argument, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; -seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for -every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to -him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, -whom, if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a -fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to -give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father -which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him!’” And then -the Doctor poured forth a simple, loving, and most sympathizing -prayer, in which he made himself one with his fellow-worshippers, and -expressed to a common Father the anguish of the hearts around him. -When it ended, he went to the bed, and looked at the sleeping child, -touched its white hand, and said, “God bless your little one! May this -sleep be for health!” - -“It’s the first sleep,” said Jeanie, “he has had for a lang time. It -may be a turn in his complaint.” - -Without waiting to force the parents to give him an immediate reply to -what he had taught them, the Doctor shook them warmly by the hand, and -gazed on them with a world of interest in his eyes, asking them only -kindly to consider what he had said. The silence which ensued for a -few minutes after his absence, as William and Jeanie returned from the -door and stood beside the bed, was broken by the smith observing, “I -am glad that man came to our house, Jeanie. Yon was indeed preaching -that a man can understand and canna forget. It was wee Davie did it.” - -“That’s true,” said Jeanie; “thank God for’t!” And after gazing on the -sleeping child, she added, “Is he no’ bonnie? I dinna wunner that sic -a bairn should bring gude to the house.” - -That night William had thoughts in his heart which burned with a -redder glow than the coals upon the smithy fire! I am much mistaken if -he did not begin to feel that God had sent him a home missionary in -“wee Davie.” - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - -It was a beautiful morning in spring, with blue sky, living air, -springing grass, and singing bird; but William Thorburn had not left -his house that morning, and the door was shut. - -Mrs. Fergusson trod the wooden stair that led to the flat above his -with slow and cautious step; and as she met her boy running down -whistling, she said, “What d’ye mean, Jamie, wi’ that noise? Do ye no’ -ken wee Davie is dead? Ye should hae mair feeling, laddie!” - -The Corporal, whose door was half open, crept out, and in an -under-breath beckoned Mrs. Fergusson to speak to him. “Do you know how -they are?” he asked in a low voice. - -“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “I sat up wi’ Mrs. Thorburn half -the night, and left Davie sleeping, and never thocht it would come to -this. My heart is sair for them. But since it happened the door has -been barred, and no one has been in. I somehow dinna like to intrude, -for, nae doot, they will be in an awfu’ way aboot that bairn.” - -“I don’t wonder――I don’t wonder!” remarked the Corporal meditatively; -“I did not believe I could feel as I do. I don’t understand it. Here -am I, who have seen men killed by my side. I have seen a single shot -cut down half our company.” - -“Is it possible?” - -“It is certain,” said the Corporal; “and I have charged at -Pampeluna――it was there I was wounded――over dead and dying comrades, -yet, will you believe me? I never shed a tear――never; but there was -something in that Captain――I mean the boy”――and the Corporal took out -his snuff-box, and snuffed vehemently. “And what a brave fellow his -father is! I never thought I could love a Radical; but he was not what -you call a Radical; he was――I don’t know what else, but he is a man, -an out-and-out man, every inch of him; I’ll say that for him――a man is -William Thorburn! Have you not seen his wife?” - -“No, poor body! It was six o’clock when she ran up to me, no’ -distracted either, but awfu’ quiet like, and wakened me up, and just -said, ‘He is awa’;’ and then afore I could speak she ran doon the -stair, and steekit the door; and she has such a keen speerit, I dinna -like to gang to bother her. My heart is sair for her.” - -They both were silent, as if listening for some sound in William -Thorburn’s house, but all was still as the grave. - -The first who entered it was old David Armstrong and his wife. They -found Jeanie busy about her house, and William sitting on a chair, -staring into the fire, dressed with more than usual care. The curtains -of the bed were up. It was covered with a pure white sheet, and -something lay upon it which they knew. - -Jeanie came forward, and took the hand of father and mother, without a -tear on her face, and said quietly, “Come ben,” as she gave her father -a chair beside her husband, and led her mother into an inner room, -closing the door. What was spoken there between them I know not. - -William rose to receive old David, and said, “It was a fine spring -day.” David gave a warm squeeze to his hand, and sat down. He rose and -went to the bed. William followed him, and took the cloth off the -boy’s face in silence. They both gazed on it. The face was unchanged, -as in sleep. The flaxen curls seemed to have been carefully arranged, -for they escaped from under the white cap, and clustered like golden -wreaths around the silvery forehead and cheeks. William covered up the -face, and both returned to their seats by the fireside. - -“I never lost ane since my ain wee Davie dee’d, and yours, Willie, was -dear to me as my ain,” exclaimed the old man, and then broke down, and -sobbed like a child. - -William never moved, though his great chest seemed to heave; but he -seized the poker and began to arrange the fire, and then was still as -before. By-and-by, the door of the inner room opened, and Jeanie and -her mother appeared, both of them composed and serene. The same scene -was repeated as they passed the bed. Mrs. Armstrong seated herself -beside her husband, and Jeanie placed a large Bible on the table, and, -pointing to it, said, “Father,” and then drew her chair near the -smith. - -[Illustration: William never moved, though his great chest seemed to -heave.] - -David Armstrong put on his spectacles, opened the Bible, and selecting -a portion of Scripture, reverently said, “Let us read the Word of -God.” The house was quiet. No business on that day intruded itself -upon their minds. It was difficult for any of them to speak, but they -were ready to hear. The passages which old David selected for reading -were 2 Samuel xii. 15-23, Matthew ix. 18-26, and John xi. 1-44. Having -closed the book, he said, with a trembling but solemn voice, “God, who -doeth all things according to the counsel of His own will, has been -pleased to send us a heavy affliction. ‘The Lord giveth, and the Lord -taketh away!’ May He enable us to say at all times, ‘Blessed be the -name of the Lord.’ For whether He gives or takes away, He is always -the same in love and mercy. If He takes away, it is but to give -something better, for He afflicts us to make us partakers of His -holiness. Our wee one is not dead; he only sleepeth.” Here David -paused, but recovering himself, said, “Yes, his body sleepeth in Jesus -till the resurrection morning. He himself is with Christ. He is alive, -in his Father’s bosom. Oh, it is strange to think o’t, and hard to -believe! but, blessed be God! it’s true, that――that――Jesus Christ, who -sees us, sees him, and sees us thegither, ay, enoo!――” continued David -thoughtfully, like one pondering on a new truth; “this very minute we -are all in His sight! Oh, it’s grand and comforting; our wee Davie is -in the arms of Jesus Christ!” A solemn silence ensued. “The bonnie -bairn will never return to us, but we shall go to him, and some o’ us -ere lang, I hope. Let us pray.” And they all knelt down, and a true -prayer, from a true heart, was spoken, from suffering parents, to Him -“of whom _the whole family_ in heaven and earth is named.” - -To David’s surprise and great satisfaction, he heard William utter -Amen to his prayer, which included honest confession of sin; -expressions of thankfulness for mercies, enumerating very many -mercies, among others, the great gift of their child, thus taken away, -with thanks for all he had been, and for all he then was; with -trustful petitions for grace to help them in their time of need. - -That afternoon Dr. M’Gavin called, and manifested quiet, unobtrusive, -but most touching sympathy. His very silence was eloquent affection. - -“I’m proud to meet wi’ you, sir,” said old Armstrong, after the Doctor -had been seated for a while. “Although I’m no’ o’ your kirk, yet we’re -baith o’ ae Kirk for a’ that.” - -“With one Father, one Brother, one Spirit, one life, one love, one -hope!” replied the Doctor. - -“True, sir, true, sir, our differences are nothing to our agreements, -Doctor.” - -“Our non-essential differences arise out of our essential union, Mr. -Armstrong. If we differ honestly and conscientiously as brethren, I -hope it is because we differ only in judgment as to how to please our -Father, and our Eldest Brother. Our hearts are one in our wish to do -Their will. For none of us liveth, or dieth even, to himself.” - -“Ay, ay, Doctor. So it is, so it is! as the auld saying has’t, ‘The -best men are but men at the best.’ We maun carry ane another’s -burdens; and ignorance, or even bigotry, is the heaviest ony man can -carry for his neebour. Thank God, brighter and better times are -coming! We here see through a glass darkly; but then face to face. We -know only in pairt; then shall we know even as we are known. We must -be faithful to our given light, and serve Him, and not man.” - -“There are differences among living men,” replied the Doctor, “but -none among the dead. We shall only agree perfectly when we know and -love as saints, without error and without sin.” - -“I mind,” said David, warming with the conversation, and the pleasure -of getting his better heart out――“I mind two neighbours of mine, and -ye’ll mind them too, gudewife? that was Johnnie Morton and auld Andrew -Gebbie. The tane was a keen Burgher, and the tother an Antiburgher. -Baith lived in the same house, though at different ends, and it was -the bargain that each should keep his ain side o’ the house aye weel -thatched. But they happened to dispute so desperate about the -principles o’ their kirks, that at last they quarrelled, and didna -speak. So ae day after this, as they were on the roof thatching, each -on his ain side, they reached the tap, and sae looking ower, face met -face. What could they do? They couldna flee. So at last Andrew took -aff his Kilmarnock cap, and, scratching his head, said, ‘Johnnie, you -and me, I think, have been very foolish to dispute as we hae done as -to Christ’s will aboot our kirks, till we hae forgot His will aboot -ourselves; and so we hae fought sae keen for what we ca’ the truth -that it has ended in brither fechting against brither. Whatever’s -wrang, this canna be richt, if we dinna love. Noo, it strikes me that -maybe it’s wi’ the Kirk as wi’ this hoose: ye’re working on ae side -and me on the other, but if we only do our wark weel, we wull meet at -the tap at last. Gie’s your han’!’ And so they shook han’s, and were -the best o’ freens ever after.” - -“Thank you, Mr. Armstrong, for the story,” said the Doctor. Then -looking to the bed, he remarked, “Oh, if we were only simple, true, -and loving, like little children, would we not, like that dear one, -enter the kingdom of heaven, and know and love all who were in it, or -on their way to it?” - -“I’m glad I have met you, Doctor,” resumed the old elder. “It does -ane’s heart good to meet a brother who has been a stranger. But if it -hadna been for his death noo, we might never have met. Isna that -queer? God’s ways are no’ our ways.” - -“God brings life out of death,” replied the Doctor, “and in many ways -does He ordain praise from babes and sucklings, whether living or -dead.” Was not “wee Davie” a home missionary to the dissenting elder -and Established Church minister? “And now,” continued the Doctor, -“with your permission, good friends, I will read a short psalm and -offer up a short prayer before I go.” - -They thanked him, and he read the 23rd Psalm. His only remark was, as -he closed the Bible, “The Good Shepherd has been pleased to take this -dear lamb into His fold, never more to leave it.” - -“And may the lamb be the means of making the auld sheep to follow!” -added the elder. - -When the prayer was over, Jeanie, who had hardly spoken a word, said, -without looking at the Doctor, “Oh, sir, God didna hear our prayer for -my bairn!” - -“Dinna speak that way, Jeanie woman!” said old David softly, yet -firmly. - -“I canna help it, father; I maun get oot my thochts that are burning -at my heart. The minister maun forgie me,” replied Jeanie. - -“Surely, Mrs. Thorburn,” said the Doctor; “and it would be a great -satisfaction to me if I could, from what God has taught me from His -Word, and from my experience of sorrow, be able to solve any -difficulty, or help you to acquiesce in God’s dealings with you; not -because you _must,_ but because you _ought_ to submit; not because God -has _power_, and therefore does as He pleases, but because He is Love, -and therefore pleases always to do what is right.” - -“But, oh, He didna hear our prayer; that’s my battle! We were maybe -wrang in asking what was against His wull.” - -“Not in the way, perhaps, in which you expected, Mrs. Thorburn; yet -every true prayer is verily heard and answered by Him. But He is too -good, too wise, too loving, to give us always literally what we ask; -if so, He would often be very cruel, and _that_ He can never be. You -would not give your child a serpent, if in his assurance he asked one, -mistaking it for a fish; nor would you give him a stone for bread?” - -The Doctor paused. - -“When Nathan, the Lord’s prophet, telt King David that his child must -die,” said Armstrong, “yet David even then prayed to the Lord to spare -his life, and I dinna doot that his Father in heaven was pleased wi’ -his freedom and faith.” - -“Right,” continued the Doctor, “for I am sure we cannot trust Him too -much, or open our human hearts to Him too freely; let us always -remember, too, that when God refuses what we ask, He gives us -something better――yea, far more than we can ask or think. He gave your -dear child for a time; and if He has taken him away, can you, for -example, tell the evil, the misery, which may have been prevented? How -many parents would give worlds that their children had died in -infancy! And you could not wish for more than your child’s good, and -so God has thus far literally heard that prayer. He has done so by -taking your child to Himself. Your precious jewel is not lost, but is -in God’s treasury, where no thief can break through and steal; _that_ -is surely something.” - -“Oh yes, sir, it is!” said Jeanie; “but yet it’s an awfu’ blank! Ilka -thing in the world seems different.” - -“I’m jist thinking, Jeanie,” said Mrs. Armstrong, “that it’s a comfort -ye ever pit yer een on Davie, for there’s puir Mrs. Blair――John -Blair’s blin’ wife, ye ken――when she lost her callant, May was a year, -she cam’ to me in an awfu’ way aboot it, and what vexed her sae muckle -was, that she never had seen his wee face, and that she could only -touch and han’le him, and hear him greet.” - -“Puir body,” remarked Jeanie, “it was a sair misfortun’ for ony mither -that――an’ yet――But I’ll no’ think aboot it; ilk ane has their ain -burden to carry. Noo, minister, let me speir at you, sir: Will I never -see my bairn again? and if I see him, will I no’ ken him?” - -“You might as well ask whether you could see and know your child if he -had gone to a foreign country instead of to heaven,” replied the -Doctor. “Alas! if we did not know our beloved friends in heaven, earth -in some respects would be dearer to our hearts! But then, ignorance is -not possible in such a place of light and love.” - -“It wadna be rational to think so,” remarked William, speaking for the -first time, though he had been listening with great interest to the -Doctor. - -“But,” continued Jeanie, with quiet earnestness, “will our bairn aye -be a bairn, Doctor? Oh, I hope so!” - -“Dinna try, Jeanie dear,” said David, “to be wise aboon what is -written.” - -The Doctor smiled, and asked, “If your child had lived, think you -would you have rejoiced had he always continued to be a child and -never grown or advanced? and are you a loss or a gain to your father -and mother, because you have grown in mind and knowledge since you -were an infant?” - -“I never thocht o’ that,” said Jeanie thoughtfully. - -“Be assured,” continued the Doctor, “there will be no such abortions -there as infants in intellect and sense for ever. All will be perfect -and complete, according to the plan of God, who made us for fellowship -with Himself and all His blissful family. Your darling has gone to a -noble school, and will be taught and trained there for immortality by -Him who was Himself a child, and who knows a mother’s love and a -mother’s sorrow; and you too, parents, if you believe in Christ, and -hold fast your confidence in Him, and become to Him as little -children, will be made fit to enter the same society; and thus you and -your boy, though never, perhaps, forgetting your old relationship on -earth, will be fit companions for one another for ever and ever. -Depend upon it, you will both know and love each other there better -than you ever could have done here.” - -“My wee pet!” murmured Jeanie, as the tears began to flow from a -softened, because happier, heart. - -William hid his face in his hands. After a while, he broke silence and -said, “These thoughts of heaven are new to me. But common sense tells -me they maun be true. Heaven does not seem to me noo to be the same -strange place it used to be. My loss is not so complete as I once -thought it was. Neither we nor our bairn have lived in vain.” - -“Surely not,” said the Doctor―― - - “‘Better to have loved and lost, - Than never to have loved at all!’ - -You have contributed one citizen to the heavenly Jerusalem; one member -to the family above; one happy spirit to add his voice to the anthem -before the throne of God!” - -“Lord, help our unbelief!” said Mr. Armstrong; “for the mair I think -o’ the things which I believe, the mair they seem to me owre gude news -to be true!” - -“The disciples, when they first saw Christ after His resurrection,” -said the Doctor, “did not believe from very joy.” - -“We think owre muckle o’ our ain folk, Doctor, and owre little o’ Him. -But it’s a comfort that He’s kent and loved as He ought to be by them. -I thank Him, alang wi’ them that’s awa’, for all He is and gies to -them noo.” - -“And for all He is and does, and will ever be and do, to every man who -trusts Him,” added the Doctor; “our friends would be grieved, if grief -were possible to them now, did they think our memory of them made us -forget Him, or that our love to them made us love Him less. Surely, if -they know what we are doing, they would rejoice if they also knew -that, along with themselves, we too rejoiced in their God and our God. -What child in heaven but would be glad to know that its parents joined -with it in the prayer of ‘_Our_ Father’?” - -“If wee Davie could preach to us, I dare say, sir, that micht be his -text.” - -“Though dead, he yet speaks,” replied the Doctor. - -Yes, the boy was yet a home missionary, drawing the hearts of that -household to God. - -The Doctor rose to depart. “By-the-bye,” he said, “let me repeat a -verse or two to you, Thorburn, from a poem which I am sure you will -like. It expresses the thoughts of a parent about his dead girl, and -which have already in part been poorly expressed by me when your wife -asked me if she would know her boy:―― - - ‘She is not dead――the child of our affection, - But gone unto that school - Where she no longer needs our poor protection, - And Christ Himself doth rule. - - ‘In that great cloister’s stillness and seclusion, - By guardian angels led, - Safe from temptation, safe from sin’s pollution, - She lives, whom we call dead. - - ‘Not as a child shall we again behold her; - For when with raptures wild - In our embraces we again enfold her, - She will not be a child; - - ‘But a fair maiden, in her Father’s mansion, - Clothed with celestial grace, - And beautiful with all the soul’s expansion - Shall we behold her face.’” - -“Thank ye, sir, thank ye,” said Thorburn; “and ye’ll no’ be offended -if I ax ye to gie me a grip o’ yer han’.” And the smith laid hold of -the Doctor’s proffered hand, so small and white, with his own hand, so -large and powerful――“God reward ye, sir, for we canna! And noo, -Doctor,” the smith continued, “I maun oot wi’t! Since ye hae been so -kind as gie us that fine bit o’ English poetry, I canna help gieing -you a bit o’ Scotch, for Scotch poetry has been a favourite reading o’ -mine, and there’s a verse that has been dirling a’ day in my heart. -This is it:―― - - ‘It’s dowie at the hint o’ hairst, - At the wa’-gang o’ the swallow, - When the winds blaw cauld, - And the burns run bauld, - And the wuds are hanging yellow; - But oh! it’s dowier far to see - The wa’-gang o’ ane the heart gangs wi’, - The dead set o’ a shining e’e, - That closes the weary warld on thee!’ - -Fareweel, sir! I’ll expect ye the morn at two, if convenient,” the -smith whispered to the Doctor as he opened the door to him. - -“I’ll be sure to come,” he replied. “Thank you for those verses; and -think for your good about all I have said.” - -That evening, there was a comfortable tea prepared by Jeanie for her -friends, and the Corporal was one of the party. Had a stranger dropped -in upon them, he would not have supposed that there was sorrow in the -house. There is a merciful reaction to strong feeling. The highest -waves, when they dash against the rock, flow farthest back, and -scatter themselves in their rebound into sparkling foam and airy -bubbles. The Corporal told some of his old stories of weariness and -famine, of wounds and sufferings, and marches over the fields of Spain -from victory to victory. Old Armstrong could match these only by -Covenanter tales from _The Scots Worthies_, of battles long ago, but -was astonished to find the Corporal a staunch Episcopalian, who had no -sympathy with “rebels.” Yet so kind and courteous was the pensioner, -that the elder confessed that he was “a real fine body, withoot a -grain o’ bigotry.” William, too, had his talk on “the times,” and his -favourite topic of reform; while Jeanie and her mother spoke of the -farm, and of old friends among the cows, with many bygone -reminiscences of persons and things. And thus the weight of their -hearts was lightened, and made stronger, along with higher and better -thoughts, to carry their burden; but ever and anon there came one -little presence before them, causing a sinking of the heart. - -No sooner had their friends left the house for the night than the -smith did what he never did before. He opened the Bible, and said to -Jeanie, “I will read a chapter aloud before we retire to rest.” - -Jeanie clapped her husband fondly on the shoulder, and in silence sat -down beside him while he read again some of the same passages which -they had already heard. Few houses had that night more quiet and -peaceful sleepers than that house, under whose roof, beneath the -shining stars of God, those parents and their child reposed. - -The little black coffin was brought to the smith’s the night before -the funeral. When the house was quiet, Davie was laid in it gently by -his father. Jeanie stood by and assumed the duty of arranging with -care the white garments in which her boy was dressed, wrapping them -round him, and adjusting the head as if to sleep in her own bosom. She -brushed once more the golden ringlets, and put the little hands in -their right place, and opened out the frills in the cap, and removed -every particle of sawdust which soiled the shroud. When all was -finished, though she seemed anxious to prolong the work, the lid was -put on the coffin, but so as to leave the face uncovered. Both were as -silent as their child. But ere they retired to rest for the night, -they instinctively went to take another look. As they gazed in -silence, side by side, the smith felt his hand gently seized by his -wife. She played at first nervously with the fingers, until, finding -her own hand held by her husband, she looked into his face with an -unutterable expression, and meeting his eyes so full of unobtrusive -sorrow, she leant her head on his shoulder and said, “Willie, this is -my last look o’ him on this side the grave. But, Willie dear, you and -me maun see him again, and, mind ye, no’ to part――na, I canna thole -that! We ken whaur _he_ is, and we maun gang till him. Noo, promise -me! vow alang wi’ me here, that, as we love him and ane another, we’ll -attend mair to what’s gude than we hae dune, that――oh, Willie! forgie -me, for it’s no’ my pairt to speak, but I canna help it th’ noo, and -just, my bonnie man, just agree wi’ me――that we’ll gie our hearts noo -and for ever to our ain Saviour, and the Saviour o’ our wee Davie!” - -These words were uttered without ever lifting her head from her -husband’s shoulder, and in low, broken accents, half choked with an -inward struggle, but without a tear. She was encouraged to say -this――for she had a timid awe for her husband――by the pressure ever -and anon returned to hers from his hand. - -The smith spoke not, but bent his head over his wife, who felt his -tears falling on her neck, as he whispered, “Amen, Jeanie! so help me, -God!” - -A silence ensued, during which Jeanie got, as she said, “a gude -greet,” for the first time, which took a weight off her heart. She -then quietly kissed her child and turned away. - -Thorburn took the hand of his boy and said, “Fareweel, Davie, and when -you and me meet again, we’ll baith, I tak’ it, be a bit different frae -what we are this nicht!” He then put the lid on mechanically, turned -one or two of the screws, and then sat down at the fireside to chat -about the arrangements of the funeral as on a matter of business. - -After that, for the first time, William asked his wife to kneel down, -and he would pray before they retired to rest. Poor fellow! he was -sincere as ever man was, and never after till the day of his death did -he omit this “exercise,” which once on a day was universal in every -family whose head was a member of the church, and I have known it -continued by the widow when her head was taken away. But on this the -first night when the smith tried to utter aloud the thoughts of his -heart, he could only say, “Our Father――!” There he stopped. Something -seemed to seize him, and to stop his utterance. Did he only know how -much was in these words, he possibly might have said more. As it was, -the thoughts of the father on earth so mingled, he knew not how, with -those of the Father in heaven, that he could not speak. But he -continued on his knees, and spoke there to God as he had never spoken -before. Jeanie did the same. - -After a while they both rose, and Jeanie said, “Thank ye, Willie. It’s -a beautifu’ beginning, and it wull, I’m sure, hae a braw ending.” - -“It’s cauld iron, Jeanie woman,” said the smith, “but it wull melt and -come a’ richt.” - -The day of the funeral was a day of beauty and sunshine. A few -fellow-tradesmen and neighbours assembled in the house, dressed in -their Sunday’s best, though it was visible in one or two that the best -was the worse of the wear. The last thing a Scotch workman will part -with, even to keep his family in food, is his Sunday clothes; and the -last duty he will fail to perform, is following the body of a -neighbour or acquaintance to the grave. All were dressed with crape on -their hats, and had weepers on their coats――the Corporal wore, -besides, a medal on his. The smith, according to custom, sat near the -door, and shook each man by the hand as he pointed to a seat. Not a -word, of course, was spoken. - -When all who were expected had assembled, the Doctor, who occupied a -chair near the table on which the Bible lay, opened the Book, and -after reading a portion of it without any comment, he prayed with a -fervour and suitableness which touched every heart. This is our only -Scotch burial service. The little coffin was then brought out, and was -easily carried. The Corporal was the first to step forward, and -saluting the smith by putting his hand to his hat, soldier fashion, he -begged to have the honour of assisting. Slowly the small procession -advanced towards the churchyard, about half a mile off; and angels -beheld that wondrous sight, a child’s funeral――wondrous as a symbol of -sin and of redemption; of the insignificance of a human being as a -mere creature, and of his magnificence as belonging to Christ Jesus. - -As they reached the grave, the birds were singing, and a flood of -light steeped in glory a neighbouring range of hill; while overhead, -the sky had only one small, snow-white cloud reposing in peace on its -azure blue. - -When the sexton had finished the grave, and smoothed it with his -spade William quietly seized it, saying, “Gie me the shool, John, and -I’ll gie him the last clap mysel’,” and he went over again the green -turf carefully with gentle beats, and removed with his hand the small -stones and gravel which roughened its surface. Those who stood very -near, had they been narrowly watching him, which they had too much -feeling to do, might have observed the smith give a peculiar, tender -pressure and clap on the grave with his hand, as on a child’s breast, -ere he returned the spade, and with a careless air said, “Here, John, -thank ye; it’s a’ richt noo.” Then lifting up his hat, and looking -round, added, “Thank ye, freens, for your trouble in coming.” And so -they left “wee Davie” more precious and more enduring than the -everlasting hills! - - * * * * * - -Several years after this, Dr. M’Gavin, then a very old man, as he sat -at his study fire, was conversing with a young preacher, who seemed to -think that nothing could be accomplished of much value for the -advancement of Christ’s kingdom, unless by some great “effort,” or -“movement,” or “large committee,” which would carry everything at once -by a _coup de main_. The Doctor quietly remarked, “My young friend, -when you have lived as long in the ministry as I have done, you will -learn how true it is, that ‘God fulfils Himself in many ways,’ He is -in the still, small voice, and often, too, when He is neither in the -earthquake nor in the hurricane. One of the most valuable elders I -ever had――and whose admirable wife and daughters and well-doing, -prosperous sons are still members of my church, and much attached -friends――told me on his dying bed that, under God, he owed his chief -good to the death of his first child, the circumstance which -accidentally made me acquainted with him. On the last evening of his -life, when enumerating the many things which had been blessed for his -good, he said to me, ‘But under God it was my wee Davie that did it -a’!’” - - - -Transcriber Note: - -Words and phrases in italics are surrounded by underscores, _like -this_. Dialect, obsolete and alternative spellings were left -unchanged. No changes were made to misplaced punctuation. - - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THREAD AND WEE DAVIE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Gold Thread and Wee Davie<br /> - Two Stories for the Young</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Norman MacLeod</div> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: October 29, 2020 [eBook #63572]</div> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Carol Brown, Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team</div> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THREAD AND WEE DAVIE ***</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px"> - <a name="i_002" id="i_002"></a> - <img src="images/i_002.jpg" - width="500" - alt="Illustration: Look yonder" - /> - <p class="caption">“Look yonder; that is the house of Darkeye the forester. -We are safe!”</p> -</div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h4 class="h4head">THE</h4> - -<h1 class="h1head">GOLD THREAD</h1> - -<h5 class="h5head">AND</h5> - -<h2 class="no-break h1head">WEE DAVIE</h2> - -<h4 class="h4head">TWO STORIES FOR THE YOUNG</h4> - -<h5 class="h5head">BY</h5> - -<h2 class="no-break h2head">NORMAN MACLEOD, <abbr title="Doctor of Divinity">D.D.</abbr></h2> - -<h5 class="h5head">AUTHOR OF “THE STARLING,” “THE OLD<br /> -LIEUTENANT AND HIS SON,” ETC.</h5> - -<p class="p4 center">THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, <span class="sc">Ltd.<br /> -<span class="lowercase">LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK</span></span></p> - -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h4 class="h4head">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.</h4> - -<table summary=""> -<colgroup> - <col span="1" style="width: 20em;" /> - <col span="1" style="width: 10em;" /> -</colgroup> -<tr><td class="left">“Look yonder; that is the house of Darkeye the forester. -We are safe!”</td> - <td class="right"><span class="decoration"><a href="#i_002">Frontispiece</a></span></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="left">“See that tall tower,” said Wolf</td> - <td class="right"><a href="#i_019">16</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="left">“Isn’t he a bonnie bit bairn?”</td> - <td class="right"><a href="#i_101">96</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td class="left">William never moved, though his great chest seemed to -heave</td> - <td class="right"><a href="#i_151">144</a></td></tr> -</table> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2 class="h1head">THE GOLD THREAD</h2> - -<p class="center">A STORY FOR THE YOUNG</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">THE GOLD THREAD.</h3> - -<hr class="medium" /> - -<h3 class="h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="One">I.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">O<span class="sc">nce</span> upon a time, a boy lost his -way in a vast forest that filled -many a valley and passed over many -a hill—a rolling sea of leaves for miles -and miles, farther than the eye could -reach. His name was Eric, son of the -good King Magnus. He was dressed in -a blue velvet dress, with a gold band -round his waist, and his fair locks in -silken curls waved from his beautiful -head. He was a lovely boy, and if you -looked into his large blue eyes, and saw -his sweet smile, you would say in your -heart, “There is a boy so winning and -brave and true, that I would dearly like -to have him as a friend and companion.” -But, alas! his hands and face were -scratched, and his clothes torn with -the briars, as he ran here and there -like one much perplexed. Sometimes -he made his way through tangled brushwood, -or crossed the little grassy plains -in the forest, now losing himself in dark -ravines, then climbing up their steep -sides, or crossing with difficulty the -streams that hurried through them. -For a long time he kept his heart up, -and always said to himself, “I shall find -it, I shall find it;” until, as the day -advanced, he was wearied and hungry; -and every now and then he cried, “Oh, -my father! where is my father? I’m -lost! I’m lost!” And “Where, oh, -where is my gold thread?”</p> - -<p>All day the forest seemed to him to -be very sad. He had never seen it so -gloomy. There was a strange sadness -in the rustle of the leaves, and a sadness -in the noise of the streams. He did not -hear the birds sing as they used to do. -But he heard the ravens croak with -their hoarse voice, as their black forms -swept along the precipices which here -and there rose above the forest, and he -never saw so many large hawks wheeling -in the sky. They always appeared -to be wheeling over his head, pausing, -and fluttering as if about to dart down -upon him. But on he journeyed, in the -hope of finding his way out of the -boundless forest, or of meeting some one -who would be his guide. At last the -sun appeared to be near its setting, and -he could see the high branches of the -trees shining like gold, as its rays from -the west fell upon them. But underneath, -the forest was getting darker and -darker, and all the birds were preparing -to sleep, and everything at last became -so still that he could hear his steps -echoing through the wood, and if he -stopped, he heard his heart beating, or -a leaf falling; but nowhere did he see -a house, and no human being had he -met since morning. Then the wind -suddenly began to rise, and he heard -it at first creeping along the tree-tops -like a gentle whisper, and by-and-by to -call louder and louder for the storm to -come. Dark clouds gathered over the -sky, and rushed along chased by the -winds, that were soon to search the -forest and fight with the old trees. No -wonder if the boy began to fear, in case -some evil would happen to him. Not -that he was a coward, but a very bravehearted -boy; <em>but he had done wrong</em>, and -it was that which made him afraid.</p> - -<p>At last, wearied and hardly able to -go further, he sat down at the root of -an old oak, burying his face in his hands, -not knowing what to do. He then tried -to climb the tree, and there to sleep -somewhere among its branches, in case -wild beasts should attack him. But as -he was climbing up, he heard some one -singing with a loud voice. He listened -attentively, and looking eagerly through -the leaves, he saw a boy apparently older -than himself, dressed in rough shaggy -clothes, as if made from skins of wild -animals. His long matted hair escaped -over his cheeks from under a black bearskin -cap. With a short thick stick he -was driving a herd of swine through the -wood. “Hey there, you black porker!” -cried the boy, as he threw a stone at -some pig which was running away. -“Get along, you lazy long snout!” he -shouted to another, as he came thump -on its back with his short stick. And -then he sang this song with a loud voice -which made the woods ring:<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="i2a">“Oh, there’s nothing half so fine</div> - <div class="i2">As to be a herd of swine,</div> - <div class="i2">And through the forest toddle,</div> - <div class="i2">With nothing in my noddle,</div> - <div class="i0">But rub a dub, a dub, hey up, halloo!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i2a">“How my little porkers gallop</div> - <div class="i2">As their ugly hides I wallop!</div> - <div class="i2">How they grunt, and how they wheeze!</div> - <div class="i2">How they grub among the trees!</div> - <div class="i0">Oh, rub a dub, a dub, hey up, halloo!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i2a">“How their backs begin to bristle</div> - <div class="i2">When they hear their master whistle!</div> - <div class="i2">How they kick at every lick</div> - <div class="i2">That I give them with my stick!</div> - <div class="i0">Oh, rub a dub, a dub, hey up, halloo!”</div> - </div><!--end stanza--> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>“Get along, you rascals,” cried the -savage-looking herd, “or I’ll kill and -roast you before your time;” and soon -the herd, with his swine, were concealed -from Eric’s sight by the wood; but he -still heard his “rub-a-dub” chorus, to -which he beat time with a sort of rude -drum, which he had made for himself -with a skin and hoop. Eric determined -to make his acquaintance, or at all -events to follow him to some house; so -he descended from the tree, and ran off -in the direction from which he heard the -song coming. He soon overtook him.</p> - -<p>“Hollo!” said the wild-looking lad, -with as much astonishment as if Eric -had fallen from the clouds. “Who? -where from? where to?”</p> - -<p>“I have lost my way in the wood,” -said Eric, “and want you to guide me.”</p> - -<p>“To Ralph?” asked the swineherd.</p> - -<p>“Ralph! pray, who is he?”</p> - -<p>“Master, chief, captain, all,” replied -the young savage.</p> - -<p>“I will go anywhere for shelter, as -night is coming on; but I will reward -you if you bring me to my father’s -home.”</p> - -<p>“Who is your father, my fine fellow?” -inquired the swineherd, leaning on his -stick.</p> - -<p>“The king,” replied Eric.</p> - -<p>“You lie! Ralph is king.”</p> - -<p>“I speak the truth, swineherd.”</p> - -<p>The swineherd by this time was examining -Eric’s dress with an impudent -look. “Pay me now,” said he; “give -me this gold band, and I will guide you.”</p> - -<p>“I cannot give you this gold band, for -my father gave it to me, and I have lost -enough to-day. By the bye, did you see -a gold thread waving anywhere among -the trees?”</p> - -<p>“A gold thread! What do you mean? -I saw nothing but pigs until I saw you, -and I shall treat you like a pig, d’ye -hear? and lick you too, for I have no -time to put off. So give me your band. -Come, be quick!” said he, with his fierce -face, and holding up his stick as he came -up to Eric.</p> - -<p>“Keep off, swineherd; don’t touch -me!”</p> - -<p>“Don’t touch you! why shouldn’t I -touch you? Do you see this stick? How -would you like to have it among your -fine curls, as I drive it among the pigs’ -bristles?” and he began to flourish it -over his head, and to press nearer and -nearer. “Once! twice! when I say thrice, -if you do not unbuckle, I shall save you -the trouble, and leave you to the wild -beasts, who would like a tender bit of -prince’s flesh better than pork. Come; -once! twice!”</p> - -<p>Eric was on his guard, and said, “I -shall fight you, you young robber, till -death, rather than give you this band—so -keep off.”</p> - -<p>“Thrice!” shouted the herd, and down -came his thick cudgel, which he intended -should fall on Eric’s head.</p> - -<p>But Eric sprang aside, and before he -could recover himself, dashed in upon him, -tripped him up, and threw him on the -grass, getting on top of him and seizing -him by the throat in a moment. The -herd, in his efforts to get out of Eric’s -grasp, let go his cudgel, which Eric -seized and held over his head. “Unless -you promise, master swineherd, to leave -me alone, I may leave <em>you</em> alone with -the wild beasts.”</p> - -<p>“You are stronger than I thought,” -said the herd. “Let me up, or I shall -be choked. Let me up, I say, and I -promise to guide you.”</p> - -<p>“I shall trust you,” said Eric, “though -you would not trust me. Rise!”</p> - -<p>So the herd rose and picked up -his cap, but Eric would not give -him his stick until he guided him to -some house. “Come along,” said he -sulkily.</p> - -<p>“What is your name?” asked Eric.</p> - -<p>“They call me Wolf. I killed a wolf -once with my boar-spear.”</p> - -<p>“Why, Wolf, did you try to kill -me?”</p> - -<p>“Because I wanted your gold belt.”</p> - -<p>“But it is a great sin to rob and kill.”</p> - -<p>“Other people rob me, and would kill -me too if I did not take care of their -pigs,” said Wolf carelessly.</p> - -<p>“You should fear God, Wolf.”</p> - -<p>“I fear that name truly, for Ralph -always swears by it when he is in a -rage. But I do not know what it -means.”</p> - -<p>“O Wolf, surely your father and -mother told you about God, who made -all things, and made you and me; God, -who loves us, and wishes us to love Him, -and to do what is right?”</p> - -<p>“I have no father or mother,” replied -Wolf, “nor brothers or sisters, and I -never heard of God. No one cares for -me but my pigs, and so I sleep with -them, and eat with them.”</p> - -<p>“Poor fellow!” said Eric, with a look -of kindness; “I am sorry for you. Here -is all the money I have. Take it. I -wish to show you that I have no ill will -to you;” and Eric gave him a gold coin.</p> - -<p>Wolf gave a grunt like one of his pigs, -and began his song of “Rub-a-dub.”</p> - -<p>“No one ever gave me money before,” -remarked Wolf almost to himself, as he -examined the coin on his rough hand, -which looked like tanned leather. “How -much is this?” inquired Wolf.</p> - -<p>Eric explained its value. The herd -was astonished, and began to think -what he could purchase with it. He -seemed very anxious to conceal it, and -at last did so in the top of his hairy cap.</p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px"> - <a name="i_019" id="i_019"></a> - <img src="images/i_019.jpg" - width="500" - alt="Illustration: See that tall tower" - /> - <p class="caption">“See that tall tower,” said Wolf.</p> -</div> - -<p>“See that tall tower,” said Wolf, -“which looks like a rock above the -trees; that is the only house near for -twenty miles round. You can reach it -soon; and when you do reach it,” said -Wolf, speaking low, as if some one -might hear him, “take my advice, and -get away as fast as you can from my -master Ralph, for”—and Wolf gave a -number of winks, as much as to say, I -know something.</p> - -<p>“What do you mean?” asked Eric.</p> - -<p>“Oh, nothing, nothing; but take -Wolf’s advice, and say to Ralph you -are a beggar. Put the gold band in -your pocket, and swear to remain with -him, but run off when you can. Cheat -him; that’s my way.”</p> - -<p>“It is not my way,” replied Eric, -and, come what may, never will be, -for a voice says to me,<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="i0a">‘Better to die</div> - <div class="i0">Than ever to lie,’”</div> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>“Ha! ha!” said Wolf; “I wish you -lived with Ralph. He would teach you -another lesson, my lad.”</p> - -<p>“I would rather that I had you, Wolf, -to live in my house. I would be kind -to you, and help you to be good, and -tell you about God, who lives in the -sky.”</p> - -<p>“And is that He who is speaking? -Listen!”</p> - -<p>Thunder began to mutter in the sky.</p> - -<p>“Yes, it is He,” replied Eric; “and -if you listen, you will also hear Him -often speak with a small still voice in -your heart.”</p> - -<p>“I never heard Him,” replied Wolf; -“but I cannot stay longer with you, for -my pigs will wander: there is a black -rascal who always leads them astray. -Now, king’s son, give Wolf the stick; it -is all he has.”</p> - -<p>“Here it is to you, and I am sure you -will not use it wrongly; you will try -to be good, Wolf? for it will make you -happy.”</p> - -<p>“Humph!” said Wolf, “I am happy -when I get my pigs home, and Ralph -does not strike me. But I must away, -and see you don’t tell any one you gave -me money. They would rob me.” And -away he ran among the trees in search -of his pigs, while Eric heard his little -drum, and his song of “Rub-a-dub, -halloo!” die away in the distance.</p> - -<p>Another loud peal of thunder and flash -of lightning made Eric start, and off he ran -towards a light which now beamed from -the tower. But he thought to himself, -“I am much worse than that poor Wolf, -for I knew what was right, and did not -do it. I heard the voice, but did not -attend to it. Oh, my father, why did -I not obey you?”</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="Two">II.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">S<span class="sc">ometimes</span> he lost sight of the light, -and again he caught it, till it became -brighter and brighter, and very -soon he came to a high rock, on the top -of which was perched a tall dark tower. -After groping about, he found a narrow -path that led up to the tower. From -one of the windows of the tower the -light was brightly shining. He went -up a flight of steep steps till he reached -a massive door covered with iron, and -knocked as loud as he could, when a -large dog began barking furiously inside, -and springing up to the door, as -if it would tear it down. Then a gruff -voice called out of a window over the -door, “Who is there? Who disturbs -me in this way?”</p> - -<p>The little boy replied, “Please, sir, -I am Eric, son of King Magnus, and -I have lost my way in this wood.”</p> - -<p>“The son of the king, are you?” -asked the voice. “That is a grand -joke! Let me have a sight of you.” -Then the window was shut, and he -heard footsteps coming tramp, tramp -down the stairs, and the voice said to -the dog, “Lie down, hound, and don’t -be greedy! You would not eat a young -prince, would you? Lie down!”</p> - -<p>The door was then opened by a fierce-looking -man with a long beard. The -man bid him enter, and examined him -about himself and his journey. Eric -answered truly every question.</p> - -<p>Then the man rang a bell for an -old woman who lived in the house, -and bid her take the boy with her, -and give him his supper. The old -woman looked very ugly and very cross, -and led Eric up, up, a great number -of dark gloomy stairs, until she reached -a small room, with a bed and table -in it, where she bade Eric wait till -she brought him supper.</p> - -<p>The big hound followed them, and -stayed in the room while the woman -went away. Eric was at first afraid -of the dog, he was so large and wild-looking; -but he came and laid his head -on his knee, and Eric scratched his -ears, and patted him, and was very -kind to him. The supper came, and -little Eric managed to keep a few bits -of meat out of his own supper for the -dog, and when the old woman went -out of the room he fed the hound, who -seemed very hungry, and said to him, -“Good dog, I love you very much.” -The dog wagged his tail, and looked -up kindly with his large eyes, for he -was thankful for his supper, and ate -much more than Eric.</p> - -<p>“Now,” said the old woman gruffly, -when she took away the remains of -the supper, “you have ate what would -do me for a week. You won’t starve, -master prince. Go to bed.”</p> - -<p>The old woman left him, but suddenly -returning, she discovered Eric on his -knees. As he rose she scoffed and -jeered him, and asked, “Do you always -say your prayers?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, always,” replied the boy.</p> - -<p>“Who taught you?”</p> - -<p>“My mother, who is dead.”</p> - -<p>The old woman heaved a deep sigh, -but the boy did not know why. Perhaps -she used to pray when she was a little -girl herself, and had given up doing -so, and become wicked; or perhaps she -thought of some child of her own whom -she had never taught to pray. She -then went away without speaking a -word more, and Eric was left in darkness. -He looked out through the narrow -window of his room, but could see nothing -but black clouds rushing over the -sky. Far down he heard a stream roaring, -and the wind, which now blew a -gale, came booming over the tree-tops, -and howling round the tower. Every -now and then a flash lighted up the -forest, and the thunder crashed in the -sky. It was a fearful night!</p> - -<p>By-and-by Eric heard footsteps at -his door, and immediately the man with -the beard entered it, and sat down. -“Do you know,” he asked, “where your -father is?”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Eric; “as I told you, I -lost my way in the forest, and have -been wandering all day, and cannot -find him; but perhaps you will send -some one to-morrow with me to show -me the way to his castle, and I am -sure my kind, good father will give you -a rich reward.”</p> - -<p>“You are very, very far from your -father’s house,” said the man, “and I -fear you will never see him again; but -come with me, and I shall show you -some beautiful things that will please -you.” So the man took Eric by the -hand, and, carrying a bright lamp in -the other, led him into a room that -seemed full of gold and silver, with -beautiful dresses sparkling with diamonds, -and every kind of splendour, -and he said, “Stay with me, my boy, -and I will give you all this, for I am -a king too, and will make you my -heir.”</p> - -<p>“Oh no, no,” said Eric; “I will never -forsake my own father.”</p> - -<p>The man then said, “If you stay with -me, you need never go to school all -day, but may amuse yourself from -morning till night, and have a beautiful -pony to ride, and a gun to shoot deer -with, and also fishing-rods, and a servant -to attend you, and any kind of meat -and drink you like best. Do stay with -me!”</p> - -<p>“You are very kind,” said Eric, “but -I cannot be happy without my father. -Oh, my dear father! if I found you I -would never leave you more!”</p> - -<p>“Come then with me, my fine fellow, -and I shall show you something different,” -said the man, seizing Eric firmly -by the arm, and looking very fierce.</p> - -<p>After walking along a passage, from -the end of which confused noises came, -a door was opened, and in a large hall, -round a great oak table, sat a company -of fierce-looking men, drinking from -large flagons which stood before them. -Their faces were red, and their eyes -gleamed like fire. Ralph placed Eric -on the table. One of the robbers was -singing this song:<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">“We’re the famous robber band—</div> - <div class="iright">Hurrah!</div> - <div class="i0">The lords of all the land—</div> - <div class="iright">Hurrah!</div> - <div class="i0">A fig for law or duty,</div> - <div class="i0">If we only get our booty;</div> - <div class="i0">With a fa, lal, la, la, la!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">“Our law is what we will—</div> - <div class="iright">Hurrah!</div> - <div class="i0">So we lie, and rob, or kill—</div> - <div class="iright">Hurrah!</div> - <div class="i0a">‘Every man to mind himself,’</div> - <div class="i0">Is the rule of Captain Ralph;</div> - <div class="i0">With a fa, lal, la, la, la!”</div> - </div><!--end stanza--> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>No wonder poor Eric trembled as he -heard that lawless band thus glorying -in their shame, and like demons singing -their horrid song in praise of all -that was most dreadful and most -wicked. He had read stories of robbers, -which sometimes made him think -that they were fine, brave fellows, but -now that he was among them, he saw -how depraved, cruel, and frightful they -were. Their savage, coarse looks terrified -him; but he was held by Ralph -on the table.</p> - -<p>When the song was ended, one of -them asked, “Whom have we got -here?”</p> - -<p>“Who do you think?” replied Ralph. -“What would you say, my men, to -a young prince—no less than the son -of our great enemy, King Magnus?”</p> - -<p>“A young prince! The son of -Magnus! What a prize!” they exclaimed. -“What shall we do with -him?”</p> - -<p>“First of all, let us have his gold -belt,” said Ralph, unbuckling Eric’s -belt. “Ha! what a pretty thing it is!”</p> - -<p>“My father gave it to me, and I -don’t wish to part with it. The swineherd -Wolf tried to take it from me, -but I fought him, and kept it,” said -Eric.</p> - -<p>“Wolf is a brave young robber,” -replied Ralph, “and he shall have it -for his trouble. In the meantime, my -lad, it is mine. But what, my men, -shall we do with the prince?”</p> - -<p>“Kill him,” said one.</p> - -<p>“Starve him to death,” said another.</p> - -<p>“Put his eyes out, and send him -back to his father,” said a third.</p> - -<p>Eric prayed to God, but said nothing.</p> - -<p>“I propose,” said Ralph, “to make -him a captain if he will stay with us.”</p> - -<p>“Never!” said Eric; “I would rather -die!”</p> - -<p>“Let him die, then,” said a fierce -robber; “for his father hung my -brother for killing one of his nobles.”</p> - -<p>“I tell you what we will do with -the lion’s whelp,” said Ralph: “let us -keep him in prison, and send a message -to his father that we have him snug in -a den among the mountains, and that, -unless he sends us an immense ransom, -we shall kill him.”</p> - -<p>“That will do famously,” said the -robbers; “so off with him!”</p> - -<p>Then Ralph led the boy downstairs—down, -down, until Eric thought they -never would stop—and at last they -came to an iron door, with great bars on -it, and a large lock, and Ralph turned -to Eric, and said, “I know your father, -and I hate him! for he sends his soldiers -after me, and tries to save travellers -from me; and now I have got his son. -I will keep you here till you die, or -till he pays!” Then he opened the -dungeon door, and thrust Eric in. -When it closed it echoed like thunder -through the passages. Eric lay down -on the dungeon floor, and wept till his -heart seemed to break.</p> - -<p>All seemed a strange dream. Oh, how -he repented having disobeyed his father! -and how he seemed to be as bad as the -dreadful robbers in having done what -he pleased, and followed his own will, -instead of doing what was right! After -some time he heard some rustling, as -if high up on the wall, and a voice -whispering “Eric!”</p> - -<p>“Who is there?” asked Eric, and his -little heart trembled.</p> - -<p>“Silence! quiet! it is Wolf. Here is -a small window in your prison, and I -have opened it outside; climb up, get -out, and run for your life.”</p> - -<p>Eric heard no more, but scrambled -in the dark up the rough stones in -the wall until he reached the window. -As he looked out he saw the stars and -the woods. He soon forced his way -through, and dropped down on the -opposite side. Some one caught him -in his arms. It was Wolf.</p> - -<p>“Here is your gold band, Eric. I -got it from Ralph; for He who was -speaking in the thunder has been -saying things in my heart. You were -kind to poor Wolf. Now run for your -life! I shall close the window again. -Ralph will never know how you got -out, and he will not open the prison -door till after breakfast. So you have -a long time. Run as long as you can -along that road till you reach a hill, -then cross it and follow a stream. Run -off!”</p> - -<p>“Bless you, Wolf!” said Eric; “I -shall never forget you.”</p> - -<p>Poor Eric! how he ran, and ran, -beneath the stars! He felt no fatigue -for a time. He thought he heard the -robbers after him; every time the wind -blew loud, he imagined it was their -wild cry. On he ran till he reached -the hill, and crossed it, and came to a -green spot beneath a rock, when he -could run no more, but fell down, and -whether he fainted or fell asleep he -could not tell.</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="Three">III.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">E<span class="sc">ric</span> knew not how long he slept, -but as in a dream he heard a -sweet voice singing these words:<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="i0a">“Rest thee, boy, rest thee, boy, lonely and weary,</div> - <div class="i2">Thy little heart breaking from losing the way;</div> - <div class="i0">Thy father has not left thee friendless though dreary,</div> - <div class="i2">When learning through suffering to fear and obey,”</div> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>Eric opened his eyes, but moved not -a limb, as if under some strange fascination. -It was early morning. High overhead -a lark was also “singing like an -angel in the clouds.” The mysterious -voice went on in the same beautiful -and soothing strain,<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="i0a">“Oh, sweet is the lark as she sings o’er her nest,</div> - <div class="i2">And warbles unseen in the clear morning light;</div> - <div class="i0">But sweeter by far is the song in the breast</div> - <div class="i2">When in life’s early morning we do what is right!”</div> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>Eric could neither move nor speak; -but in his heart he confessed with -sorrow that he had done what was -wrong. And again the voice sang,<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="i0a">“Now, darling, awaken! Thou art not forsaken!</div> - <div class="i2">The old night is past and a new day begun.</div> - <div class="i0">Let thy journey with love to thy father be taken,</div> - <div class="i2">And at evening thy father will welcome thee home.”</div> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>“I shall arise and go to my father!” -said Eric, springing to his feet. He saw -beside him a beautiful lady, who looked -like a picture in his father’s room of his -dead mother, or like one of those angels -from heaven about whom he had often -read.</p> - -<p>And the lady said, “Fear not! I -know you, Eric, and how it came to -pass that you are here. Your father -sent you for a wise and good purpose -through the forest, and gave you hold -of a gold thread to guide you, and told -you never to let it go; but instead of -doing your duty, and keeping hold of -the thread, you let it go to chase butterflies -and gather wild berries and to -amuse yourself. This you did more -than once. You neglected your father’s -counsels and warnings, and so you lost -your thread, and then you lost your way. -What dangers and troubles have you -thus got into through disobedience to -your father’s commands, and want of -confidence in his love and wisdom! But -if you had only trusted your father’s -directions, the gold thread would have -brought you to his beautiful castle, -where there is to be a happy meeting -of your friends, with all your brothers -and sisters.” Poor little Eric began to -weep! “Listen to me, child,” said the -lady kindly, “for <em>you cannot have peace -but by being good</em>. Do you know, all -your brothers and sisters made this -very journey by help of the gold -thread, and they are at home with -great joy.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, save me, save me!” cried Eric, -and caught the lady’s hand.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I shall save you,” said she, “if -you will learn obedience. I know and -love you, dear boy. I know and love -your father, and have been sent by him -to deliver you. I heard what you said, -and know all you did, last night, and -I was very glad that you proved your -love to your father, and your love of -truth, and your love of others, and this -makes me hope all good of you for the -future. Come now with me.”</p> - -<p>And so the beautiful woman took him -by the hand. The storm had passed -away, and the sun was shining on the -green leaves of the trees, and every drop -of dew sparkled like a diamond. The -birds were all warbling their morning -hymns, and feeding their young ones -in their nests. The streams were also -dancing down the rocks and through -the glens. “The mountains broke forth -into singing, and all the trees clapped -their hands with joy.” Everything thus -seemed so happy to Eric, for he himself -was happy at the thought of doing what -was right, and of going home. The lady -led him to a sunny glade in the wood, -covered with wild flowers, from which -the bees were busy gathering their -honey, and she said, “Now, child, are -you willing to do your father’s will?”</p> - -<p>“Oh yes!”</p> - -<p>“Will you do it, whatever dangers -may await you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes!”</p> - -<p>“Well, then, I must tell you that -your father has given me the gold -thread you lost; and he bids me remind -you that if you keep hold of it, and -follow it wherever it leads, you are sure -to come to him at sunset; but if you let -it go, you may wander on in this dark -forest till you die, or are again taken -prisoner by robbers.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, bless you,” said Eric, “for such -good news! I am resolved to do my -duty, come what may.”</p> - -<p>“May you be helped to do it!” said -the lady. She then gave him a cake, -to support him in his journey. “And -now, child,” she added, “one advice -more I will give you, and it was given -you by your father, though you forgot -it; it is this—if ever you feel the thread -slipping from your hands, or are yourself -tempted to let it go, pray immediately, -and you will get wisdom and -strength to find it, to lay hold of it, and -follow it. Before we part, kneel down -and ask assistance to be good and obedient, -brave and patient, until you meet -your father.”</p> - -<p>The little boy knelt down and repeated -the Lord’s Prayer; and as he -said, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is -done in heaven,” he felt calm and happy -as he used to do when he knelt at his -mother’s knee, and he thought her hand -was on his head, and that she kissed his -cheek and blessed him. When he lifted -up his head there was no one there but -himself; but he saw an old gray cross, -and a <span class="sc">Gold Thread</span> was tied to it, and -passed away, away, shining through the -woods.</p> - -<p>With a firm hold of his gold thread, -the boy began his journey home. He -passed along pathways on which the -brown leaves of last year’s growing were -thickly strewn, and from among which -flowers of every colour were springing. -He crossed little brooks that ran like -silver threads and tinkled like silver -bells. He went under trees with huge -trunks, and huge branches that swept -down to the ground and waved far up -in the blue sky. The birds hopped about -him, and looked down upon him from -among the green leaves, and they sang -him songs, and some of them seemed to -speak to him. He thought one large -bird like a crow cried, “Good boy, good -boy!” and another whistled, “Cheer up, -cheer up!” and so he went merrily on, -and very often he gave the robins and -blackbirds that came near him bits of -his cake.</p> - -<p>After a while, he came to a green spot -in the middle of the wood, without trees, -and a footpath went direct across it, to -the place where the gold thread was -leading him, and there he saw a sight -that made him wonder and pause. It -was a bird about the size of a pigeon, -with feathers like gold and a crown like -silver, and it was slowly walking not far -from him, and he saw gold eggs glittering -in a nest among the grass a few -yards off. Now he thought it would be -such a nice thing to bring home a nest -with gold eggs! The bird did not seem -afraid of him, but stopped and looked at -him with a calm blue eye, as if she said, -“Surely you would not rob me?” He -could not, however, reach the nest with -his hand, and though he pulled and -pulled the thread, it would not yield -one inch, but seemed as stiff as a wire.</p> - -<p>“I see the thread quite plain,” said -the boy to himself, “the very place -where it enters the dark wood on the -other side. I will just jump to the nest, -and in a moment I shall have the eggs -in my pocket, and then spring back and -catch the thread again. I cannot lose -it here, with the sun shining; and, besides, -I see it a long way before me.” -So he took one step to seize the eggs; -but he was in such haste that he fell -and crushed the nest, breaking the eggs -to pieces, and the little bird screamed -and flew away; and then all at once the -birds in the trees began to fly about, -and a large owl flew out of a dark glade, -and cried, “Whoo—whoo—whoo-oo-oo!” -and a cloud came over the sun!</p> - -<p>Eric’s heart beat quick, and he made -a grasp at his gold thread, but it was -not there! Another, and another grasp, -but it was not there! and soon he saw -it waving far above his head, like a -gossamer thread in the breeze. You -would have pitied him, while you could -not have helped being angry with him -for having been so silly and disobedient -when thus tried, if you had only seen -his pale face, as he looked above him -for his thread, and about him for the -road, but could see neither! And he -became so confused with his fall, that -he did not know which side of the open -glade he had entered, nor to which point -he was travelling. But at last he -thought he heard a bird chirping, “Seek—seek—seek!” -and another repeating, -“Try again—try again—try—try!” and -then he remembered what the lady had -said to him, and he fell on his knees and -told all his grief, and cried, “Oh, give -me back my thread! and help me never, -never, to let it go again!”</p> - -<p>As he lifted up his eyes, he saw the -thread come slowly, slowly down; and -when it came near, he sprang to it -and caught it, and he did not know -whether to laugh, or cry, or sing, he -was so thankful and happy! “Ah!” -said he, “I hope I shall never forget -this fall!” That part of the Lord’s -Prayer came into his mind which says, -“Lead us not into temptation, but -deliver us from evil.”</p> - -<p>“Who would have thought,” said he -to himself, “that I was in any danger -in such a beautiful, green, sunny place -as this!”</p> - -<p>Then on he went, and a large crow -on a tree was hoarsely croaking, “Beware, -beware!”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, Mr. Crow,” said the boy, -“I shall;” and he threw him a bit of -bread for his good advice, and ran on -gaily to make up for lost time.</p> - -<p>But now the thread led him through -the strangest places. One was a very -dark deep ravine, with a stream that -roared and rushed far down, and overhead -the rocks seemed to meet, and -thick bushes concealed the light, and -nothing could Eric see but the gold -thread, that looked like a thread of fire, -though even that grew dim sometimes, -until he could only feel it in his hand. -And whither he was going he knew not. -At times he seemed to be on the edge -of a precipice, until he almost thought -the next step <em>must</em> lead him over and -plunge him down; but just when he -came to the very edge, the thread would -lead him quite safely along it. Then -appeared a rock which looked like a -wall, and he would say to himself, -“Well, I must be stopped here! I -shall never be able to climb up!” But -just as he touched it, he would find steps -cut in it, and up, up, the thread would -lead him to the top! Then it would -bring him down, down, until he once -stood beside a raging stream, and the -water foamed and dashed. “And now,” -he would think, “I must be drowned; -but never mind, I will not let my -thread go.” But so it was, that when -he came so near the stream as to feel -the spray upon his cheek, and thought -he must leap in if he followed his thread, -what would he see but a little bridge -that passed from bank to bank, and -by which he crossed in perfect safety; -until he began to lose fear, and to believe -more and more that he would always -be in the right road, as long as he did -not trust mere appearances, but kept -hold of his thread!</p> - -<p>At last Eric got very tired and hungry, -for his cake was nearly done, and he -had started early, and it was now well -on in the day. But what was very -strange, the thread supported him more -than a staff could have done, and seemed -to lift him up from the ground and -make him go lightly along.</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="Four">IV.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">E<span class="sc">ric</span> had now to endure a great trial -of his faith in the thread. As he -journeyed on, the thread led him up -a winding path towards the summit of -a hill, descending which the large trees -of the forest were left behind, and small -stunted bushes grew among masses of -gray rocks. The path was like the bed -of a dry brook, and was often very steep. -There were no birds, except little stonechats, -that hopped and chirped among -the large round stones. Far below, he -could see the tops of the trees, and here -and there a stream glittering under the -sunbeams. Nothing disturbed the silence -but the hoarse croak of the raven, or the -wild cry of a kite or an eagle, that, like -a speck, wheeled far up in the sky. But, -suddenly, Eric heard a roar like thunder, -that seemed to come from the direction -towards which the thread was leading -him. He stopped for a moment, but -the thread was firm in his hand and -led right up the hill. On he went, and -no wonder he was afraid, when, as he -turned the corner of a rock, he heard -another roar, and saw the head of a -large lion looking out of what seemed -to be a cave, a few yards back from the -edge of a dizzy precipice! He saw, too, -that the path he must follow was between -the lion’s den and the precipice! -What now was to be done? Would he -give up his thread and fly? No! A -voice in his heart encouraged him to -be brave and not fear, and he knew -from his experience that he had always -been led in safety and peace when he -followed the road, holding fast to his -thread. He was certain that his father -never would deceive him, or bid him -do anything but what was right; and -he was sure, too, that the lady, from -her love to him, and her teaching him -to trust God and to pray, would not -have bid him do anything that was -wrong. And then an old verse his nurse -taught him came into his mind,<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="i0a">“Fear not to do right,</div> - <div class="i2">Fear not the grave;</div> - <div class="i0">But fear to do wrong,</div> - <div class="i2">Your life to save.”</div> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>All this, and much more, passed -through little Eric’s mind in a minute, -and so he resolved to go on, come what -might. There was just one thing he -saw which cheered him, and that was a -white hare, sitting with her ears cocked, -quite close to the lion’s den, and he -wondered how she had no fear, but could -not explain it at the time. On he went, -but he could hardly breathe, as the thread -led still nearer and nearer the den. These -big eyes were glaring on him, and seemed -to draw him closer and closer! There -the lion was, on one side of the path, -and the great precipice on the other. -One step more, and he was between -them. He went on until he was so -near that he seemed to feel the lion’s -breath, when suddenly he sprang out -on him, and tried to strike him with -his huge paw that would have crushed -him to the dust! Eric shut his eyes, -and gave himself up for lost. But the -lion suddenly fell back, for he was held -fast by a great iron chain, and so Eric -passed in safety!</p> - -<p>Oh! how thankful he was! and how -gladly he ran downhill, the lion roaring -behind him in his den. Down he ran -until all was quiet again. As he pursued -his journey in the beautiful green woods, -something told him his greatest trial was -past. He felt very peaceful and strong. -And now, as he reached some noble old -beech-trees, the thread fell on the grass, -and he took this as a sign that he should -lie down too, and so he did, grateful -for the rest. He ate some of his cake -that tasted so nice, and drank from a -clear spring beside him, and gathered -wild strawberries which grew in abundance -all round him, and thus had quite -a feast. He then stretched himself on -his back among soft moss, and looked -up through the branches of the gigantic -trees, and watched with delight the sunlight -speckling the emerald green leaves -and brown bark with touches of silver, -and, far up, the deep blue sky with -white clouds reposing on it, like snowy -islands on a blue ocean; and he watched -the squirrels with their bushy tails, as -they ran up the trees, and jumped from -branch to branch, and sported among -the leaves, until he fell into a sort of -pleasant day-dream, and felt so happy, -he hardly knew why.</p> - -<p>As he lay here, he thought he heard -in his half-waking dream a little squirrel -sing a song. Was it not his own heart, -now so glad because doing what was -right, which was singing? This was the -song which he thought he heard:<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="i2a">“I’m a merry, merry squirrel;</div> - <div class="i2">All day I leap and whirl,</div> - <div class="i0">Through my home in the old beech-tree;</div> - <div class="i2">If you chase me, I will run</div> - <div class="i2">In the shade and in the sun,</div> - <div class="i0">But you never, never can catch me!</div> - <div class="i1">For round a bough I’ll creep,</div> - <div class="i2">Playing hide-and-seek so sly,</div> - <div class="i1">Or through the leaves Bo-peep,</div> - <div class="i2">With my little shining eye.</div> - <div class="i3">Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i2a">“Up and down I run and frisk,</div> - <div class="i2">With my bushy tail to whisk</div> - <div class="i0">All who mope in the old beech-trees;</div> - <div class="i2">How droll to see the owl,</div> - <div class="i2">As I make him wink and growl,</div> - <div class="i0">When his sleepy, sleepy head I tease!</div> - <div class="i1">And I waken up the bat,</div> - <div class="i2">Who flies off with a scream,</div> - <div class="i1">For he thinks that I’m the cat</div> - <div class="i2">Pouncing on him in his dream.</div> - <div class="i3">Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i2a">“Through all the summer long</div> - <div class="i2">I never want a song,</div> - <div class="i0">From my birds in the old beech-trees;</div> - <div class="i2">I have singers all the night,</div> - <div class="i2">And with the morning bright,</div> - <div class="i0">Come my busy humming fat brown bees.</div> - <div class="i1">When I’ve nothing else to do,</div> - <div class="i2">With the nursing birds I sit,</div> - <div class="i1">And we laugh at the cuckoo</div> - <div class="i2">A-cuckooing to her tit!</div> - <div class="i3">Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i2a">“When winter comes with snow,</div> - <div class="i2">And its cruel tempests blow</div> - <div class="i0">All the leaves from my old beech-trees,</div> - <div class="i2">Then beside the wren and mouse</div> - <div class="i2">I furnish up a house,</div> - <div class="i0">Where like a prince I live at my ease!</div> - <div class="i1">What care I for hail or sleet,</div> - <div class="i2">With my cosy cap and coat!</div> - <div class="i1">And my tail upon my feet,</div> - <div class="i2">Or wrapped about my throat!</div> - <div class="i3">Ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha! ha, ha, ha!”</div> - </div><!--end stanza--> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>As Eric opened his eyes and looked -up, he saw a little squirrel with its tail -curling up its back, sitting on a branch -looking down upon him; and then it -playfully ran away with the tail waving -after it. “Farewell, happy little -fellow!” said Eric; “I must do my -work now, and play like you afterwards;” -for now the thread again became -tight, and Eric, refreshed with his -rest, and hearty for his journey, stepped -out bravely. He saw, at some distance -beyond an open glade in the forest, -a rapid river towards which he was -descending, when he thought he perceived -something struggling in the -stream, and then heard a loud cry or -scream for help, as if from one drowning. -He was almost tempted to run off to his -assistance without his thread, but he -felt thankful that the thread became -tight again, and led in the very direction -from whence he heard the cries -coming. So off he ran as fast as he -could, and as he came to the brink of -a deep, dark pool in the river, he saw -the head of a boy rising above the water, -as the poor little fellow tried to keep -himself afloat. Now he sank—again he -rose—until he suddenly sank down and -did not again appear. Eric laid hold -of his thread with a firm hand and -leaped in over head and ears, and then -rose to the surface, and with his other -hand swam to where the boy had disappeared. -He soon caught him, and -brought him with great difficulty to the -surface, which he never could have done -unless the thread had supported them -both above the water.</p> - -<p>“Eric!” cried the gasping boy, opening -his eyes, almost covered by his long -wet hair.</p> - -<p>“Wolf, is it you?” It was indeed poor -Wolf, who lay panting on the dry land, -with his hairy clothes dripping with -water, and himself hardly able to speak. -“Oh, tell me, Wolf, what brought you -here? I am so glad to have helped you!”</p> - -<p>After a little time, when Wolf could -speak, he told him in his own way, bit -by bit, how Ralph had suspected him; -and how the old woman had heard him -speaking as she was looking out of an -upper window; and how when Ralph -asked the gold belt he could not give -it; and how he was obliged himself to -fly; and how he had been running for -his life for hours. “Now let us fly,” -said Wolf; “I am quite strong again. -I fear that they are in pursuit of us.”</p> - -<p>They both went on at a quick pace, -Eric having shown Wolf the thread he -had asked him about the day before, and -explained to him how he must never part -with it, come what might. “Oh, rub-a-dub, -dub!” said Wolf, squeezing the -water out of his hair, as he trotted -along; “I am glad to be away. Ralph -would have killed me like a pig. The -voice told me to run after you.” So on -they went as fast as they could, when -suddenly Wolf stopped, and listening -with anxious face he said, “Hark! did -you hear anything?”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Eric; “what was it?”</p> - -<p>“Hush!—listen!—there again—I hear -it!”</p> - -<p>“I think I do hear something far off -like a dog’s bark,” replied Eric. “Hark!”</p> - -<p>So they both stopped and listened, and -far away they heard a deep “Bow-wow-wow-wow-o-o-o-o-o” -echoing through the -forest.</p> - -<p>“Let us run as fast as we can,” said -the boy, in evident fear; “hear him—hear -him!”</p> - -<p>“Bow-wow-wow-o-o-o-o,” and the -sound came nearer and nearer.</p> - -<p>“What is it? why are you so afraid?” -anxiously inquired Eric.</p> - -<p>“Oh! that is Ralph’s bloodhound, -Tuscar,” cried Wolf, “and he is following -us. He won’t perhaps touch me, -but you he may.” So Eric ran as fast -as he could, but never let go the gold -thread, which this time led up a steep -hill, which they were obliged to scramble -up. “Run, Eric!—quick—hide—up a -tree—anywhere!”</p> - -<p>“I cannot, I dare not,” said Eric; -“whatever happens, I must hold fast -my thread.”</p> - -<p>But they heard the “Bow-wow-o-o-o” -coming nearer and nearer, and as they -looked back they saw an immense hound -rush out of the wood, and as he came -to the water he saw the boys on the -opposite hill, and so he leaped into the -stream, and in a few minutes would be -near them. And now he came bellowing -like a fierce bull up the hill, his tongue -hanging out, and his nose smelling along -the ground, following their footsteps.</p> - -<p>“I shall run and meet him,” said Wolf, -“and stop him if I can;” and down ran -the swineherd, calling “Tuscar! Tuscar! -good dog, Tuscar!”</p> - -<p>But though Tuscar knew Wolf, he -passed him, and ran up to Eric. As he -reached Eric, who stood calm and firm, -the bloodhound stopped panting, smelling -his clothes all round, but, strange to -say, wagging his huge tail, and then ran -back the way he had come, as if he had -made a mistake, and all his race was for -nothing! It was the large hound Eric -had fed! So his kindness was not lost -even on the dog.</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="Five">V.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">E<span class="sc">ric</span> and Wolf now pursued their -journey with light and hopeful -hearts, for they had got out of what -was called the wild robber country, and -he knew that he was drawing near -home. The thread was stronger than -ever, and every hour it helped more -and more to support him. On the two -went together, Wolf trotting along with -his short stick, and sometimes snorting -and blowing with fatigue like one of -his own pigs. They conversed as best -they could about all they had seen.</p> - -<p>“Did you see big Thorold the lion?” -asked Wolf.</p> - -<p>“I did,” said Eric; “he is very awful, -but he was chained.”</p> - -<p>“Lucky for you,” said Wolf, “for -Ralph hunts with him and kills travellers. -He will obey none but Ralph. -I heard him roaring. He is hungry. -He once ate one of my pigs, and would -have ate me if he had not first caught -the porker. I escaped up a tree.”</p> - -<p>And thus they talked, as they journeyed -on through woods, and across -green plains, and over low hills, until, -as they were walking along, Wolf complained -of hunger. Eric at once gave -him what remained of his large cake; -but it did not suffice to appease the -appetite of the swineherd, who was, -however, very grateful for what he got. -To their delight they now saw a beautiful -cottage not far from their path, -and, as they approached it, an old -woman with a pretty girl, who seemed -to be her daughter, came out to meet -them.</p> - -<p>“Good-day, young gentleman!” said -the old woman, with a kind smile and -a courtesy; “you seem to be on your -travels, and look wearied. Pray come -into my cottage, and I shall refresh -you.”</p> - -<p>“What lucky fellows we are!” said -Wolf.</p> - -<p>“We are much obliged to you for your -hospitality,” replied Eric. But alas! the -thread drew him in an opposite direction; -so turning to Wolf he said, “I -cannot go in.”</p> - -<p>“Come, my handsome young gentleman,” -said the young woman, “and we -shall make you so happy. You shall -have such a dinner as will delight you, -I am sure; and you may remain as long -as you please, and I shall dance and -sing to you; nor need you pay anything.” -And she came forward smiling -and dancing, offering her arm to Eric. -“Surely you won’t be so ungallant as -refuse me! you are so beautiful, and -have such lovely hair and eyes, and I -never saw such a belt as you wear: do -come!”</p> - -<p>“Come, my son,” said the old woman to -Wolf, as she put her hand round his neck.</p> - -<p>“With all my heart,” replied Wolf; -“for, to tell the truth, I am wearied -and hungry: such offers as yours one -does not get every day.”</p> - -<p>“I cannot go,” again said Eric. <em>They</em> -could not see the thread, for to some -it was invisible; but <em>he</em> saw it, and felt -it like a wire passing away from the -cottage. “Who are you, kind friends?” -inquired Eric.</p> - -<p>“Friends of the king and of his family. -Honest subjects, good people,” said the -old woman.</p> - -<p>“Do you know Prince Eric?” asked -Wolf.</p> - -<p>“Right well!” replied the young -woman. “He is a great friend of -mine; a fine tall comely youth. He -calls me his own little sweetheart.”</p> - -<p>“It is false!” said Eric; “you do -not know him. You should not lie.” -But he did not tell her who he was, -neither did Wolf, for Eric had made a -sign to him to be silent. “I won’t enter -your dwelling,” said Eric, “for my duty -calls me away.”</p> - -<p>They both gave a loud laugh, and said, -“Hear him! Only hear a fine young -fellow talking about duty! Pleasure, -ease, and liberty are for the young. We -only want to make you happy: come!”</p> - -<p>“I shall go with you,” said Wolf; “do -come, Eric.”</p> - -<p>“Wolf, speak to me,” said Eric, whispering -to the swineherd. “You know <em>I</em> -cannot go, for my duty tells me to follow -the thread. But now I see that this is -the house of the wicked, for you heard -how they lied; they neither knew the -king nor his children; and they laugh, -too, at duty. Be advised, Wolf, and -follow me.”</p> - -<p>Wolf hesitated, and looked displeased. -“Only for an hour, Eric.”</p> - -<p>“Not a minute, Wolf. If you trust -them more than me, go; but I am sure -you and I shall never meet again.”</p> - -<p>“Then I will trust you, Eric,” said Wolf; -“the voice in my heart tells me to do so.”</p> - -<p>And so they both passed on. But -the old woman and the girl began to -abuse them, and call them all manner -of evil names, and to laugh at them as -silly fellows. The girl threw stones at -them, which made Wolf turn round and -flourish his stick over his head. At last -they re-entered the cottage, the old woman -shaking her fist, and calling out from -the door, “I’ll soon send my friend -Ralph after you!”</p> - -<p>“Oh, ho! is that the way the wind -blows?” exclaimed the swineherd, with -a whistle; and, grasping Eric’s arm, -said, “You were right, prince! I never -suspected them. I see now they are bad.”</p> - -<p>“I saw that before,” replied Eric, -“and knew that no good would come -to us from making their acquaintance.”</p> - -<p>“Were they not cunning?”</p> - -<p>“Yes; but probably, with all their -smiles, flattery, and fair promises, they -would have proved more cruel in the -end than either Ralph or old Thorold.”</p> - -<p>“What would they have done to us? -Why did they meet us? Who are they, -think you?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know, Wolf; it was enough -for me that they lied, and did not wish -us to do what was right.”</p> - -<p>Not long after this strange adventure -they reached a rising ground from which -a magnificent view burst upon them. -Below there was a large lake, surrounded -by wooded hills, above which rose noble -rocks fringed with stately pines, and -higher ranges of mountains beyond, some -of whose summits were covered with -snow that glittered like purest alabaster -in the azure blue of the sky. Eric gave -a cry of joy; for he saw the house of -one of his father’s foresters, where he -had once been with his father. “Wolf! -Wolf!” he exclaimed, “look yonder; that -is the house of Darkeye the forester. We -are safe!” and the thread was leading -straight down in the very direction -which they wished.</p> - -<p>Darkeye’s house was built on a small -green island in the lake. The island -was like a little fort, for on every side -the rocks descended like a wall. It -could only be approached by a boat, -which Darkeye kept on the island, and -then by a narrow stair cut out of the -rock. No robbers could thus get near -it, and Darkeye was there to give shelter -to travellers, and to help any of the -poor who had to pass that way. The -thread led down to the shore and the -narrow ferry. They forgot their fatigue, -and ran down till they reached the ferry. -“Boat ahoy!” shouted Eric.</p> - -<p>By-and-by two boys were seen running -out of the cottage, and after looking -cautiously at those who were calling for -the boat, they rowed off, and soon were -at the shore, where stood Eric with -his gold belt, and Wolf in his rough -skins. “Don’t you remember me?” -asked Eric. The boys looked astonished -as they recognized the young -prince, and received him joyfully into -their boat, he holding by the thread, -which seemed to cross the ferry towards -the cottage.</p> - -<p>How many questions were mutually -put and answered in a few minutes! -They told him their father was at home; -and how he had lately seen the king; -and how the king was anxiously looking -for Eric’s return; and how glad all on -the island would be to see him. And -the younger boy told him how they -had a tame otter, that fished in the -lake, and a fine golden eagle which -they had got young in her nest, that -lived on the island with them; and -how their mother had got another baby -since he had been there, and how happy -they all were, and so on, until they -arrived at the island. And there was -old Darkeye himself waiting to receive -them; and when he saw who was in -the boat, he ran down the stone steps -and grasped the young prince’s hand, -and drew him to his heart. “Welcome, -welcome!” said he; “I knew you had -been in the forest, but your father would -not tell me anything more about you. -He only said that he longed for your -coming home. But who is this?” asked -Darkeye, pointing to Wolf.</p> - -<p>“A friend of mine,” said Eric, with a -smile.</p> - -<p>“My name is Wolf,” grunted the -swineherd.</p> - -<p>“I think I have seen him before. -But no! What? Yes!” said Darkeye, -examining him; then added, as if he -had discovered some old acquaintance, -“Surely I <em>have</em> seen him. Tell me, my -fine fellow, did you——”</p> - -<p>It was evident Darkeye had seen Wolf -killing his game, or in some affray with -the robbers. Wolf looked steadily at -Darkeye, then at Eric, but said nothing.</p> - -<p>“O Darkeye, do not trouble poor -Wolf, but let him go into the cottage, -and come you with me, as I wish to -tell you all that has happened to me -during these few days.”</p> - -<p>So, while the boys took Wolf to the -cottage, and food was being prepared, -Eric told Darkeye all his adventures; -and you would have been sure that the -forester was hearing something which -surprised and interested him wonderfully, -had you seen his face, and how -he sometimes laughed, or knit his brows -and looked angry, or sad and solemn, -or sprang to his feet from the rock on -which he was sitting beside Eric.</p> - -<p>When Eric came to speak about the -old woman and her daughter, “Ah!” -said Darkeye, “there are not worse -people in that wicked country! They -say that the old woman is a witch of -some kind. But whether she poisons -travellers or drowns them, I know not. -No doubt she is in league with Ralph -the robber, and would have robbed you -or kept you fast in some way or other -till you were handed over to him. You -were right, my prince, in all you did. -The only way of being delivered from -temptation is to be brave, and do what -is right, come what may.” At last, -grasping Eric by the hand, he led him -back to the cottage. There Darkeye’s -wife received him like a mother, and -all the children gathered round him in -surprise and admiration, he looked so -brave and lovely.</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="Six">VI.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">O<span class="sc">ne</span> of the walls of the cottage was -reared on the edge of the rock, -so that it seemed a continuation of it, -and to rise up from the deep waters of -the lake. The boys were thus able often -to fish with a long line out of the window. -A winding stair led to a look-out -on the roof, from which the whole island, -called “The Green Island of the Lake,” -could be seen. It was about a mile or -more in circumference, and was dotted -all over with the cottages of the other -foresters and king’s huntsmen, each -surrounded with clumps of trees, through -which the curling smoke from the chimneys -might be seen ascending. There -were everywhere beautifully kept gardens, -with fruits, and flowers, and beehives; -and fields, too, with their crops. -On the green knolls and in the little -valleys might be seen cows and sheep; -while flocks of goats browsed among ivy-covered -rocks.</p> - -<p>In the middle of the island was a -little shallow lake, beside which the -otter had his house among the rocks; -and there the eagle also lived. All the -children in the island were the best of -friends, and they played together, and -sailed their boats on the little lake, -and every day met in the house of one -of the foresters to learn their lessons; -and on Sunday, as they were very far -away from any church, old Darkeye -used to read good books to them, and -worship with them, and did all he could -to make them good and happy. They -often met at such times in the open -air, beneath a large tree which sheltered -them from the sun.</p> - -<p>There was also in the island a house -where, by the king’s orders, all poor -travellers could find refuge and refreshment. -And it was a great pleasure to -the boys and girls to visit them; and -if they were sick and confined to bed, -to read to them, and attend to their -wants. If the stranger had any children, -the young islanders always shared their -sports with them. And nothing pleased -these stranger children more than to get -leave to sail a boat, or to have the -loan of a fishing-rod, or to hear the -boys call Oscar—for that was the name -of the otter—out of his den, and play -with Tor the eagle; or to see them -feed Oscar with some of the fish they -had caught, and Tor with a bit of meat. -The dogs were so friendly, too, that they -never touched Oscar, but would swim -about in the same pool with him. And -so all were happy in the Green Island; -because Darkeye had taught them what -a wicked thing selfishness was, and that -the only way to be happy was by thinking -about others as well as themselves, -and by loving one another. He also -used to say: “Now, when you work, -work like men, and when you play, -play like boys: be hearty at both.” -And so while there was no idleness, -there was abundance of recreation.</p> - -<p>Another evil was never permitted in -the island, and that was disobedience -to parents, or want of respect to the -old. But, indeed, punishment for these -offences was seldom or never needed. -The young learned to <em>like</em> to do what -was right, and were too brave and -manly to give pain and trouble to -others.</p> - -<p>I should have mentioned, also, that -they had a little band of musicians. -One beat the drum, a few played the -fife, and others some simple instrument; -while almost all could sing -tolerably well in parts. Thus, many a -traveller would pause and listen with -delight as he heard on a summer’s -evening the chorus song from many -voices, or the music from the band -coming from the island. “Young -people,” Darkeye used to say, “have -much wealth and happiness given -them, if they only used their gifts.”</p> - -<p>But I am forgetting Eric and Wolf. -They were both, you may be sure, -ready for their dinner, and there was -laid for them on a table, cream, cakes, -and fresh trout, and such other good -things as the kind woman could get -ready.</p> - -<p>But now the thread began to move, -as if it wished Eric to move also. -Before rising to depart, he told Wolf -how Darkeye, for his sake, would be -so glad to take care of him, until he -got his father’s permission to bring -him into the castle; that he would -learn to be a huntsman, and be taught -what was good, and to know about -the voice that spoke in his heart, and -that all the boys in the island would -make him their friend if he did what -was right.</p> - -<p>“Ralph will come here!” said Wolf, -hanging his head.</p> - -<p>“I wish the rascal did,” said Darkeye, -“for he would never go back. -But he cannot enter my fort, and -knows me and my huntsmen too well -ever to try it. I have had more than -one brush with the villain, and we -hope soon to drive him and his brood -from their bloody nest. Wolf, you are -welcome and safe, for Eric’s sake!” -Then turning to Eric, he said, “I shall -teach him, and make a man of him, -my young prince, depend upon it. -And now, before we part, I have to -ask a favour,” continued Darkeye. “You -know our custom near evening? If the -thread permits, remain and be one of -us.”</p> - -<p>“I remember it,” said Eric, “and will -remain and be one of you, and let poor -Wolf also be one.”</p> - -<p>And so they entered the cottage, and -all sat down round an open window -which looked out upon the beautiful -lake dotted with wooded islands, and -surrounded by the noble forest, above -which rose the giant peaks and precipices. -The water was calm as glass, -and reflected every brilliant colour from -rock and tree, and, most of all, from -the golden clouds, which already began -to gather in the west. Darkeye read -from the Blessed Book of one who had -left his father’s house, and went to a -far country, where he would fain have -satisfied his hunger from the husks -which the swine did eat, but who at -last returned home after having suffered -from his disobedience. When he closed -the Book, all stood up and sang these -words with sweet and happy voices:<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">“Father! from Thy throne above,</div> - <div class="i2">Bless our lowly home below!</div> - <div class="i0">Jesus, Shepherd! in Thy love,</div> - <div class="i2">Save Thy flock from every foe.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">“Thine we are! for Thou hast made us;</div> - <div class="i2">Thine, for we’re redeemed by Thee;</div> - <div class="i0">Thine, for Thou hast ever led us,</div> - <div class="i2">Thine, we evermore shall be!</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">“May we love Thee, may we fear Thee,</div> - <div class="i2">May Thy will, not ours, be done;</div> - <div class="i0">Never leave us till we’re near Thee</div> - <div class="i2">In Thy Home, where all are one!”</div> - </div><!--end stanza--> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>Then they knelt down, and Darkeye -spoke to God in the name of them all, -thanking Him for His goodness, and -telling Him their wants. When they -rose from their knees, the gold thread -shone brilliantly, and, like a beam of -light, passed out at the door in the -direction of the ferry. During the -singing of the verses, Wolf seemed for -the first time quite overcome. He bent -his head, and covered his face with his -hands. He then said, in a low voice, -when the short service was over, and -as if speaking to himself, while all were -silent listening to him, “I had a dream. -Long, long ago. A carriage—a lady. -She was on her knees crying. She had -hold of me. Ralph was there and the -robbers. I forget the rest.” He rose -and looked out of the window, gazing -vacantly.</p> - -<p>“What can he mean?” asked Eric -aside to Darkeye, who was looking -tenderly on Wolf.</p> - -<p>“Ah! who knows, poor boy! Singing -always touches the heart of these -wanderers. Perhaps—yes—it may be,” -he said, so that Eric alone could hear -him, “that he has been taken when a -child by Ralph from some rich traveller, -and perhaps his mother was killed! He -may have been the child of good people. -Was that his mother who prayed for -him? If so, her prayers are now -answered, for her boy will be delivered—poor -Wolf!—Wolf, my boy,” said -Darkeye, “come and bid farewell to -your friend.”</p> - -<p>Wolf started as from a dream, and -came to Eric.</p> - -<p>“Farewell, my kind Wolf, and I hope -some day to see you in my father’s -house.” The swineherd spoke not a -word, but wiped his eyes with the back -of his rough hand. “Cheer up, Wolf, -for you will be good and happy here.”</p> - -<p>“Wolf is happy already, and he will -take care of the pigs, or do anything -for you all.” He then held out his -stick to Eric, and said, “Take it; it is -all Wolf has: Ralph has the gold coin.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, good Wolf; but you will -require it, and I need nothing to remember -you.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t be angry, Eric, for what I did -in the forest when we met. My heart -is sorry.”</p> - -<p>“We did not know one another then, -Wolf, and I shall never forget that to -you I owe my escape.”</p> - -<p>“Wolf loves you, and every one here.”</p> - -<p>“I am sure you do, Wolf, and I love -you. God bless you, Wolf, I must go; -farewell!”</p> - -<p>And so they parted. But all gathered -round Eric, and accompanied him to the -boat, blessing the little prince, and wishing -him a peaceful and happy journey. -Eric thanked them with many smiles -and tender words. Darkeye alone went -with him into the boat, wondering -greatly at the thread, and most of all -at the prince, who shone with a beauty -that seemed not of this world. The -prince landed, but Darkeye knew for -many reasons that he could not accompany -him in his journey, which he -must take alone. Eric landed on the -shore, embraced Darkeye, and waving -his hand to all on the island, he soon -was lost to their sight in the great -forest.</p> - -<p>A winding pathway, over the ridge of -hills, led down to a broad and rapid but -smooth river, and on its banks was a -royal boat, beautiful to look upon. The -thread led into the boat, and though no -one was there, Eric entered, and sat on -a velvet cushion on which the golden -thread laid itself down. No sooner had -he gone on board of the boat, than—as -if his little foot, when it touched her, -had sent her from the shore—she slowly -moved into the centre of the channel, -and was carried downwards by the -current. On she swept on the bosom -of that clear stream, between shores -adorned with all that could delight the -eye—rocks and trees and flowers, with -here and there waterfalls, white as snow, -from mountain rivulets which poured -themselves into the great river. The -woods were full of song, and birds with -splendid plumage gleamed and flashed -amidst the foliage like rainbow hues -amidst the clouds.</p> - -<p>Eric knew not whither he was being -carried, but his heart was sunshine and -peace. On and on he swept with the -winding stream, until at last darting -under a dark archway of brick, and then -emerging into light, the boat grounded -on a shore of pure white sand, while the -thread rose and led him to the land.</p> - -<p>No sooner had he stepped on shore -and ascended the green bank, than he -found himself at the end of a long, broad -avenue of splendid old trees, whose tops -met in a green arch overhead. The far-off -end of the avenue was closed by a -great stair of pure white marble steps -which ascended to a magnificent castle. -Wall rose above wall, and tower over -tower. He saw grand flights of stairs, -leading from one stately terrace to -another, with marble statues, clear gushing -fountains, and flower gardens, and -every kind of lovely tree. It was his -father’s castle at last! He ran on with -breathless anxiety and joy. He soon -reached it. A large gate was before -him, that seemed to be covered with -glittering gold. The thread led directly -to it. As he reached the door, he saw -the thread tied to a golden knocker, -shaped like the old cross in the forest. -Inscribed over the door were the words, -“He that persevereth to the end shall be -saved.” And on the knocker, “Knock, -and it shall be opened.” He seized the -knocker, and the moment it fell, the -thread broke and vanished. A crash -of music was heard inside. The door -opened, and there stood Eric’s father, -surrounded by his brothers and sisters; -and the beautiful lady was there too, -and many, many more to welcome Eric. -His father clasped him to his heart, and -said, “My son was lost, but is found!”</p> - -<p>While all crowded around Eric with -his weary feet and torn dress, kept -together by his golden band, a chorus -was heard singing,<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">“Home where the weary rest,</div> - <div class="i0">Home where the good are blest,</div> - <div class="i2">Home of the soul;</div> - <div class="i0">Glorious the race when run,</div> - <div class="i0">Glorious the prize when won,</div> - <div class="i2">Glorious the goal!”</div> - </div><!--end stanza--> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>Then there rose a swell of many young -voices singing,<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="i0a">“Oh, be joyful, be joyful, let every voice sing!</div> - <div class="i0">Welcome, brothers, our brother, the son of the king;</div> - <div class="i0">His wanderings are past, to his father he’s come;</div> - <div class="i0">Little Eric, our darling, we welcome thee home!</div> - <div class="i0">Oh, blessed is the true one who follows the road,</div> - <div class="i0">Holding fast to his <span class="sc">Gold Thread of Duty to God</span>,</div> - <div class="i0">Who, when tempted, is firm, who in danger is brave,</div> - <div class="i0">Who, forgetting himself, will a lost brother save.</div> - <div class="i0">Then be joyful, be joyful, for Eric is come;</div> - <div class="i0">Little Eric, our darling, we welcome thee home!”</div> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>And then the sun set, and the earth -was dark, but the palace of the king -shone like an aurora in the wintry sky.</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">“WEE DAVIE.”</h3> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">“WEE DAVIE.”</h3> - -<hr class="medium" /> -<h3 class="h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="One">I.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="center">“And a little child shall lead them.”</p> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">“W<span class="sc">ee Davie</span>” was the only child -of William Thorburn, blacksmith. -The child had reached the age -in which he could venture, with prudence -and reflection, on a journey from one -chair to another, his wits kept alive -by maternal warnings of “Tak’ care, -Davie; mind the fire, Davie.” And -when his journey was ended in safety, -and he looked over his shoulder with -a cry of joy to his mother, he was -rewarded, in addition to the rewards -of his own brave and adventurous spirit, -by such a smile as equalled only his -own, and by the well-merited approval -of “Weel done, Davie!”</p> - -<p>Davie was the most powerful and -influential member of the household. -Neither the British fleet, nor the French -army, nor the Armstrong gun, nor the -British Constitution had the power of -doing what Davie did. They might as -well have tried to make a primrose -grow or a lark sing! He was, for example, -a wonderful stimulus to labour. -His father, the smith, had been rather -disposed to idleness before his son’s -arrival. He did not take to his work -on cold mornings as he might have -done, and was apt to neglect many -opportunities which offered themselves -of bettering his condition; and Jeanie -was easily put off by some plausible -objection when she urged her husband -to make an additional honest penny to -keep the house. But “the bairn” became -a new motive to exertion; and -the thought of leaving him and Jeanie -more comfortable, in case sickness laid -the smith aside, or death took him -away, became like a new sinew to his -powerful arm, as he wielded the hammer, -and made it ring the music of hearty -work on the sounding anvil. The -meaning of benefit-clubs, sick-societies, -and penny-banks was fully explained -by “wee Davie.”</p> - -<p>Davie also exercised a remarkable -influence on his father’s political views -and social habits. The smith had been -fond of debates on political questions, -and no more sonorous growl of discontent -than his could be heard against -the powers that be, the injustice done -to the masses, and the misery which -was occasioned by class legislation. He -had also made up his mind not to be -happy or contented, but only to endure -life as a necessity laid upon him, until -the required reforms in Church and -State, at home and abroad, had been -attained.</p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px"> - <a name="i_101" id="i_101"></a> - <img src="images/i_101.jpg" - width="500" - alt="Illustration: Isn’t he a bonnie bit bairn" - /> - <p class="caption">“Isn’t he a bonnie bit bairn?”</p> - <p class="caption-right">See <a href="#illo">page 100</a>.</p> -</div> - -<p>But his wife, without uttering a -syllable on matters which she did not -pretend even to understand, and by a -series of acts <em>out</em> of Parliament, by -reforms in household arrangements, by -introducing good <em>bills</em> to her own House -of Commons, and by a charter, whose -points were chiefly very commonplace -ones, such as a comfortable meal, a tidy -home, a clean fireside, a polished grate, -above all, a cheerful countenance and -womanly love—these <em>radical</em> changes -had made her husband wonderfully fond -of his own house. He was, under this -teaching, getting every day too contented -for a patriot, and too happy for -a man in such an ill-governed world. -His old companions could not at last -coax him out at night. He was lost -as a member of one of the most -philosophical clubs in the neighbourhood. -His old pluck, they said, was -gone. The wife, it was alleged by the -patriotic bachelors, had “cowed” him, -and driven all the spirit out of him. -But “wee Davie” completed this revolution.</p> - -<p>One failing of William’s had hitherto -resisted Jeanie’s silent influence. The -smith had formed the habit, before he -was married, of meeting a few companions, -“just in a friendly way,” on -pay-nights at a public-house. It was -true that he was never “what might -be called a drunkard,” “never lost a -day’s work,” “never was the worse of -liquor,” etc. But, nevertheless, when he -entered the snuggery in Peter Wilson’s -whisky shop, with the blazing fire and -comfortable atmosphere; and when, -with half a dozen talkative and, to -him, pleasant fellows and old companions, -he sat round the fire, and the -glass circulated, and the gossip of the -week was discussed, and racy stories -were told, and one or two songs sung, -linked together by memories of old -merry meetings; and current jokes -were repeated, with humour, of the -tyrannical influence which some would -presume to exercise on “innocent social -enjoyment”—then would the smith’s -brawny chest expand, and his face -beam, and his feelings become malleable, -and his sixpences begin to melt, and -flow out in generous sympathy into -Peter Wilson’s fozy hand, and there -counted beneath his sodden eyes. And -so it was that the smith’s wages were -always <em>minus</em> Peter’s gains.</p> - -<p>His wife had her fears—her horrid -anticipations—but did not like to “even” -her husband to anything so dreadful as -what she in her heart dreaded. She -took her own way, however, to win -him to the house and to good, and -gently insinuated wishes rather than -expressed them. The smith, no doubt, -was only “merry,” and never was ill-tempered -or unkind; “yet at times—” -“and then, what if—” Yes, Jeanie, -you are right! The demon sneaks into -the house by degrees, and at first may -be dispelled, and the door shut upon -him; but let him only once take possession, -then he will keep it, and shut -the door against everything pure, and -lovely, and of good report, and bar it -against thee and “wee Davie,” ay, and -against better than thee and than all -else, and fill the house with sin and -shame, with misery and despair! But -“wee Davie,” with his arm of might, -drove the demon out.</p> - -<p>It happened thus. One evening when -the smith returned home so that “you -would know <em>it</em> on him,” his child toddled -to him, and, lifting him up, he made him -stand before him on his knee. The child -began to play with the locks of the -Samson, and to pat him on the cheek, -and to repeat with glee the name of -“dad-a.” The smith gazed at him intently, -and with a peculiar look of love, -mingled with sadness.</p> - -<p><a name="illo" id="illo"></a>“Isn’t he a bonnie bit bairn?” asked -Jeanie, as she looked over her husband’s -shoulder at the child, nodding and smiling -to him.</p> - -<p>The smith spoke not a word, but -gazed still upon his boy, while some -sudden emotion was strongly working -in his countenance. “It’s done!” he at -last said, as he put his child down.</p> - -<p>“What’s wrang? what’s wrang?” exclaimed -his wife, as she stood before -him, and put her hands round his -shoulders, bending down until her face -was close to his.</p> - -<p>“Everything is wrang, Jeanie!”</p> - -<p>“Willie, what is’t? are ye no’ weel?—tell -me what’s wrang wi’ you?—oh, tell -me!” she exclaimed in evident alarm.</p> - -<p>“It’s a’ richt noo!” he said, rising -up, and seizing his child, lifted him up -to his breast, and kissed him. He then -folded him in his arms, clasped him to -his heart, and looking up in silence, -said, “Davie has done it, along wi’ -you, Jeanie. Thank God, I am a free -man!”</p> - -<p>His wife felt awed, she knew not how.</p> - -<p>“Sit doon,” he said, as he took out -his handkerchief and wiped away a -tear from his eye, “and I’ll tell you a’ -aboot it.”</p> - -<p>Jeanie sat on a stool at his feet, with -Davie on her knee.</p> - -<p>Her husband seized his child’s little -hand with one of his own, and with -the other took his wife’s. “I havena -been what ye may ca’ a drunkard,” he -said, “but I hae been often as I shouldna -hae been, and as, wi’ God’s help, I never, -never will be again!”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” exclaimed Jeanie.</p> - -<p>“Let me speak,” said William. “To -think, Jeanie”—here he struggled as if -something was choking him—“to think -that for whisky I might beggar you -and wee Davie; tak’ the claes aff your -back; drive ye to the workhouse; break -your heart; and ruin my bonnie bairn, -that loves me sae weel, in saul and body, -for time and for eternity! God forgie me! -I canna stand the thocht o’t, let alane -the reality!” and the strong man rose, -and little accustomed as he was to show -his feelings, he kissed his wife and child. -“It’s done, it’s done!” he said; “dinna -greet, Jeanie. Thank God for you and -Davie, my best blessings.”</p> - -<p>“Except Himsel’!” said Jeanie, as -she hung on her husband’s neck.</p> - -<p>“Amen!” said the smith; “and noo, -woman, nae mair aboot it; it’s done. -Gie wee Davie a piece, and get the -supper ready.”</p> - -<p>“Wee Davie” was also a great promoter -of social intercourse, an unconscious -link between man and man, and -a great practical “unionist.” He healed -breaches, reconciled differences, and was -a peace-maker between kinsfolk and -neighbours. For example: Jeanie’s parents -were rather opposed to her marriage -with the smith; some said because they -belonged to the rural aristocracy of -country farmers. They regretted, therefore, -the day—though their regret was -expressed only to old friends—when the -lame condition of some of the horses -had brought Thorburn into communion -with their stable, and ultimately with -their house. Thorburn was admitted -to be a sensible, well-to-do man; but -then he was, at best, but a smith, and -Jeanie was good-looking, and “by ordinary,” -with expectations of some “tocher,” -and as her mother remarked, “though I -say it, that shouldna say it,” etc., and -so, with this introduction, she would -proceed to enlarge on Jeanie’s excellences, -commenting on the poor smith -rather with pauses of silence, and expressions -of hope “that she might be -mistaken,” all of which, from their very -mystery, were more depreciatory than any -direct charges. But when “wee Davie” -was born, the old couple deemed it -proper and due to themselves—not to -speak of the respect due to their -daughter, whom they sincerely loved—to -come and visit her. Her mother -had been with her, indeed, at an earlier -period; and the house was so clean, -and Thorburn so intelligent, and the -child pronounced to be so like old David -Armstrong, Jeanie’s father, especially -about the forehead, that the two families, -as the smith remarked, were evidently -being welded, so that a few more gentle -hammerings would make them one.</p> - -<p>“Wee Davie,” as he grew up, became -the fire of love which heated the hearts -of good metal so as to enable favourable -circumstances to give the necessary finishing -stroke which would permanently -unite them. These circumstances were -constantly occurring until, at last, Armstrong -called on every market-day to -see his daughter and grandson, and he -played with the boy (who was his only -grandson), and took him on his knee, -and put a “sweetie” into his mouth, -and evidently felt as if he himself was -reproduced and lived in the boy. This -led to closer intercourse, until David -Armstrong admitted that William Thorburn -was one of the most sensible men -he knew, and that he would not only -back him against any of his acquaintances -for a knowledge of a good horse, but for -wonderful information as to the state -of the country generally, especially of -the landed interest and the high rent of -land. Mrs. Armstrong finally admitted -that Jeanie was not so far mistaken in -her choice of a husband. The good -woman always assumed that the sagacity -of the family was derived from her side -of the house. But whatever doubts still -lingered in their minds as to the marriage, -these were all dissipated by one look of -“wee Davie.” “I’m just real proud aboot -that braw bairn o’ Jeanie’s,” she used to -say to her husband. She added one day, -with a chuckling laugh and smile, “D’ye -no’ think yersel’, gudeman, that wee -Davie has a look o’ auld Davie?”</p> - -<p>“Maybe, maybe,” replied auld Davie; -“but I aye think he’s our ain bairn we -lost thirty years syne.”</p> - -<p>“That has been in my ain mind,” said -his wife; “but I never liked to say it. -But he’s no’ the waur o’ being like -baith.”</p> - -<p>Again: There lived in the same common -passage, and opposite to William -Thorburn’s door, an old soldier, a pensioner. -He was a bachelor, and by no -means disposed to hold much intercourse -with his neighbours. The noise of the -children was obnoxious to him. He -maintained that “an hour’s drill every -day would alone make them tolerable. -Obedience to authority; right about, -march! That’s the thing,” the Corporal -would say to some father of a numerous -family in the “close,” as he flourished -his stick with a smile rather than a -growl. Jeanie pronounced him to be -“a selfish body.” Thorburn had more -than once tried to cultivate acquaintance -with him, as they were constantly -brought into outward contact. But the -Corporal was a Tory, and more than -suspected the smith of holding “Radical” -sentiments. To defend things as they -were was a point of honour with the -pensioner—a religion. Any dislike to -the Government seemed a slight upon -the army, and therefore upon himself. -Thorburn at last avoided him, and pronounced -him proud and ignorant. But -one day “wee Davie” found his way -into his house, and putting his hands -on his knees as he smoked his pipe at -the fireside, looked up to his face. The -old soldier was arrested by the beauty -of the child, and took him on his knee. -To his surprise, Davie did not scream; -and when his mother soon followed in -search of her boy, and made many -apologies for his “impudence,” as she -called it, the Corporal maintained that -he was a jewel, a perfect gentleman, -and dubbed him “the Captain.”</p> - -<p>Next day, tapping at Thorburn’s door, -the Corporal gracefully presented a toy -in the shape of a small sword and -drum for his young hero. That night -he smoked his pipe at the smith’s fireside, -and told such stories of his battles -as fired the smith’s enthusiasm, called -forth his praises, and, what was more -substantial, a most comfortable tea by -Jeanie, which clinched their friendly -intercourse. He and “the Captain” -became constant associates, and many -a loud laugh might be heard from the -Corporal’s room as he played with the -boy, and educated his genius. “He makes -me young again, does the Captain!” -remarked the Corporal to his mother.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Fergusson, another neighbour, -was also drawn into the same net by -“wee Davie.” She was a fussy, gossiping -woman, noisy and disagreeable. She -found Jeanie uncongenial, who “kept -herself to herself,” instead of giving away -some of her good self to her neighbour, -and thus taking some of her neighbour’s -bad self out of her. But her youngest -child became seriously ill, and Jeanie -thought, “If Davie was ill I would like -a neighbour to speir for him,” and so -she went upstairs to visit Mrs. Fergusson, -and begged pardon, but “wished to know -how Mary was?” and Mrs. Fergusson was -bowed down with sorrow, and thanked -her, and bid her “to come ben.” And -Jeanie did so, and spoke kindly to the -child, and told her, moreover, what -pleasure it would give her to nurse her -baby occasionally; and she invited the -younger children to come down to her -house and play with “wee Davie,” and -thus keep the sick one quiet; and she -helped also to cook some nutritive drinks, -and got nice milk from her father for -the sick one, and often excused herself -for apparent meddling by saying, “When -one has a bairn o’ their ain, they canna -but feel for other folk’s bairns.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Fergusson’s heart became subdued, -softened, and friendly, and she -said, “We took it as extraordinar’ kind -in Mrs. Thorburn to do as she has done. -It is a blessing to have sic a neighbour.”</p> - -<p>But it was “wee Davie” did it.</p> - -<p>The street in which the smith lived -was as uninteresting as any could be. -A description of its outs and ins would -have made a “social science” meeting -shudder. Beauty or even neatness it -had not. Every “close” or “entry” in -it looked like a sepulchre. The back -courts were a huddled confusion of outhouses; -strings of linens drying; stray -dogs searching for food; pigeons similarly -employed with more apparent success -and satisfaction; and cats creeping -about; with crowds of children, laughing, -shouting, and muddy to the eyes, acting -with intense glee the great dramas of life, -marriages, battles, deaths, and burials, -with castle-building and extensive farming -and commercial operations. But -everywhere smoke, mud, wet, and an -utterly uncomfortable look. And so long -as we in Scotland have a western ocean -to afford an unlimited supply of water, -and western mountains to condense it -as it passes in the blue air over their -summits, and western winds to waft it -to our cities, and so long as it will pour -down, and be welcomed by smoke above -and earth below—then consequently so -long we shall find it difficult to be “neat -and tidy about the doors,” or to transport -the cleanliness of England into our -streets and lanes. But, in spite of all -this, how many cheerful homes, with -bright fires and nice furniture, and rows -of books, and intelligent, sober, happy -men and women, with healthy, nice children, -are everywhere to be found in those -very streets, that seem to the eye of -those who have never penetrated farther -than their outside, to be “dreadful-looking -places;” and who imagine that all -their inhabitants must be like pigs in -pigstyes, steeped in wretchedness and -whisky; and infer that every ignorant -and filthy and drunken Irish brawler -and labourer is a fair type of the whole -of our artisans.</p> - -<p>There is, I begin to suspect, a vast -deal of exaggerated nonsense written -about the working classes. Be that as -it may, I feel pretty certain of this, that -there is no country on earth in which -the skilled and well-conducted artisan -can get so much for his money, socially, -physically, intellectually, and morally, as -in our own Britain, and none in which -there are to be found so many artisans -who take advantage of these benefits. -But for the ignorant and ill-disposed, -the idle and the drunken, there is no -country where their degradation is more -rapid, and their ruin more sure. The -former can easily rise above the mud, -and breathe a free and happy atmosphere; -but if he falls into it, it is likely -he will be sooner smothered and buried -than anywhere else on earth.</p> - -<p>A happier home could hardly be found -than William Thorburn’s, smith, as he -sat, after coming home from his work, -at the fireside, reading his newspaper, -or some book of weightier literature, -Jeanie sewing opposite to him, and, as -it often happened, both absorbed occasionally -in the rays of that bright light, -“wee Davie,” which filled their dwelling, -and the whole world, to their eyes; or -listened to the grand concert of his -happy voice, which mingled with their -busy work and silent thoughts, giving -harmony to all. How much was done -for his sake! He was the most sensible, -efficient, and thoroughly philosophical -missionary of social science in all its -departments who could enter that house.</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="Two">II.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">M<span class="sc">y</span> heart is sore as I write it, -that “wee Davie” got ill. He -began to refuse his food, and nothing -would please him; then to get peevish -and cross, so that he would hardly go -to his father, except to kiss him with -tearful cheeks, and then stretch out his -hands with a cry for his mother. His -mother nursed him on her knee, and -rocked him, and walked with him, and -sang to him her own household lullabies; -and put him to bed, and lifted him up, -and laid him down, and “fought” with -him day and night, caring for neither -food nor sleep, but only for her child’s -ease and comfort. What lessons of self-sacrificing -love was she thus unconsciously -taught by her little sufferer! -The physician was at last called in, who -pronounced it “a bad case—a <em>very</em> -serious case.” I forget the specific -nature of the illness. The idea of -danger to Davie had never entered the -minds of his parents. The day on -which William realized it, he was, as -his fellow-workmen expressed it, “clean -stupid.” They saw him make mistakes -he had never made before, and knew -it could not be from drink, but could -not guess the cause. “I maun gang -hame!” was his only explanation, when, -at three o’clock, he put on his coat -and stalked out of the smithy, like -one utterly indifferent as to what the -consequences might be to ploughs or -harrows, wheels or horse-shoes. Yet -taking an old fellow-workman aside, he -whispered to him, “For auld friendship -sake, Tam, tak’ charge this day o’ -my wark.”</p> - -<p>“What ails Willie?” was the only -question put by him and others, to -which no reply could be given.</p> - -<p>It was on the afternoon of next day -that “the minister” called. It must -here be confessed that William was a -rare attender of any church. The fact -was, he had been hitherto rather sceptical -in his tendencies; not that his doubts -had ever assumed a systematic form, or -had ever been expressed in any determined -or dogmatic manner. But he had -read Tom Paine, associated the political -rights of man with rebellion against all -old authorities, all of whom seemed to -him to have denied them, and he had -imbibed the idea at the old “philosophical” -club, that ministers, especially -those of the Established Church, were -the enemies of all progress, had no -sympathy with the working classes, were -slaves to the aristocracy, preached as a -mere profession and only for their pay, -and had, moreover, a large share of -hypocrisy and humbug in them. The -visit of Dr. M‘Gavin was, therefore, very -unexpected.</p> - -<p>When the Doctor entered the house, -after a courteous request to be allowed -to do so, as it was always his principle -that the poorest man was entitled to -the same respect as the man of rank -or riches, he said, “I have just heard -from some of your neighbours, whom I -have been visiting, that your child is -seriously unwell, and I thought you -would excuse me intruding upon you -to inquire for him.”</p> - -<p>William made him welcome and begged -him to be seated. The call was specially -acceptable to Jeanie. Old David, I -should have mentioned, was an “elder” -in a most worthy dissenting congregation, -and his strong religious convictions -and church views formed in his mind a -chief objection to the marriage of his -daughter with a man “who was not,” -as he said, “even a member of any kirk.” -Jeanie had often wished her husband -to be more decided in what she felt -herself to be a duty and a privilege. -The visit of the Doctor, whose character -was well known and much esteemed, -was therefore peculiarly welcome to her. -In a little while the Doctor was standing -beside the little bed of the sufferer, who -was asleep, and gently touching “wee -Davie’s” hand, he said, in a quiet voice, -to the smith, “My brother, I sincerely -feel for you! I am myself a father, and -have suffered losses in my family.”</p> - -<p>At the word <em>losses</em>, William winced, -and moved from his place as if he felt -uneasy.</p> - -<p>The Doctor quickly perceived it, and -said, “I do not, of course, mean to -express so rash and unkind an opinion -as that you are to lose this very beautiful -and interesting boy, but only to show -you how I am enabled, from experience, -to understand your anxiety, and to sympathize -with you and your wife.” And -noiselessly walking to the arm-chair -near the fire, he there sat down, while -William and Jeanie sat near him. -After hearing with patience and attention -the account from Jeanie of the -beginning and progress of the child’s -disease, he said, “Whatever happens, -it is a comfort to know that God our -Father is acquainted with all that you -suffer, all you fear, and all you wish; -and that Jesus Christ, our Brother, has -a fellow-feeling with us in all our infirmities -and trials.”</p> - -<p>“The Deity must know all,” said -William, with a softened voice; “He -is infinitely great and incomprehensible.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” replied the Doctor; “and so -great, that He can attend to our -smallest concerns; yet not so incomprehensible -but that a father’s heart -can truly feel after Him, so as at least -to find Him through His Son. Ah! -my brother,” continued the Doctor, -“what a comfort and strength the -thought is to all men, and ought to -be to you working men, and to you -parents, especially with your dear child -in sickness, that He who marks a -sparrow fall, smitten by winter’s cold, -and who feeds the wild beasts, is -acquainted with us, with our most -secret affairs, so that even, as it were, -the hairs of our heads are numbered; -that He who is the Father, Almighty -Maker of the heavens and the earth, -knows the things which we need; that -He has in us, individually, an interest -which is incomprehensible, only because -His love to us is so in its depth; that -He considers each of us, and weighs all -His dealings towards us with a carefulness -as great as if we alone existed -in His universe; so that, as a father -pitieth his children, He pitieth us, -knowing our frames, and <em>remembering</em> -we are dust.”</p> - -<p>William bent his head and was silent, -while Jeanie listened with her whole -soul.</p> - -<p>“It is not easy, minister,” said -William, breaking silence, “for hard-wrought -and tried men to believe -that.”</p> - -<p>“Nor for any man,” replied the -Doctor. “I find it very difficult to -believe it myself as a real thing, yet -I know it to be true; and,” he continued, -with a low and affectionate -voice, “perhaps we never could have -known it and believed it at all, unless -God had taught it to us by the life of -His own Son, who came to reveal Him. -But as I see <em>Him</em> taking up little -children into His loving arms, when -others would keep them away who did -not understand what perfect love was, -and as I see in such doings how love -cannot but come down and meet the -wants of its smallest and weakest -object, oh! it is then I learn in what -consists the real greatness of God, -‘whose name is Love.’” The Doctor -paused for a moment, and then went -on: “Because, my brother, I see in -this love of Christ more than the love -of a good man merely; I see revealed -in it the loving tenderness towards us -and ours of that God whom no eye -hath seen or can see, but whom the -eye of the spirit can perceive; for, as -Jesus said, ‘He who seeth <em>Me</em>, seeth -the Father.’”</p> - -<p>“I believe a’ ye say, Doctor,” said -Jeanie meekly. “<em>I</em> wadna like to keep -my bairn frae Him; but, oh! sir, I -hope—I hope He wull lift him up, -and do to us now as He did to many -distressed ones while on earth!”</p> - -<p>“I hope,” said the Doctor, “God will -spare your boy; but you must ask -Him sincerely so to do, and you must -trust Him, and commit your child into -His hands without fear, and acquiesce -in His doing towards you and your -boy as He pleases.”</p> - -<p>“That is hard!” remarked William.</p> - -<p>“Hard?” mildly replied the Doctor. -“What would you choose else, had you -the power of doing so, rather than of -acquiescing in the will of God? Would -you trust your own heart, for instance, -more than the heart of God? or would -you rather have your child’s fate decided -by any other on earth than by yourself?”</p> - -<p>“No, for I know how I love the boy.”</p> - -<p>“But God loves him much more than -you do; for he belongs to God, and was -made by Him and for Him.”</p> - -<p>“Excuse me, Doctor, but yet I canna -thole the thocht o’ parting wi’ him!” -said Jeanie.</p> - -<p>“May God spare him to you, my -friends!” replied the minister, “if it -be for your good and his. But,” he -added, “there are worse things than -death.”</p> - -<p>This remark, made in almost an -under voice, was followed by silence -for a few moments. The Doctor’s eyes -were cast down as if in meditation or -prayer.</p> - -<p>“Death is hard enough!” said the -smith.</p> - -<p>“But hard chiefly as a sign of something -worse,” continued the minister. -“Pardon me for asking you such questions -as these:—What if your child -grew up an enemy to you? What if -he never returned your love? What if -he never would trust you? What if he -never would speak to you? What if -he always disobeyed you? Would this -not bring down your gray hairs with -sorrow to the grave?”</p> - -<p>“Eh! sir,” said Jeanie, “that <em>would</em> -be waur than death!”</p> - -<p>“But excuse me, Doctor, for just -remarking,” interrupted William, “that -I never knew any child with a good -parent who would so act. I really -don’t think it possible that our ain -wee Davie, even with our poor bringing -up, would ever come to <em>that</em>. It -would be so unnatural.”</p> - -<p>“God knows, Thorburn,” said the -Doctor. “There are many unnatural -things in this world. Listen to me -kindly; for I sincerely thank you for -having allowed one who is a stranger -to speak so frankly to you, and for -having heard me with such considerate -patience.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, gang on, gang on, Doctor; I -like to hear you,” said Jeanie.</p> - -<p>“Certainly, sir,” added the smith.</p> - -<p>“Well, then,” said the Doctor, “I -have no wish to appear even to find -fault with you at such a time. I feel -more disposed to weep with you in -your sorrow than to search your heart -or life for sin. But I feel at such -solemn times as these, solemn to you -and to your wife, that the voice of a -Father is speaking to you in the rod, -and it ought to be heard; and that -His hand is ministering discipline in -time, and you ought to give Him -reverence, and be in subjection to the -Father of our spirits that you may -live; and therefore, in order to impart -to you more strength and comfort in -the end, let me beseech of you, after -I am gone, to consider candidly whether -you have not perhaps been acting towards -<em>your</em> Father in heaven in the -very way in which did your child grow -up and act towards you would be -reckoned as worse than death. Therefore -honestly ask yourselves whether -there has been from you love to God -your Father in return for His love to -you. Has there been cordial friendship -or the reverse? Confidence or -distrust? Disobedience or rebellion? -Communion in frank, believing, and -affectionate prayer, or silence? I do -not ask you to reply to me; but I -wish you and myself, as loving fathers -of our children, to ask whether we -have felt and acted towards the best -and most loving of fathers as we wish -our children to feel and act towards -ourselves.” The Doctor paused for a -moment. Jeanie shook her head slowly, -and the smith stared with her at the -fire. “My friends, we have all sinned, -and this is our sin of sins, that we -have <em>not known nor loved our Father</em>, -but have been forgetful of Him, strange, -shy to Him; yes, we have been cold, -heartless, prodigal, disobedient children.” -Another short pause, and the Doctor -then spoke on in the same quiet and -loving voice—“But whatever we are or -have been, let us hope in God, or we -perish. Every sinner is doomed, but -no man is doomed to be a sinner. God -is our Father still; and just as you -both have nourished and cherished your -dear boy, and have been loving when -he knew it not, nor could understand -that great love in your hearts which, -sure am I, will never grow cold but -in the grave, so has it been with God -to us His children. Open your hearts -to His love, as you would open your -eyes to the light which has been ever -shining. Believe it as the grand reality, -as you would have your boy open his -heart to and believe in your love when -he awakens from his sleep. Your love, -as I have said, is deep, real to your -boy, irrespective of his knowledge or -return of it. But what is this to the -love of God? ‘<em>Herein</em> is love, not that -we loved God, but that He loved us, -and gave His Son to be a propitiation -for our sins.’ Let us, my friends, never -rest till we are enabled in some degree -to see and to appreciate this, and to -say, ‘We have known and believed the -love which God has to us.’”</p> - -<p>“Dr. M‘Gavin,” said William, “you -have spoken to me as no man ever -did before, and you will believe me, -I am sure, when I say that I respect -you and myself too much to -flatter you. But there is surely a meaning -in my love to that boy which I -never saw before. It begins to glimmer -on me.”</p> - -<p>“Thank God if it does! But I do -not speak to you—and this you must -give me credit for—as if it were my -profession only; I speak to you as a -man, a father, and a brother, wishing -you to share the good which God has -given to me and gives to you. So I -tell you again, and would repeat it and -repeat it, that if we would only have -to God that simple confidence, hearty -love, frank, cheerful communion, peace -and joy, which we wish our children to -have towards us, we would experience -a true regeneration. And what was -the whole life of Jesus Christ save a -life of this blessed, confiding, obedient, -childlike sonship? Oh, that we would -learn of Him, and grow up in likeness -to Him! But this ignorance of God is -worse than death. For if knowledge -be life, spiritual ignorance is death. -My good friends, I have been led to -give you a regular sermon!” said the -Doctor, smiling; “but I really cannot -help it. To use common everyday language, -I think our treatment of God -has been shameful, unjust, and disgraceful -on the part of men with -reason, conscience, and heart. I do not -express myself half so strongly as I -feel. I am ashamed and disgusted -with myself, and all the members of -the human family, for what we feel, -and feel <em>not</em>, to such a Father. If it -were not for what the one Elder -Brother was and did, the whole family -would have been disgraced and ruined -most righteously!”</p> - -<p>“Doctor,” said William, with a trembling -voice, “thank ye, thank ye, from -my heart. I confess I have been very -careless in going to the church, but—”</p> - -<p>“We may talk of that again, if you -allow me to return to-morrow. Yet,” -continued the Doctor, pointing to the -child, “God in His mercy never leaves -Himself without a witness. Look at -your child, and listen to your own -heart, and remember all I have said, -and you will perhaps discover that -though you tried it you could not fly -from the Word of the Lord. A father’s -voice by a child has been preaching to -you. Yes, Thorburn, when in love God -gave you that child, He sent an eloquent -and holy missionary to your -house to preach the gospel of what our -Father is, and what we as children -ought to be. Only listen to that -sermon, and you will soon be prepared -to listen to others.”</p> - -<p>The Doctor rose to depart. Before -doing so, he asked permission to pray, -which was cheerfully granted. Wishing -to strengthen the faith of those sufferers -in prayer, he first said, “If God -<em>cannot</em> hear and answer prayer, He is -not supreme; if He <em>will</em> not, He is not -our Father. But blessed be His name, -His own Son, who knew Him perfectly, -who Himself prayed, and was heard in -that He prayed, has enabled our parental -hearts, from our love to our own -children, to feel the beauty and truth -of this His own argument, ‘Ask, and -it shall be given you; seek, and ye -shall find; knock, and it shall be -opened unto you: for every one that -asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, -findeth; and to him that knocketh, it -shall be opened. Or what man is there -of you, whom, if his son ask bread, will -he give him a stone? Or if he ask a -fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye -then, being evil, know how to give good -gifts unto your children, how much -more shall your Father which is in -heaven give good things to them that -ask Him!’” And then the Doctor -poured forth a simple, loving, and most -sympathizing prayer, in which he made -himself one with his fellow-worshippers, -and expressed to a common Father the -anguish of the hearts around him. -When it ended, he went to the bed, -and looked at the sleeping child, -touched its white hand, and said, “God -bless your little one! May this sleep -be for health!”</p> - -<p>“It’s the first sleep,” said Jeanie, -“he has had for a lang time. It may -be a turn in his complaint.”</p> - -<p>Without waiting to force the parents -to give him an immediate reply to what -he had taught them, the Doctor shook -them warmly by the hand, and gazed -on them with a world of interest in his -eyes, asking them only kindly to consider -what he had said. The silence -which ensued for a few minutes after -his absence, as William and Jeanie -returned from the door and stood -beside the bed, was broken by the -smith observing, “I am glad that -man came to our house, Jeanie. Yon -was indeed preaching that a man can -understand and canna forget. It was -wee Davie did it.”</p> - -<p>“That’s true,” said Jeanie; “thank -God for’t!” And after gazing on the -sleeping child, she added, “Is he no’ -bonnie? I dinna wunner that sic a -bairn should bring gude to the house.”</p> - -<p>That night William had thoughts in -his heart which burned with a redder -glow than the coals upon the smithy -fire! I am much mistaken if he did -not begin to feel that God had sent -him a home missionary in “wee Davie.”</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h3 class="p4 h3head">CHAPTER <abbr title="Three">III.</abbr></h3> - -<p class="p2 negindent dropcap">I<span class="sc">t</span> was a beautiful morning in spring, -with blue sky, living air, springing -grass, and singing bird; but William -Thorburn had not left his house that -morning, and the door was shut.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Fergusson trod the wooden stair -that led to the flat above his with slow -and cautious step; and as she met her -boy running down whistling, she said, -“What d’ye mean, Jamie, wi’ that -noise? Do ye no’ ken wee Davie is -dead? Ye should hae mair feeling, -laddie!”</p> - -<p>The Corporal, whose door was half -open, crept out, and in an under-breath -beckoned Mrs. Fergusson to speak to -him. “Do you know how they are?” -he asked in a low voice.</p> - -<p>“No,” she replied, shaking her head. -“I sat up wi’ Mrs. Thorburn half the -night, and left Davie sleeping, and -never thocht it would come to this. -My heart is sair for them. But since -it happened the door has been barred, -and no one has been in. I somehow -dinna like to intrude, for, nae doot, -they will be in an awfu’ way aboot -that bairn.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t wonder—I don’t wonder!” -remarked the Corporal meditatively; -“I did not believe I could feel as I -do. I don’t understand it. Here am -I, who have seen men killed by my -side. I have seen a single shot cut -down half our company.”</p> - -<p>“Is it possible?”</p> - -<p>“It is certain,” said the Corporal; -“and I have charged at Pampeluna—it -was there I was wounded—over dead -and dying comrades, yet, will you -believe me? I never shed a tear—never; -but there was something in -that Captain—I mean the boy”—and -the Corporal took out his snuff-box, -and snuffed vehemently. “And what -a brave fellow his father is! I never -thought I could love a Radical; but -he was not what you call a Radical; -he was—I don’t know what else, but -he is a man, an out-and-out man, every -inch of him; I’ll say that for him—a -man is William Thorburn! Have you -not seen his wife?”</p> - -<p>“No, poor body! It was six o’clock -when she ran up to me, no’ distracted -either, but awfu’ quiet like, and -wakened me up, and just said, ‘He is -awa’;’ and then afore I could speak she -ran doon the stair, and steekit the -door; and she has such a keen speerit, -I dinna like to gang to bother her. -My heart is sair for her.”</p> - -<p>They both were silent, as if listening -for some sound in William Thorburn’s -house, but all was still as the grave.</p> - -<p>The first who entered it was old -David Armstrong and his wife. They -found Jeanie busy about her house, and -William sitting on a chair, staring into -the fire, dressed with more than usual -care. The curtains of the bed were up. -It was covered with a pure white sheet, -and something lay upon it which they -knew.</p> - -<p>Jeanie came forward, and took the -hand of father and mother, without a -tear on her face, and said quietly, -“Come ben,” as she gave her father a -chair beside her husband, and led her -mother into an inner room, closing the -door. What was spoken there between -them I know not.</p> - -<p>William rose to receive old David, -and said, “It was a fine spring day.” -David gave a warm squeeze to his -hand, and sat down. He rose and -went to the bed. William followed -him, and took the cloth off the boy’s -face in silence. They both gazed on -it. The face was unchanged, as in -sleep. The flaxen curls seemed to -have been carefully arranged, for they -escaped from under the white cap, and -clustered like golden wreaths around the -silvery forehead and cheeks. William -covered up the face, and both returned -to their seats by the fireside.</p> - -<p>“I never lost ane since my ain wee -Davie dee’d, and yours, Willie, was -dear to me as my ain,” exclaimed the -old man, and then broke down, and -sobbed like a child.</p> - -<p>William never moved, though his -great chest seemed to heave; but he -seized the poker and began to arrange -the fire, and then was still as before. -By-and-by, the door of the inner room -opened, and Jeanie and her mother -appeared, both of them composed and -serene. The same scene was repeated -as they passed the bed. Mrs. Armstrong -seated herself beside her husband, and -Jeanie placed a large Bible on the table, -and, pointing to it, said, “Father,” and -then drew her chair near the smith.</p> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px"> - <a name="i_151" id="i_151"></a> - <img src="images/i_151.jpg" - width="500" - alt="Illustration: William never moved" - /> - <p class="caption">William never moved, though his great chest seemed to heave.</p> -</div> - -<p>David Armstrong put on his spectacles, -opened the Bible, and selecting a portion -of Scripture, reverently said, “Let us -read the Word of God.” The house was -quiet. No business on that day intruded -itself upon their minds. It was difficult -for any of them to speak, but they were -ready to hear. The passages which old -David selected for reading were 2 Samuel -xii. 15-23, Matthew ix. 18-26, and John -xi. 1-44. Having closed the book, he -said, with a trembling but solemn voice, -“God, who doeth all things according to -the counsel of His own will, has been -pleased to send us a heavy affliction. -‘The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh -away!’ May He enable us to say at -all times, ‘Blessed be the name of the -Lord.’ For whether He gives or takes -away, He is always the same in love and -mercy. If He takes away, it is but to -give something better, for He afflicts us -to make us partakers of His holiness. -Our wee one is not dead; he only -sleepeth.” Here David paused, but recovering -himself, said, “Yes, his body -sleepeth in Jesus till the resurrection -morning. He himself is with Christ. -He is alive, in his Father’s bosom. Oh, -it is strange to think o’t, and hard to -believe! but, blessed be God! it’s true, -that—that—Jesus Christ, who sees us, -sees him, and sees us thegither, ay, -enoo!—” continued David thoughtfully, -like one pondering on a new truth; -“this very minute we are all in His -sight! Oh, it’s grand and comforting; -our wee Davie is in the arms of Jesus -Christ!” A solemn silence ensued. -“The bonnie bairn will never return -to us, but we shall go to him, and -some o’ us ere lang, I hope. Let us -pray.” And they all knelt down, and -a true prayer, from a true heart, was -spoken, from suffering parents, to Him -“of whom <em>the whole family</em> in heaven and -earth is named.”</p> - -<p>To David’s surprise and great satisfaction, -he heard William utter Amen -to his prayer, which included honest -confession of sin; expressions of thankfulness -for mercies, enumerating very -many mercies, among others, the great -gift of their child, thus taken away, -with thanks for all he had been, and -for all he then was; with trustful -petitions for grace to help them in -their time of need.</p> - -<p>That afternoon Dr. M‘Gavin called, -and manifested quiet, unobtrusive, but -most touching sympathy. His very -silence was eloquent affection.</p> - -<p>“I’m proud to meet wi’ you, sir,” said -old Armstrong, after the Doctor had -been seated for a while. “Although I’m -no’ o’ your kirk, yet we’re baith o’ ae -Kirk for a’ that.”</p> - -<p>“With one Father, one Brother, one -Spirit, one life, one love, one hope!” -replied the Doctor.</p> - -<p>“True, sir, true, sir, our differences -are nothing to our agreements, Doctor.”</p> - -<p>“Our non-essential differences arise -out of our essential union, Mr. Armstrong. -If we differ honestly and conscientiously -as brethren, I hope it is -because we differ only in judgment as -to how to please our Father, and our -Eldest Brother. Our hearts are one in -our wish to do Their will. For none -of us liveth, or dieth even, to himself.”</p> - -<p>“Ay, ay, Doctor. So it is, so it is! -as the auld saying has’t, ‘The best men -are but men at the best.’ We maun -carry ane another’s burdens; and ignorance, -or even bigotry, is the heaviest -ony man can carry for his neebour. -Thank God, brighter and better times -are coming! We here see through a glass -darkly; but then face to face. We -know only in pairt; then shall we know -even as we are known. We must be -faithful to our given light, and serve -Him, and not man.”</p> - -<p>“There are differences among living -men,” replied the Doctor, “but none -among the dead. We shall only agree -perfectly when we know and love as -saints, without error and without sin.”</p> - -<p>“I mind,” said David, warming with -the conversation, and the pleasure of -getting his better heart out—“I mind -two neighbours of mine, and ye’ll mind -them too, gudewife? that was Johnnie -Morton and auld Andrew Gebbie. The -tane was a keen Burgher, and the -tother an Antiburgher. Baith lived in -the same house, though at different ends, -and it was the bargain that each should -keep his ain side o’ the house aye weel -thatched. But they happened to dispute -so desperate about the principles o’ their -kirks, that at last they quarrelled, and -didna speak. So ae day after this, as -they were on the roof thatching, each -on his ain side, they reached the tap, -and sae looking ower, face met face. -What could they do? They couldna -flee. So at last Andrew took aff his -Kilmarnock cap, and, scratching his -head, said, ‘Johnnie, you and me, I -think, have been very foolish to dispute -as we hae done as to Christ’s will aboot -our kirks, till we hae forgot His will -aboot ourselves; and so we hae fought -sae keen for what we ca’ the truth that -it has ended in brither fechting against -brither. Whatever’s wrang, this canna be -richt, if we dinna love. Noo, it strikes me -that maybe it’s wi’ the Kirk as wi’ this -hoose: ye’re working on ae side and me -on the other, but if we only do our wark -weel, we wull meet at the tap at last. -Gie’s your han’!’ And so they shook han’s, -and were the best o’ freens ever after.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, Mr. Armstrong, for the -story,” said the Doctor. Then looking -to the bed, he remarked, “Oh, if we -were only simple, true, and loving, like -little children, would we not, like that -dear one, enter the kingdom of heaven, -and know and love all who were in it, -or on their way to it?”</p> - -<p>“I’m glad I have met you, Doctor,” -resumed the old elder. “It does ane’s -heart good to meet a brother who has -been a stranger. But if it hadna been -for his death noo, we might never have -met. Isna that queer? God’s ways are -no’ our ways.”</p> - -<p>“God brings life out of death,” replied -the Doctor, “and in many ways does He -ordain praise from babes and sucklings, -whether living or dead.” Was not “wee -Davie” a home missionary to the dissenting -elder and Established Church -minister? “And now,” continued the -Doctor, “with your permission, good -friends, I will read a short psalm and -offer up a short prayer before I go.”</p> - -<p>They thanked him, and he read the -23rd Psalm. His only remark was, as -he closed the Bible, “The Good Shepherd -has been pleased to take this dear lamb -into His fold, never more to leave it.”</p> - -<p>“And may the lamb be the means of -making the auld sheep to follow!” added -the elder.</p> - -<p>When the prayer was over, Jeanie, -who had hardly spoken a word, said, -without looking at the Doctor, “Oh, -sir, God didna hear our prayer for my -bairn!”</p> - -<p>“Dinna speak that way, Jeanie -woman!” said old David softly, yet -firmly.</p> - -<p>“I canna help it, father; I maun -get oot my thochts that are burning -at my heart. The minister maun forgie -me,” replied Jeanie.</p> - -<p>“Surely, Mrs. Thorburn,” said the -Doctor; “and it would be a great -satisfaction to me if I could, from what -God has taught me from His Word, -and from my experience of sorrow, be -able to solve any difficulty, or help you -to acquiesce in God’s dealings with you; -not because you <em>must,</em> but because you -<em>ought</em> to submit; not because God has -<em>power</em>, and therefore does as He pleases, -but because He is Love, and therefore -pleases always to do what is right.”</p> - -<p>“But, oh, He didna hear our prayer; -that’s my battle! We were maybe -wrang in asking what was against His -wull.”</p> - -<p>“Not in the way, perhaps, in which -you expected, Mrs. Thorburn; yet every -true prayer is verily heard and answered -by Him. But He is too good, too wise, -too loving, to give us always literally -what we ask; if so, He would often be -very cruel, and <em>that</em> He can never be. -You would not give your child a serpent, -if in his assurance he asked one, mistaking -it for a fish; nor would you -give him a stone for bread?”</p> - -<p>The Doctor paused.</p> - -<p>“When Nathan, the Lord’s prophet, -telt King David that his child must -die,” said Armstrong, “yet David even -then prayed to the Lord to spare his -life, and I dinna doot that his Father -in heaven was pleased wi’ his freedom -and faith.”</p> - -<p>“Right,” continued the Doctor, “for -I am sure we cannot trust Him too -much, or open our human hearts to Him -too freely; let us always remember, too, -that when God refuses what we ask, -He gives us something better—yea, far -more than we can ask or think. He gave -your dear child for a time; and if He -has taken him away, can you, for example, -tell the evil, the misery, which may have -been prevented? How many parents -would give worlds that their children -had died in infancy! And you could -not wish for more than your child’s -good, and so God has thus far literally -heard that prayer. He has done so by -taking your child to Himself. Your -precious jewel is not lost, but is in -God’s treasury, where no thief can break -through and steal; <em>that</em> is surely something.”</p> - -<p>“Oh yes, sir, it is!” said Jeanie; “but -yet it’s an awfu’ blank! Ilka thing in -the world seems different.”</p> - -<p>“I’m jist thinking, Jeanie,” said Mrs. -Armstrong, “that it’s a comfort ye ever -pit yer een on Davie, for there’s puir -Mrs. Blair—John Blair’s blin’ wife, ye -ken—when she lost her callant, May was -a year, she cam’ to me in an awfu’ way -aboot it, and what vexed her sae muckle -was, that she never had seen his wee -face, and that she could only touch and -han’le him, and hear him greet.”</p> - -<p>“Puir body,” remarked Jeanie, “it -was a sair misfortun’ for ony mither -that—an’ yet—But I’ll no’ think aboot -it; ilk ane has their ain burden to carry. -Noo, minister, let me speir at you, sir: -Will I never see my bairn again? and -if I see him, will I no’ ken him?”</p> - -<p>“You might as well ask whether you -could see and know your child if he -had gone to a foreign country instead of -to heaven,” replied the Doctor. “Alas! -if we did not know our beloved friends -in heaven, earth in some respects would -be dearer to our hearts! But then, -ignorance is not possible in such a place -of light and love.”</p> - -<p>“It wadna be rational to think so,” -remarked William, speaking for the first -time, though he had been listening with -great interest to the Doctor.</p> - -<p>“But,” continued Jeanie, with quiet -earnestness, “will our bairn aye be a -bairn, Doctor? Oh, I hope so!”</p> - -<p>“Dinna try, Jeanie dear,” said David, -“to be wise aboon what is written.”</p> - -<p>The Doctor smiled, and asked, “If -your child had lived, think you would -you have rejoiced had he always continued -to be a child and never grown or advanced? -and are you a loss or a gain -to your father and mother, because you -have grown in mind and knowledge since -you were an infant?”</p> - -<p>“I never thocht o’ that,” said Jeanie -thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>“Be assured,” continued the Doctor, -“there will be no such abortions there -as infants in intellect and sense for ever. -All will be perfect and complete, according -to the plan of God, who made us -for fellowship with Himself and all His -blissful family. Your darling has gone -to a noble school, and will be taught -and trained there for immortality by -Him who was Himself a child, and who -knows a mother’s love and a mother’s -sorrow; and you too, parents, if you -believe in Christ, and hold fast your -confidence in Him, and become to Him -as little children, will be made fit to -enter the same society; and thus you -and your boy, though never, perhaps, -forgetting your old relationship on earth, -will be fit companions for one another -for ever and ever. Depend upon it, you -will both know and love each other -there better than you ever could have -done here.”</p> - -<p>“My wee pet!” murmured Jeanie, as -the tears began to flow from a softened, -because happier, heart.</p> - -<p>William hid his face in his hands. -After a while, he broke silence and -said, “These thoughts of heaven are new -to me. But common sense tells me they -maun be true. Heaven does not seem -to me noo to be the same strange place it -used to be. My loss is not so complete -as I once thought it was. Neither we -nor our bairn have lived in vain.”</p> - -<p>“Surely not,” said the Doctor<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="i0a">“‘Better to have loved and lost,</div> - <div class="i2">Than never to have loved at all!’</div> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>You have contributed one citizen to the -heavenly Jerusalem; one member to the -family above; one happy spirit to add -his voice to the anthem before the -throne of God!”</p> - -<p>“Lord, help our unbelief!” said Mr. -Armstrong; “for the mair I think o’ -the things which I believe, the mair they -seem to me owre gude news to be true!”</p> - -<p>“The disciples, when they first saw -Christ after His resurrection,” said the -Doctor, “did not believe from very joy.”</p> - -<p>“We think owre muckle o’ our ain -folk, Doctor, and owre little o’ Him. -But it’s a comfort that He’s kent and -loved as He ought to be by them. I -thank Him, alang wi’ them that’s awa’, -for all He is and gies to them noo.”</p> - -<p>“And for all He is and does, and -will ever be and do, to every man who -trusts Him,” added the Doctor; “our -friends would be grieved, if grief were -possible to them now, did they think -our memory of them made us forget -Him, or that our love to them made -us love Him less. Surely, if they know -what we are doing, they would rejoice -if they also knew that, along with themselves, -we too rejoiced in their God and -our God. What child in heaven but -would be glad to know that its parents -joined with it in the prayer of ‘<em>Our</em> -Father’?”</p> - -<p>“If wee Davie could preach to us, I -dare say, sir, that micht be his text.”</p> - -<p>“Though dead, he yet speaks,” replied -the Doctor.</p> - -<p>Yes, the boy was yet a home missionary, -drawing the hearts of that household -to God.</p> - -<p>The Doctor rose to depart. “By-the-bye,” -he said, “let me repeat a verse -or two to you, Thorburn, from a poem -which I am sure you will like. It expresses -the thoughts of a parent about -his dead girl, and which have already -in part been poorly expressed by me -when your wife asked me if she would -know her boy:<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">‘She is not dead—the child of our affection,</div> - <div class="i2">But gone unto that school</div> - <div class="i0">Where she no longer needs our poor protection,</div> - <div class="i2">And Christ Himself doth rule.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">‘In that great cloister’s stillness and seclusion,</div> - <div class="i2">By guardian angels led,</div> - <div class="i0">Safe from temptation, safe from sin’s pollution,</div> - <div class="i2">She lives, whom we call dead.</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">‘Not as a child shall we again behold her;</div> - <div class="i2">For when with raptures wild</div> - <div class="i0">In our embraces we again enfold her,</div> - <div class="i2">She will not be a child;</div> -</div><div class="stanza"> - <div class="i0a">‘But a fair maiden, in her Father’s mansion,</div> - <div class="i2">Clothed with celestial grace,</div> - <div class="i0">And beautiful with all the soul’s expansion</div> - <div class="i2">Shall we behold her face.’”</div> - </div><!--end stanza--> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>“Thank ye, sir, thank ye,” said Thorburn; -“and ye’ll no’ be offended if I ax -ye to gie me a grip o’ yer han’.” And -the smith laid hold of the Doctor’s proffered -hand, so small and white, with his -own hand, so large and powerful—“God -reward ye, sir, for we canna! And noo, -Doctor,” the smith continued, “I maun -oot wi’t! Since ye hae been so kind as -gie us that fine bit o’ English poetry, I -canna help gieing you a bit o’ Scotch, -for Scotch poetry has been a favourite -reading o’ mine, and there’s a verse that -has been dirling a’ day in my heart. -This is it:<span class="lock">—</span></p> - -<div class="poem-container"> - <div class="poem"> - <div class="i0a">‘It’s dowie at the hint o’ hairst,</div> - <div class="i2">At the wa’-gang o’ the swallow,</div> - <div class="i0">When the winds blaw cauld,</div> - <div class="i0">And the burns run bauld,</div> - <div class="i2">And the wuds are hanging yellow;</div> - <div class="i0">But oh! it’s dowier far to see</div> - <div class="i0">The wa’-gang o’ ane the heart gangs wi’,</div> - <div class="i0">The dead set o’ a shining e’e,</div> - <div class="i0">That closes the weary warld on thee!’</div> - </div><!--end poem--> -</div><!--end container--> - -<p>Fareweel, sir! I’ll expect ye the morn -at two, if convenient,” the smith whispered -to the Doctor as he opened the -door to him.</p> - -<p>“I’ll be sure to come,” he replied. -“Thank you for those verses; and think -for your good about all I have said.”</p> - -<p>That evening, there was a comfortable -tea prepared by Jeanie for her friends, -and the Corporal was one of the party. -Had a stranger dropped in upon them, -he would not have supposed that there -was sorrow in the house. There is a -merciful reaction to strong feeling. The -highest waves, when they dash against -the rock, flow farthest back, and scatter -themselves in their rebound into sparkling -foam and airy bubbles. The Corporal -told some of his old stories of -weariness and famine, of wounds and -sufferings, and marches over the fields -of Spain from victory to victory. Old -Armstrong could match these only by -Covenanter tales from <cite>The Scots Worthies</cite>, -of battles long ago, but was astonished -to find the Corporal a staunch Episcopalian, -who had no sympathy with -“rebels.” Yet so kind and courteous -was the pensioner, that the elder confessed -that he was “a real fine body, -withoot a grain o’ bigotry.” William, -too, had his talk on “the times,” and -his favourite topic of reform; while -Jeanie and her mother spoke of the -farm, and of old friends among the -cows, with many bygone reminiscences -of persons and things. And thus the -weight of their hearts was lightened, -and made stronger, along with higher -and better thoughts, to carry their -burden; but ever and anon there came -one little presence before them, causing -a sinking of the heart.</p> - -<p>No sooner had their friends left the -house for the night than the smith did -what he never did before. He opened -the Bible, and said to Jeanie, “I will -read a chapter aloud before we retire to -rest.”</p> - -<p>Jeanie clapped her husband fondly on -the shoulder, and in silence sat down -beside him while he read again some -of the same passages which they had -already heard. Few houses had that -night more quiet and peaceful sleepers -than that house, under whose roof, beneath -the shining stars of God, those -parents and their child reposed.</p> - -<p>The little black coffin was brought to -the smith’s the night before the funeral. -When the house was quiet, Davie was -laid in it gently by his father. Jeanie -stood by and assumed the duty of -arranging with care the white garments -in which her boy was dressed, wrapping -them round him, and adjusting the head -as if to sleep in her own bosom. She -brushed once more the golden ringlets, -and put the little hands in their right -place, and opened out the frills in the -cap, and removed every particle of sawdust -which soiled the shroud. When -all was finished, though she seemed -anxious to prolong the work, the lid -was put on the coffin, but so as to leave -the face uncovered. Both were as silent -as their child. But ere they retired to -rest for the night, they instinctively -went to take another look. As they -gazed in silence, side by side, the smith -felt his hand gently seized by his wife. -She played at first nervously with the -fingers, until, finding her own hand held -by her husband, she looked into his -face with an unutterable expression, -and meeting his eyes so full of unobtrusive -sorrow, she leant her head on -his shoulder and said, “Willie, this is -my last look o’ him on this side the -grave. But, Willie dear, you and me -maun see him again, and, mind ye, no’ -to part—na, I canna thole that! We -ken whaur <em>he</em> is, and we maun gang -till him. Noo, promise me! vow alang -wi’ me here, that, as we love him and -ane another, we’ll attend mair to what’s -gude than we hae dune, that—oh, Willie! -forgie me, for it’s no’ my pairt to speak, -but I canna help it th’ noo, and just, my -bonnie man, just agree wi’ me—that -we’ll gie our hearts noo and for ever -to our ain Saviour, and the Saviour o’ -our wee Davie!”</p> - -<p>These words were uttered without -ever lifting her head from her husband’s -shoulder, and in low, broken accents, -half choked with an inward struggle, -but without a tear. She was encouraged -to say this—for she had a timid -awe for her husband—by the pressure -ever and anon returned to hers from his -hand.</p> - -<p>The smith spoke not, but bent his -head over his wife, who felt his tears -falling on her neck, as he whispered, -“Amen, Jeanie! so help me, God!”</p> - -<p>A silence ensued, during which Jeanie -got, as she said, “a gude greet,” for the -first time, which took a weight off her -heart. She then quietly kissed her child -and turned away.</p> - -<p>Thorburn took the hand of his boy -and said, “Fareweel, Davie, and when -you and me meet again, we’ll baith, I -tak’ it, be a bit different frae what we -are this nicht!” He then put the lid -on mechanically, turned one or two of -the screws, and then sat down at the -fireside to chat about the arrangements -of the funeral as on a matter of business.</p> - -<p>After that, for the first time, William -asked his wife to kneel down, and he -would pray before they retired to rest. -Poor fellow! he was sincere as ever -man was, and never after till the day -of his death did he omit this “exercise,” -which once on a day was universal in -every family whose head was a member -of the church, and I have known it -continued by the widow when her head -was taken away. But on this the first -night when the smith tried to utter -aloud the thoughts of his heart, he -could only say, “Our Father—!” There -he stopped. Something seemed to seize -him, and to stop his utterance. Did he -only know how much was in these words, -he possibly might have said more. As -it was, the thoughts of the father on -earth so mingled, he knew not how, with -those of the Father in heaven, that he -could not speak. But he continued on his -knees, and spoke there to God as he had -never spoken before. Jeanie did the same.</p> - -<p>After a while they both rose, and -Jeanie said, “Thank ye, Willie. It’s a -beautifu’ beginning, and it wull, I’m -sure, hae a braw ending.”</p> - -<p>“It’s cauld iron, Jeanie woman,” said -the smith, “but it wull melt and come -a’ richt.”</p> - -<p>The day of the funeral was a day of -beauty and sunshine. A few fellow-tradesmen -and neighbours assembled in -the house, dressed in their Sunday’s -best, though it was visible in one or -two that the best was the worse of the -wear. The last thing a Scotch workman -will part with, even to keep his -family in food, is his Sunday clothes; -and the last duty he will fail to perform, -is following the body of a neighbour -or acquaintance to the grave. All -were dressed with crape on their hats, -and had weepers on their coats—the -Corporal wore, besides, a medal on his. -The smith, according to custom, sat near -the door, and shook each man by the -hand as he pointed to a seat. Not a -word, of course, was spoken.</p> - -<p>When all who were expected had -assembled, the Doctor, who occupied a -chair near the table on which the Bible -lay, opened the Book, and after reading -a portion of it without any comment, -he prayed with a fervour and suitableness -which touched every heart. This -is our only Scotch burial service. The -little coffin was then brought out, and -was easily carried. The Corporal was -the first to step forward, and saluting -the smith by putting his hand to his -hat, soldier fashion, he begged to have -the honour of assisting. Slowly the -small procession advanced towards the -churchyard, about half a mile off; and -angels beheld that wondrous sight, a -child’s funeral—wondrous as a symbol -of sin and of redemption; of the insignificance -of a human being as a mere -creature, and of his magnificence as belonging -to Christ Jesus.</p> - -<p>As they reached the grave, the birds -were singing, and a flood of light steeped -in glory a neighbouring range of hill; -while overhead, the sky had only one -small, snow-white cloud reposing in -peace on its azure blue.</p> - -<p>When the sexton had finished the -<a name="spade" id="spade"></a>grave and smoothed it with his spade, -William quietly seized it, saying, “Gie -me the shool, John, and I’ll gie him the -last clap mysel’,” and he went over again -the green turf carefully with gentle -beats, and removed with his hand the -small stones and gravel which roughened -its surface. Those who stood very -near, had they been narrowly watching -him, which they had too much feeling -to do, might have observed the smith -give a peculiar, tender pressure and clap -on the grave with his hand, as on a -child’s breast, ere he returned the spade, -and with a careless air said, “Here, -John, thank ye; it’s a’ richt noo.” Then -lifting up his hat, and looking round, -added, “Thank ye, freens, for your -trouble in coming.” And so they left -“wee Davie” more precious and more -enduring than the everlasting hills!</p> - -<p class="center">* * * * *</p> - -<p>Several years after this, Dr. M‘Gavin, -then a very old man, as he sat at his -study fire, was conversing with a young -preacher, who seemed to think that -nothing could be accomplished of much -value for the advancement of Christ’s -kingdom, unless by some great “effort,” -or “movement,” or “large committee,” -which would carry everything at once -by a <em lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">coup de main</em>. The Doctor quietly -remarked, “My young friend, when you -have lived as long in the ministry as I -have done, you will learn how true it is, -that ‘God fulfils Himself in many ways,’ -He is in the still, small voice, and often, -too, when He is neither in the earthquake -nor in the hurricane. One of the -most valuable elders I ever had—and -whose admirable wife and daughters and -well-doing, prosperous sons are still -members of my church, and much attached -friends—told me on his dying -bed that, under God, he owed his chief -good to the death of his first child, the -circumstance which accidentally made -me acquainted with him. On the last -evening of his life, when enumerating -the many things which had been blessed -for his good, he said to me, ‘But under -God it was my wee Davie that did -it a’!’”</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h4 class="h4head">Transcriber Note:</h4> - -<p>Dialect, obsolete and alternative spellings were left -unchanged. No changes were made to misplaced punctuation.</p> -</div><!--end chapter--> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THREAD AND WEE DAVIE ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ -concept and trademark. 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