Chapter VII: Safe at Home

TOM HALE'S health improved greatly under the influence of his native air. Dr. Allen told him he must never expect to be a very robust man, but that there was nothing to prevent him from becoming a useful farm labourer and that outdoor exercise would be the best possible occupation for him. Sir Herbert Tracy gave him employment on his estate, and although Tom had everything to learn and felt every day more and more convinced of his former folly, still he carried a willing mind to his new work, and soon made progress in it.

His mother was very happy; for Tom showed evident proofs of the change that God's Holy Spirit had wrought in his heart. His greatest delight was to spend his evenings in his mother's cottage, reading to her, and he seemed anxious to meet her slightest wish. On Sundays, it was a pleasing and affecting sight to see the blind woman, leaning on her son's arm, and going with him to the house of God. She seemed as though she could trust herself anywhere under his care.

Mr. Graham spoke to Tom one day, saying how glad he was to see him so attentive to his mother.

"Don't speak so, please, sir," said Tom; "if I were to live a hundred years and she to be spared to me all the time, I could never repay her for all I have made her suffer."

Fanny Price was now a constant attendant at the Sunday school. She and Katie Lawrence used generally to go together. The good impressions had been lasting ones, and Mrs. Lawrence had no longer any occasion to warn Katie against Fanny's society.

Katie also had never forgotten the lesson she had received, and was become all that her mother could desire. She was not fond of needlework, and frequently thought she would much prefer going to service; but she knew how much her mother would miss her at home, and, like a dutiful daughter, she tried to be contented, and to do her duty in that state of life in which God had placed her.

Mrs. Lawrence required Katie's help more now than ever; for, as the summer faded into autumn, dear little Nelly's feeble strength seemed also to decline. And a physician whom Lady Tracy kindly consulted, gave it as his opinion that she would not outlive the coming winter. He said, likewise, that even if spared, her life could never be other than a life of pain and suffering; and the knowledge of this tended greatly to lessen Mrs. Lawrence's grief at the thought of so soon losing her child.

The physician proved right in his opinion. Calmly and peacefully, without much pain, the stream of Nelly's little life ebbed gradually away. She had no fear of death. She had been enabled, by God's mercy, to throw herself entirely on the merits of her Saviour, and felt the blessed peace-giving assurance that He had borne her sins for her, and that through His stripes she was healed. Weak and sinful as she knew herself to be, she had learned to look with the eye of faith beyond this passing life to that bright abode, where "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain."

And thus did little Nelly, one fine morning in early winter, peacefully and happily "fall asleep in Jesus." Loving friends were around her bed—that good and pious mother who had brought up her children in God's holy fear, and kind, gentle Mabel Tracy who had so helped, with God's blessing, to lead her in the right way. Katie, too, more than ever her sister lately, since she also had learned to love her Saviour; and good, honest-hearted Ben, and little Tom and Willie.

The last words Nelly uttered were the concluding lines of the hymn she was always so fond of, and which she repeated almost in a whisper, as if taking a farewell of all her dear ones on earth,—

"'Oh! that will be joyful,
Joyful, joyful, joyful,
When we meet to part no more.'"

Nelly was buried near her father, in a corner of the quiet village churchyard. And in the early days of spring, her grave was surrounded by sweet spring flowers, planted by her affectionate brother Ben.

It was some months after Nelly's death, that one morning Katie had gone to Hazelbrook Hollow to take home some needlework which she and her mother had just finished. She was about leaving to return home, when the housekeeper called her into the room, and told her that she had heard from a daughter of hers who was a lady's-maid in a large family, that the lady of the house was in want of a young girl to assist in the nursery. Mrs. Hall—that was the housekeeper's name—had immediately thought of Katie.

"It will be a good beginning for you, child," she said; "you will have eight pounds a year, and many advantages. You had better speak to your mother at once, and let me know as soon as you can, for I have promised to write in a day or two."

For a moment Katie's face flushed with pleasure; it was just what she should like, just what she had so often wished for. But the next minute, the flush faded from her cheek, and in a low, but firm voice she said,—

"I thank you very much, Mrs. Hall, but I must say 'No' to your kind offer."

"You had better think twice before you refuse so good a chance, Katie; such things are not to be met with every day, I can tell you."

"I know that, Mrs. Hall, and I should like it very much, but it would not be right of me to leave mother," said Katie. "Dear little Nelly is gone, and she would miss me sadly; for Esther is as yet quite young, and there are the two little boys to see to, and mother herself is not very strong. No, Mrs. Hall, I have quite made up my mind; and please say nothing to mother about it, for she might think I should be sorry not to be able to accept so good an offer."

"I believe you are right, Katie, and you'll not lose anything by your dutiful affection to your mother, depend upon it."

"Don't you think Fanny Price might do for the place, Mrs. Hall?" asked Katie. "She has not so good a home as I have, and I know she would be glad to hear of a situation; and Mrs. Graham would recommend her now: she told her so the other day."

"Send Fanny to me, Katie, and I'll speak to her about it."

Fanny Price got the situation, and prospered in it; and Mrs. Lawrence never knew of her daughter's generous self-denial.

Katie remained at home with her mother until she was twenty-two years old, and then only left her mother's roof to be married to Tom Hale, who was now in receipt of good wages under Sir Herbert Tracy. Granny Hale had become much more infirm, and needed the help of her son's wife. Katie made a good wife and a good daughter. There was no neater, cleaner cottage and no happier home in all Hazelbrook than hers.

"The blessing of the Lord," which "maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow," was richly enjoyed by her and her husband. They could both say, in the words of the wise king, "Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard."

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_London and Aylesbury._