Chapter II: Willie's Happy Death

As we passed the yard where we had seen the rocking-horse, we found two ladies standing near the gate. Presently one of them took a key from her pocket, unlocked it and went in; and then a gentleman of our party recognized in her an old friend.

"This is where our dear Willie is buried," said the lady. "His mother made me promise to come very often to visit the place."

"The last time I saw him, he was riding on his rocking-horse," replied the gentleman, gazing round him with new interest.

"Do you remember how he loved to sing?"

"Yes, ah, yes! but, his songs are ended, now."

"No, indeed!" exclaimed the lady, earnestly; "they are but just begun; I often think how he used to walk with me hour after hour on the beach, humming to himself his favorite hymn,—

"'I have a Father in the promised land,
I have a Father in the promised land.
My Father calls me, I must go
To meet him in the promised land.'"

"How little his mother or any of us realized that his Father was calling him."

"Dear child!" I exclaimed, trying to keep back my tears. "And was he willing to go at last?"

"He was almost impatient to be gone. One day his mother sat bathing his hot head, and she said, 'Willie, are you going to leave mother all alone? I thought you loved your sea-side home,—that you liked to hear the waves roar and dash up against the rocks; I didn't think you would be so glad to leave us all.'"

"He looked sadly in her face for a minute, drew her hand to his mouth and kissed it, and then smiles lighted up his pale face as he began to sing,—

"'I have a Saviour in the promised land,
I have a Saviour in the promised land.
My Saviour calls me, I must go
To meet him in the promised land.'"

"'Don't cry so, mother,' he said, as he felt her tears drop on his hand; 'do let me sing the rest.' And then in a voice almost of rapture he went on,—"

"'I'll away, I'll away to the promised land,
I'll away, I'll away to the promised land.
My Saviour calls me, I must go
To meet him in the promised land.'"

"Not an hour before he died, and after he seemed to have lost consciousness, we heard a low, murmuring sound, and on listening intently he was once more repeating these words. I love to come here," added the lady, looking with moistened eyes at the playthings which had belonged to her beloved nephew, "but I love still better to think of him as he is now—a bright angel before the throne of God, tuning his harp to the praises of God forever and forever."

Dear little boy or girl who may road this story of Willie's grave, will you not try to live so that when your heavenly Father calls, you will gladly obey the summons to heaven? This lovely child was surrounded by everything to make life pleasant. He lived by the sea, where he could see the ships ride by in all their grandeur. He could wander along the smooth beach and pick up glistening shells and stones. His parents had money, and were ready to grant every desire of his heart; and yet he was willing to leave all, and lay his body to rest in the ground. Why could he do this? It was because he had a Friend—a Father—a Saviour in heaven, whom he loved better than the rolling ocean, his pleasant home, or even than his earthly parents.

For more than two years Willie had tried to please this heavenly Friend, by keeping his commandments, by honoring his father and mother, being kind to his brother, correcting the faults in his temper, and doing good to those about him.

This was the reason why Willie could answer so cheerfully when God called him home,—

"'I'll away, I'll away to the promised land,
My Saviour calls me, I must go
To meet him in the promised land.'"

The Substitute.