Part 24 (1/2)

Mother Meg Catharine Shaw 25090K 2022-07-22

When they presented themselves at the hospital again that evening, and asked to be allowed to see Tom Seymour, the answer came like a knell to them both:

”He died at three o'clock.”

”Dead?” asked Cherry; and no one knew the depths of that crippled orphan's heart at that moment. No one but G.o.d; but He knew, and pitied.

Dead! and no messages of G.o.d's love, no a.s.surances of forgiveness, no pardoning grace could reach him now. He had sunk into the grave, in spite of all her efforts, all her prayers, unsaved!

A hand touched her arm. It was the nurse's who had stood by them that morning.

”Come in here,” she said, leading the way to a little comfortless room where people waited. It was empty now, and the nurse closed the door.

She held out to Jem the piece of paper he had left with her that morning, containing his address in case of his being wanted.

Under his name was written, in the doctor's hand, ”I, Tom Seymour, leave my children to his care,” and then there was a weak straggling cross, and the doctor's signature as witness.

”When you were gone,” explained the nurse, ”he never spoke for an hour or so, and we didn't disturb him, because we knew he couldn't recover.

You see the accident went hard with him, because he drank so. Well, after an hour or two he woke up, and he called as before, 'd.i.c.kie!'

”I went to him to quiet him, and he asked 'if the carpenter (meaning you, I suppose, Mr. Seymour) was there, and Cherry?'

”I told him that you were coming again, and asked if he wanted you to be fetched.

”'I don't know where he lives,' he said; 'but it don't matter. Ask the doctor to write it down.'

”The doctor was going his rounds, and when he had done with his patient I asked him to come, and he wrote at the poor fellow's request those words on that paper, to which he managed to put his cross. After that he was terribly bad for ever so long; it had hurt him so to move. I knew he wouldn't last long, and I offered to send for the little girl, but he only shook his head.

”'She wouldn't be here in time,' he said; 'but when she comes, tell her as the last word as her poor father said was, 'Wash me, and I shall be----'

”He couldn't finish it; so I said the end of it to him, 'whiter than snow.'

”'Yes, ”whiter than snow,” sins like crimson, ”wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”'

”He didn't speak again, but after a bit I looked at him, and he tried to reach my hand. Though I don't understand that sort of talk myself, thinking to please him, I took his in mine, and said again, 'Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow,' and he gave one look at me, and then one long look up, and so pa.s.sed away.”

Cherry took the nurse's kind hand and covered it with kisses and tears; she tried to utter her thanks, but was choked.

And when she and Jem turned homewards once more, though her tears were pouring, they were far more grateful than sad, as the words seemed to ring in her ears:

”Not by might, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.”

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER XV.

THE EMPTY CRADLE.

When Cherry and Jem had really set forth to the hospital, Meg, who had been lying very quiet for some time, opened her eyes and spoke to her mother-in-law.