Catharine Shaw

“ They were silent, looking into the fire.
"I thought you'd scold me awfully," he said at last.
"Did you?" asked Agnes; "you should go to somebody who has not sinned herself if you want that."
"But you've never been tempted to go and take advantage of your parents' being away, and do exactly as you knew they'd hate you to do."
"No," answered Agnes, "my temptations may not be the same as yours, and yet I've just as much to be sorry for when I go to my Lord as you have."
"Just as much?" asked Hugh, looking in her face, "do you mean that really, Agnes." ”

“ Then they paused and looked round.
"It is lovely!" said Minnie. "I wish it were my room."
"So does everybody," said Alice. "Is it really finished, Agnes?"
"I think so. Now as we still have half-an-hour, let us go and see what can be done for poor old Hugh. His room looks rather forlorn as it is."
"So it does," said Minnie; "and the place where John's bed stood is all bare."
"He wants a table dreadfully," said Alice, "now John's is gone."
"Well, I haven't one for him; but we will go and have a look, while Jane sweeps a little; perhaps we may find something which will serve for one." ”

“ Headley turned to her husband with a mute appeal. "Tell them," she said brokenly, "what we were saying this morning."
"We want you all to think of one thing. In any difficulty, in every difficulty, in all circumstances, say to yourselves, 'Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?' If you wait and hear the answer, it will help you in everything."
"People generally do wait to hear the answer to their question, don't they, father?" asked John.
"Not always; especially when they are speaking to God. But you be wiser, my children. In the waiting-time for the answer an extra blessing often comes." ”

“ After that they worked on happily together all the morning, though Hugh felt a twinge whenever any one remarked, as Minnie and Alice were apt to do all day, "How funny it seems not to have known."
"It's the last secret I'll have, John, that I can help," said Agnes to him when they were left alone for a few minutes, and were busy pinning up the sheet.
"Yes," answered John, reaching down from the top of the steps, where he was astride, and taking the corner from her outstretched arm, "Yes, Agnes. I don't believe in secrets." ”

“ Agnes felt uncomfortable, and wished Hugh had explained before they came up.
"Well, no," answered Hugh; "I told Tom we couldn't come."
"He said," answered Miss Radnor, "that he was sure his sister would not approve."
"It would have been better for Hugh to have asked me," answered Agnes; "but now will you kindly tell me what it is you wish?"
Miss Radnor looked as if it were all a great bore, but answered politely:
"Tom has set his heart on having Hugh and his two younger sisters to his party next week. Will you allow them to come? I believe they are to refer to you, as their parents are away." ”

“ So was Agnes, till at last she roused up suddenly and put her hand into her mother's.
"There's one Friend I shall always have near, nearer than next door; always at hand to help and counsel—eh, mother dear? We had not forgotten Him, only we did not say anything actually about Him."
"Yes, my child, I do not forget; and if I were more trustful I should not be so afraid."
Mrs. Headley rose and left the room just as the door opened, and John came in.
"Holloa, Agnes, all alone in the dark," he exclaimed, stumbling over the stools and chairs. "Why don't you have a light?" ”

“ And Agnes murmured thanks with a sigh of relief, for that hour in the day had been one of her trials.
"What work have you in hand?" asked their aunt.
"Minnie is making a doll's dress, and I have just finished some horrid white calico."
"It must be real, sensible work," said Miss Headley. "How about stockings?"
"Agnes mends those," answered Minnie; "it nearly made her cry to teach Alice, and she gave it up; and I haven't begun to learn." ”

“ What a hateful girl, Agnes."
"I do not suppose she is; though I can't say I admired her."
"She looked round on all our things as though they were dirt!"
"Nonsense. But I daresay she is richer than we are."
"Oceans! They have twice as big a house."
"And half as big hearts perhaps," laughed Agnes. "Oh, Hugh, I pity that poor Tom."
"So do I, now I see what sort of a sister he's got. But he doesn't think her bad; he told me she was 'a stunner.'"
"I daresay. Well dear, are you satisfied with what I said? I wish I had said it better."
Hugh kissed her. ”

“ Aunt Phyllis shook her head. "It is quite right, I have not come in to alter that, little puss."
Alice pouted just a very little, and Miss Headley went on:
"You come home about three, do you not?"
"Half past," said Agnes.
"What do you do then?"
"We work, or learn lessons, or gape, or are idle," said Alice, smiling a little.
Aunt Phyllis smiled too. "How should you like to bring your work in with me? I have an interesting book I want to read to you, and if Agnes is busy, or tired, she can stay at home, and I'll see to your work. Eh, Alice and Minnie?" ”

“ Agnes, did not aunt Phyllis say she would come in early?"
"Yes; but I hope she will not till we have put away everything. Just take up that heap and come upstairs with me, Alice; and then run down for that one, will you? You don't mind?"
"I'm not going to 'mind' anything, as Hugh says," answered Alice earnestly, a tear just sparkling in the corner of her eye.
"That's a dear girl; it will make everything so much easier if you do that." ”

“ He left the room without another word, and Agnes had to do the rest of her locking-up alone. Blinded with tears she went to every room, and then ascended to her own chamber.
Alice and Minnie were in bed, and asleep.
She went and stood at the dressing-table, slowly unpinning her rose, when her eye fell upon a Christmas card, which had been given her by Hugh himself that very morning.
"Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins." ”

“ Oh, I don't for a moment mean that I shall do as well as you, mother, only——"
"Yes," answered Mrs. Headley, thoughtfully, "you see, Agnes, your dear grandmother in America is pronounced to be failing very fast. I have not seen her for twenty years, and if I do not go now I may never see her again in this world." [ 10]
"And father's having to go there on business now makes it so easy."
"Easy all but leaving you children."
"But I am nineteen now, mother—quite old enough to be trusted; besides, grandmama and aunt Phyllis live next door, and if anything happened I could run in to them." ”

“ Well, come along Minnie, the sooner we are off the sooner we shall be home."
In half an hour's time they were back, and met Agnes coming up from her confabulations with the cook.
"Just in time," she said, smiling.
"Should you have begun without us?" asked Minnie.
"Not till ten."
"That's all right. Now then, Agnes, what are we to do?"
"Go down and ask Jane for some cloths, and brooms, and a tin basin."
Minnie opened her eyes, but Alice ran off.
They met Jane on the stairs with a pail and scrubbing-brush. "Are you going to help us?" asked Alice; and Jane nodded with a smile. ”

“ Chairs were pushed back; careful Alice put on some coal, that the fire might not be out when they returned to it; and then there was a rush, and the two came tearing up the stairs.
"How jolly comfortable you look!" exclaimed Hugh.
"We are," said John, preparing to close his book.
"Any room on the sofa for a fellow?" asked Hugh.
"Oh, yes! plenty."
"Sit next me," said Minnie.
"All right. I say, Agnes, how strange it will seem to have Christmas Day without them!"
"Yes; but we can make it happy if we try," said Agnes. ”

“ Hugh glanced at John—a glance which was noticed but not understood by several there.
"But Hugh has not told us after all what he guesses about grandmama's work," said Aunt Phyllis.
"It's a mat to put in front of your stand of flowers."
"You are nearest," said his grandmother, smiling, "but you are not quite right."
"Then what is it, grandma?" asked Minnie.
"It is a worked hearthrug for your dear mother and father, which I hope to get finished by the time they come home."
"Oh!" exclaimed Minnie, opening her eyes very wide, "will it ever get done?" ”

“ Headley; "but anything else?" [ 17]
"Is it sin, mother?" asked Agnes, in a low tone.
"Yes, my dear children, it is sin. The black is sin; 'hopeless night,' 'discomfort,' 'blindness,' 'being lost'—all you have said summed up in that one dark page—sin."
"Now I guess," exclaimed John hastily, "the red is Blood. Oh, I guess now!"
"The Blood of Jesus, the Son of God. Nothing else can take the black sin away. But that can; yes, the blood is easier to read than the sin, isn't it, dears?"
"I don't see why," said Hugh, looking puzzled. ”

“ Agnes smiled too, though she was crying quietly. She knelt down and poked the fire, and got rid of her tears somehow before anyone but her aunt guessed about them, and then she turned round to the table.
"I am afraid I am hindering," said aunt Phyllis, getting up; "but I am like a child when I have a piece of news—I must tell it."
So she went, and the girls settled down again. [ 180]
"Is aunt Phyllis like a child?" asked Minnie.
"I think she is," answered Agnes; "her heart always seems fresh and young."
"I wonder why?" said Alice. ”

“ They were not so easily daunted, however, having heard what very old toys give infinite delight to the poor little invalids, and Hugh answered:
"But you see, Agnes, these are for their very own, and when we have mended them——"
"Oh, if they are mended, of course, that is a different thing," said Agnes.
"So we shall," said Minnie; "see, the glue-pot is on already, and we are going to begin soon."
"The worst is," said Hugh, "where shall we begin, this is in such a muddle." ”

“ Minnie looked at the things, while a deep sigh escaped her, "I wish we could do more," she said, "but we have so little money."
"We must remember," said Agnes, "that God accepts, not according to what we have not, but according to what we have." [ 90]
"Yes," said Hugh; "and if we were to sit down to do nothing because we have no money to spend, quite thirty little children would go without what will give them a good many hours' pleasure."
"So they would," answered Minnie, looking more cheerful; "so now I will set about making the best of what I have." ”

“ Esther?" asked the little one; "I go to sleep all night."
"Yes," said Esther; "but every night before I go to sleep I trim and light my lamp, and then, if the King were to come, I should only have to jump up and run out to welcome Him."
"But I should take hold of your hand, Esther!" said the little man.
"Oh, but the King says we must obey, Ernest; it is of no use thinking you will do all those things. You might not be able to find me in the dark, nor find the King. He tells us to ask for the Golden Oil, and to trim the golden lamp, and we have nothing to do but obey." ”

“ Headley entered the dining-room the next morning.
"Yes; Minnie has been turning it, and twisting it, and weighing it, and smelling it—doing everything except open it," said John, laughing.
"I do wish to know what it is though!" said Minnie shyly, "and I believe John wants to see just as much as I do."
"I will open it presently," answered their mother, smiling, while she seated herself at the head of the table.
"Minnie is always rather curious," observed Hugh, looking up from a lesson he had been conning over. ”

“ While Agnes said: [ 132]
"Oh, no! that isn't it, Alice. But sometimes, when people lose all earthly possessions, they are brought to seek that great heavenly possession which makes up for every other loss. That's what it is."
"Then the humdrum people who are just comfortable don't get such a good chance as the poor ones, according to you, Agnes," Hugh observed.
She shook her head, smiling. "Sometimes they have to lose something they value very much before they can be brought to receive the great possession." ”

“ Then John left the room, and Hugh got up and walked round the table, and stood in front of the new frame: he stood long and silently, and did not move till the others came in.
"You are not dressed," said Alice; "we shall be late after all!"
"I shan't take long," said Hugh, hurriedly leaving the room.
"There is time yet," said John; "don't be a fidget, Alice. Is Minnie going to take her beloved baby?"
"Of course I am. Do you suppose I'm such a bad mamma that I should neglect my children?"
John laughed merrily. "Sometimes mothers like to show them off; that's one way, you know. Minnie." ”

“ John, you won't tell the girls?"
"Not 'the girls;' but I must tell Agnes."
"Then I shan't promise!"
John was staggered for a moment, but after an instant he said: [ 107]
"I must not do evil that good may come. I'm sure you will think better of it, Hugh dear; and it would be such a comfort to me if you would."
"At anyrate don't tell Agnes to-day, till I have had time to think it over. Do as much as that for me, John."
"I think I may promise that," answered John. "Hugh, we've had such a beautiful sermon this morning on, 'Able to keep you from falling;' it has helped me ever so much." ”

“ Headley, after a moment, only pausing to draw Alice close to his side, "what I said upstairs was this, I think. Mother and I decided long ago for ourselves, that, seeing the misery which drink brings to thousands in our country, we will not, for our part, take one drop of it except as medicine. We will do our best to prove that men and women can live, and be happy too, without it. ”

“ She threw herself into Agnes's arms in a passion of misery.
Agnes sat down and tried to make her comfortable on her lap; but the child wailed and sobbed, and gave way to such violent grief that the elder sister was almost frightened, and looked towards the window with a momentary thought of whether it would be possible to recall her mother.
It was only momentary, for how could she? Then her eyes fell on the new text, and her heart, with a throb of joy, realized that the Lord was with her.
"Always," she said to herself; "so that must mean to-day. ”

“ It was all in vain, however, for they knew not which way to go; and once, when a slight sound [ 26] roused the attention of the fierce fiend, he turned as if to spring on them, uttering a deep growl.
"What did he say?" again whispered Alwin.
"That it is of no use our trying to escape," groaned Edred. "He says there is no return from this pit of darkness."
Then I awoke from my dream.
Agnes paused, and the children remained silent, till Minnie broke forth with passionate earnestness—
"But oh, Agnes, there is a way out! ”

“ Can you suggest them, children?"
"How pure we ought to be?" asked Agnes.
"Yes, and how pure He is," answered her mother.
"'These are they that have washed their robes, [ 18] and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,'" said Alice. "That was our text last Sunday."
"So it was, and the end of it introduces us to our final page, and that lasts for ever."
"Gold," said Minnie.
"Glory," said Hugh.
"Everlasting glory, all joy and light for evermore. All purchased for us by that one page which cost Him His life's blood. ”

“ Headley with rapid fingers was darning and patching, aided by Agnes, who sat industriously stitching away, silently buried in her own thoughts.
At last Minnie exclaimed, "Is this all you are going to do, mother?" [ 48]
"No, my dear, we are making some puddings for three or four families."
"Oh, yes, of course! I knew you would; I do love Christmas."
"I wonder if Minnie knows or thinks about why we do it?"
"Because we love the Lord Jesus, I suppose," answered Minnie, looking up from her work with her tender little face. ”