Susan Warner

“ What makes the peculiar charm of these long streams of pale light across the floor? and the shadowy brightness without?"
"You must tell," said Ellen; "I cannot."
"You know we enjoy anything much more by contrast; I think that is one reason. Night is the reign of darkness, which we do not love; and here is light struggling with the darkness, not enough to overcome it entirely, but yet banishing it to nooks and corners, and distant parts, by the side of which it shows itself in contrasted beauty. Our eyes bless the unwonted victory." ”

“ Even Mr Humphreys and Mr. Van Brunt, two persons not usually given to many words, came out wonderfully on this occasion; gratitude and pleasure in the one, and generous feeling on the part of the other, untied their tongues; and Ellen looked from one to the other in some amazement to see how agreeable they could be. Kindness and hospitality always kept Mrs. Van Brunt in full flow; and Alice, whatever she felt, exerted herself, and supplied what was wanting everywhere; like the transparent glazing which painters use to spread over the dead colour of their pictures ”

“ Montgomery answered only by folding her to her heart.
"Is there no help for it, Mamma?"
"There is none. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God."
"Then it will be all good for you, Mamma but what will it be for me?" And Ellen sobbed bitterly.
"It will be all well, my precious child, I doubt not. I do not doubt it, Ellen. Do you not doubt it either, love; but from the hand that wounds, seek the healing. He wounds that he may heal. He does not afflict willingly. Perhaps he sees, Ellen, that you never would seek him while you had me to cling to." ”

“ It would have been a sharp eye indeed that had detected any slight opening in the woods on either side of the path, which the driving snow-storm blended into one continuous wall of trees. They could be seen stretching darkly before and behind them; but more than that where they stood near together, and where scattered apart, was all confusion, through the fast-falling shower of flakes.
"In a few minutes he came in sight."
"Shall we go back and look for the path?" said Ellen.
"I am afraid we shouldn't find it if we did," said Alice; "we should only lose our time, and we have none to lose. ”

“ Ellen could say nothing.
"After all, Ellie, it is not beautiful things nor a beautiful world that make people happy—it is loving and being loved; and that is the reason why I am happy in the thought of heaven. I shall, if He receives me—I shall be with my Saviour; I shall see Him and know Him, without any of the clouds that come between here. I am often forgetting and displeasing Him now—never serving Him well nor loving Him right. I shall be glad to find myself where all that will be done with for ever. I shall be like Him! Why do you cry so, Ellie?" said Alice tenderly. ”

“ Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought
But when I see thee as thou art,
I'll praise thee as I ought.
Till then, I would thy love proclaim
With every lab'ring breath;
And may the music of thy name
Refresh my soul in death."
Ellen paused a minute. There was not a sound to be heard in the room. She thought of the hymn, "Loving Kindness;" but the tune, and the spirit of the words was too lively. Her mother's favourite, " 'T is my happiness below," but Ellen could not venture that; she strove to forget it as fast as possible. ”

“ She shook her head once or twice, and then said
"What did you give this to me for, Ellen?"
"Because I wanted to give you something for New Year," said Ellen "and I thought that would be the best thing if you would only read it it would make you so happy and good."
"You are good, I believe," said Nancy, "but I don't expect ever to be, myself I don't think I could be. You might as well teach a snake not to wriggle."
"I am not good at all," said Ellen "we're none of us good;" and the tears rose to her eyes; "but the Bible will teach us how to be. If you'll only read it! please, Nancy, do! ”

“ Ellen thought no more was to be got out of her. She felt miserable. Her father and her aunt both seemed to act strangely; and where to find comfort she scarcely knew. She had one day been telling her doubts and sorrows to John. He did not try to raise her hopes, but said
"Troubles will come in this world, Ellie; the best is to trust them and ourselves to our dear Saviour, and let trials drive us to him. Seek to love him more, and to be patient under his will; the good Shepherd means nothing but kindness to any lamb in his flock you may be sure of that, Ellie." ”

“ Does it make you feel merry?"
"Not merry, sir, it isn't merry; but I like it very much."
"The tune or the words?"
"Both, sir."
"What do you mean by the land of Canaan?"
"Heaven, sir."
"And do you like to think about that? at your age?"
"Why, certainly, sir! Why not?"
"Why do you!"
"Because it is a bright and happy place," said Ellen gravely; "where there is no darkness, nor sorrow, nor death, neither pain nor crying; and my mother is there, and my dear Alice, and my Saviour is there; and I hope I shall be there too."
"You are shedding tears now, Ellen." ”

“ Ellen's tears came faster than her words.
"Ellen, my child," said Alice after a while, "there is but one way. You know what I said to you yesterday?"
"I know it, but, dear Miss Alice, in my reading this morning I came to that verse that speaks about not being forgiven if we do not forgive others; and oh! how it troubles me; for I can't feel that I forgive Aunt Fortune; I feel vexed whenever the thought of her comes into my head; and how can I behave right to her while I feel so?"
"You are right there, my dear; you cannot indeed; the heart must be set right before the life can be." ”

“ But I feel as if I could sleep on the floor to-night. Isn't it a'most worth while to have such a time, Miss Alice, for the sake of the pleasure afterwards?"
"I don't know, Ellen," said Alice, smiling; "I won't say that; though it is worth paying a price for, to find how much kindness there is in some people's hearts. As to sleeping on the floor, I must say I never felt less inclined to it."
"Well, I am tired enough, too," said Ellen, as they laid themselves down. "Two nights with you in a week! Oh, those weeks before I saw you, Miss Alice!"
One earnest kiss for good night ”

“ All was still, but the ceaseless chirrup of insects, and gentle flapping of leaves; the summer air just touched their cheeks with the lightest breath of a kiss, sweet from distant hayfields, and nearer pines and hemlocks, and other of nature's numberless perfume boxes. The hay harvest had been remarkably late this year.
"This is higher enjoyment," said John, "than half those who make their homes in rich houses and mighty palaces have any notion of."
"But can not rich people look at the moon?" said Ellen. ”

“ Isn't it strange, dear Alice, I should do so when I have resolved so hard I wouldn't."
"Not very, my darling, as long as we have such evil hearts as ours are it is strange they should be so evil."
"I told Aunt Fortune afterwards I was sorry, but she said 'Actions speak louder than words, and words are cheap.' If she only wouldn't say that just as she does! it does worry me so."
"Patience!" said Alice, passing her hand over Ellen's hair as she sat looking sorrowfully up at her. "You must try not to give her occasion. Never mind what she says, and overcome evil with good." ”

“ You love your mother, because she is so careful to provide for all your wants; but who gave her the materials to work with? She has only been, as it were, the hand by which he supplied you. And who gave you such a mother? There are many mothers not like her; who put into her heart the truth and love that have been blessing you ever since you were born? It is all all God's doing, from first to last: but his child has forgotten him in the very gifts of his mercy."
Ellen was silent, but looked very grave. ”

“ He gave me to understand that for his own sake he should be extremely sorry to let you go; but he assured me that nothing over which he had any control should stand in the way of your good."
"He is very kind he is very good he is always so," said Ellen. "I love Mr. Van Brunt very much. He always was as kind to me as he could be."
They were silent for a few minutes, and Alice was looking out of the window again. The sun had set, and the colouring of all without was graver. Yet it was but the change from one beauty to another. The sweet air seemed still sweeter than before the sun went down. ”

“ Come do, Ellen! It will be splendid; and I'll help you finely, and I won't bother you neither. Come! go ask her; if you don't, I will."
"I can't, Nancy; she don't want anybody; and it worries her to talk to her. I can't go and ask her."
Nancy impatiently flung down the cloth she was sprinkling and ran upstairs. In a few minutes she came down with a triumphant face, and bade Ellen go up to her aunt.
"Ellen," said Miss Fortune, "if I let Nancy stay will you take care of the keys and keep her out of the buttery?"
"I'll try to, ma'am, as well as I can." ”

“ The storm had come in good earnest, and promised to be no trifling one. Alice and Ellen ran on, holding each other's hands and strengthening themselves against the blast, but their journey became every moment more difficult. The air was dark with the thick-falling snow; the wind seemed to blow in every direction by turns, but chiefly against them, blinding their eyes with the snow, and making it necessary to use no small effort to keep on their way. ”

“ And hiding her face in Alice's lap, she fairly sobbed.
"You understand now, don't you, how Christians may honour or dishonour their Heavenly Father?"
"Yes, I do; but it makes me afraid to think of it."
"Afraid? It ought rather to make you glad. It is a great honour and happiness for us to be permitted to honour Him—
'A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.'
Yes, that is the great duty you owe yourself. Oh, never forget it, dear Ellen! And whatever would hinder you, have nothing to do with it. 'What will it profit a man though he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' ”

“ The laugh, the look, the tone, stung Ellen to the very quick. In a fury of passion she dashed away out of the kitchen and up to her own room. And there, for a while, the storm of anger drove over her with such violence that conscience had hardly time to whisper. Sorrow came in again as passion faded, and gentler but very bitter weeping took the place of convulsive sobs of rage and mortification, and then the whispers of conscience began to be heard a little. "Oh, mamma! mamma!" cried poor Ellen in her heart; "how miserable I am without you! I never can like Aunt Fortune ”

“ Alice's face did not belie her words, though her eyes shone through tears.
"Ellie, dear you must love Him with all your heart, and live constantly in his presence. I know if you do, he will make you happy, in any event. He can always give more than he takes away. Oh, how good he is! and what wretched returns we make him! I was miserable when John first went away to Doncaster; I did not know how to bear it. But now, Ellie, I think I can see it has done me good, and I can even be thankful for it. All things are ours all things the world, and life, and death too." ”