A heavy gale was blowing, which shook the windows of the little
drawing-room in which Mrs Graybrook and her daughter Hannah were seated
at their work.
Their cottage was situated close to the sea on the north coast of Wales,
so that from it, on a clear day, many a tall ship bound for Liverpool,
or sailing from that port, could be seen through the telescope which
stood ever ready pointed across the water.
A lamp burning on the table, for it was night, shed its light on the
comely features and matronly figure of the elder lady, as she busily
plied her needle, while it showed that those of Hannah, a fair and
interesting-looking girl just growing into womanhood, were unusually
pale. Every now and then she unconsciously let her work drop on her lap
while, with her eyes turned towards the window and lips apart, she
seemed to be listening for some sound which her mother's ear had not
noticed.
A glance into the little room might have shown why both mother and
daughter should feel anxious when tempests were raging and the sea was
tossing with angry waves.
The mantel-piece was ornamented with some beautiful branches of coral,
several large and rare shells, and two horns of the narwhal, or
sea-unicorn, fixed against the wall, and above it was the picture of a
ship under all sail, with boats hoisted up along her sides, and flags
flying at her mastheads and peak. On the top of a bookcase stood the
perfect model of a vessel; another part of the wall was adorned with
Indian bows and spears and clubs, arranged in symmetrical order; while
one side of the room was hung with pictures, in which boats in chase of
the mighty monsters of the deep formed the chief subjects, or which
represented scenes on the coasts of far-distant lands.
Hannah had more than once risen and gone to the window, across which--
for the weather was still warm--the curtain had only partially been
drawn.
Another fierce blast shook the whole house.
"Oh, mother, what a dreadful night it is!" she exclaimed, at length. "I
fancied I heard the sound of a distant gun; it must come from some ship
in distress. What can she do if embayed off our shore in this terrific
gale?"
Mrs Graybrook looked up from her work.
"I was thinking, my child, how thankful we should be that the
_Steadfast_ has long ago been far away from this. Your father and Harry
are enjoying, I hope, smooth seas and gentle breezes, and may such, I
pray, follow them wherever they go."
"I trust that they are, mother; but still I cannot help feeling anxious
on such a night as this, with the wind howling and raging round us, when
I think in what condition a ship must be placed, exposed on the wild sea
to its fury."
"Your father has often said that he cares little for the heaviest gale,
provided he has plenty of sea-room; and a better-found ship and
stauncher crew than his, he declares, does not sail out of the port of
Liverpool."
"I know that he has great faith in the _Steadfast's_ good qualities; but
even the finest ship may meet with accidents; and oh, how many are the
dangers she must have to run before she returns home!" said Hannah, with
a sigh.
"Your father is a careful navigator, my dear, and he has vigilant
officers. His first mate is a tried hand, and he considers Leonard
Champion, his second mate, young as he is, an excellent seaman and fully
capable of taking charge of a ship; he hopes, indeed, to get him the
command of one when he returns, though he would be sorry to lose him."
"I know that, mother; and I am wrong to express my fears," answered
Hannah. "Still I cannot help feeling for the poor seamen who may be
battling with the tempest to-night; and that makes me more anxious,
perhaps, about those who are far away, and of the dangers to which they
may be exposed. Surely there was another gun!"
She again went to the window, and, throwing it open, looked out into the
darkness. The fierce wind coming in made the curtains flutter, and
almost blew out the lamp.
"I saw the flash of a gun, mother. It is in the direction of those dark
rocks which lift their heads above the water!" exclaimed Hannah. "Ah!
I heard the sound also. There is another flash! They must have come
from some unfortunate ship. Perhaps she is already on the rocks. Can
any boat venture out to her assistance in a storm like this? I will
shut the window directly, mother," she added, looking round, and trying
to catch the fluttering curtains.
Again she looked out. "I cannot be mistaken!" she exclaimed, the tone
of her voice showing her anxiety. "There is another gun. The ship must
be in fearful peril! Can nothing be done to help the poor people?"
Mrs Graybrook, convinced that Hannah was right in her conjecture, came
to the window, and mother and daughter stood gazing out for some
minutes, and trying to penetrate the thick gloom which hung over the
wild, tempestuous sea raging below them.
A fiercer blast than before, which drove the rain and spray against
their faces, compelled them to close the window; yet Hannah could not
withdraw herself from it, for she still caught an occasional flash, and
could distinguish the roar of the guns even amidst the howling of the
wind.
"What help can we render to them?" she again asked.
"We may give them aid--all the aid which we have the power to give,"
said Mrs Graybrook, placing her work on the table. "We can pray for
them as we pray for those who are far away."
"I never cease to pray for those dear ones, mother, morning and evening,
and every hour of the day," said Hannah. "Oh, that they had learned to
pray for themselves," she murmured; "to seek that aid in time of need
which will never be withheld!"
Together the mother and daughter knelt, and offered up their prayers to
the throne of grace, that help might be sent to those near at hand,
while their petitions went up also for those loved ones at a distance.
They knew that the all-seeing eye of the God of mercy could follow them,
that His far-reaching hand could protect them, and that, feeble as were
their petitions, He heard and would grant them if He saw fit.
They rose with hearts cheered and comforted.
"I should indeed be happier if Harry had known and accepted the truth,"
said Mrs Graybrook, continuing the conversation just before begun. "He
is so light-hearted, and, enjoying health and strength, so confident in
himself, that his mind has hitherto appeared incapable of attending to
spiritual things; though, when I have spoken to him, he has respectfully
listened with a grave countenance; but the subject has evidently not
been to his taste. My grief is, also, that your father so admires his
bold and daring spirit, that he encourages him to think more of the
things of this world than of the future. Excellent as your father is,
too, he has not had the same advantages of receiving religious
instruction which we have possessed, and is therefore unable to impart
it to Harry. This made me very unwilling that your brother should go to
sea before he was a confirmed Christian; but your father was so
determined to take him that I was compelled to consent."
Mrs Graybrook would not have spoken thus to Hannah of her father's want
of religious principle, but that she knew her daughter was well aware of
it, and mourned for it with her, while she had often joined with her in
prayer that he might be brought to know the truth. Mrs Graybrook had
far too much delicacy and sense of what is right, under other
circumstances, to have spoken to her daughter in any way which might
have appeared disrespectful of Captain Graybrook, for whom they both
entertained the deepest affection. Her true and faithful love for her
husband made her feel as she did; for, having learned the value of her
own soul, she was anxious about his and that of her dear boy.
"I at first had hoped that Leonard Champion would have proved an
advantageous companion to Harry," continued Mrs Graybrook. "But, if
not inclined to laugh at religion, he is, I fear, ignorant of its vital
truths or indifferent to them, and Harry therefore cannot be benefited
through his means."
Hannah sighed.
"You are right, mamma; Mr Champion cannot lead Harry to the fountain in
which he does not see the need of being washed himself. I spoke to him
earnestly on the subject, but without avail, though he accepted some
books which I offered him, and promised to read them when he had time."
The two ladies had, since they settled in Wales, enjoyed the ministry of
one of those gifted servants of God, to whom the honour has been given
of winning souls to Christ by their preaching and private exhortations.
He had been a frequent visitor at the cottage; and mother and daughter,
having accepted the truth, had been built up in their faith, becoming
earnest yet humble Christians.
This was after Harry went to school. During his short holidays, though
his mother and sister had often earnestly and lovingly spoken to him,
they had made no apparent impression on his mind, all his thoughts being
set on going to sea. His mother had now deeply to regret that she
herself, ignorant of the truth during his childhood's days, had been
unable to instruct him while his young mind was ready to receive the
religious knowledge she might have imparted.
How many a mother must feel as she did!
Captain Graybrook had been constantly at sea, and when he came home for
a brief visit, though he remarked the change in his wife and daughter,
and found that they were unwilling to engage in any of the frivolous
amusements of society, he looked upon the opinions they expressed as
mere passing fancies, and begged to be excused from listening to the
preacher of whom they spoke so highly.
"Those sort of things are very good, my dear wife, for some people," he
answered, carelessly; "but sailors have no time to attend to them; I, at
all events, have not, for I have to see to the refitting of the ship;
and you must acknowledge that I have been a good husband and father. I
have done my duty; and what more can you want of me?"
"The best of human beings are sinful by nature, and have committed
numberless sins, and require to be washed in the blood of Jesus to fit
them to enter into the presence of a pure and holy God," answered Mrs
Graybrook, gently.
"I dare say it is all true," said the captain, kissing his wife. "You
are a good creature, and mean well; but I have not time to listen now,
and must be off; so good-bye, Betty, good-bye!" and he hurried away.
Hannah had entertained hopes of inducing her father's young mate,
Leonard Champion, to listen to the subject which occupied her thoughts.
He had been a frequent visitor at the house while the ship was
undergoing repairs in the dockyard, for he was an especial favourite of
her father.
He was a young man of superior attainments, not having gone to sea till
he had completed his education at school and had entered college. At
that time, his father, who was a merchant, dying just as his firm, by
unforeseen circumstances, had become bankrupt, Leonard was left
destitute. He had always had a predilection for the sea, and Captain
Graybrook, an old friend of his father, at once offered, in the most
liberal way, to give him an outfit and to receive him on board his ship.
Leonard thankfully accepted the offer, and, devoting all his energies
and talents to acquire a knowledge of the profession he had entered,
soon became an excellent navigator and a first-rate seaman. Delighting
in his new calling, generous and good-natured as he was cool and daring
in danger, he won the confidence of his captain, and was beloved and
willingly obeyed by the crew.
He had not seen the captain's daughter till the last time the ship
returned home, and had not expected to find her so engaging and refined
a girl. He was, in her sight, superior to any one she had ever met, and
her affections were engaged before she was aware of the state of her own
feelings. He did not conceal his, and, little versed in the ways of the
world, while utterly free from deceit, he expressed his opinions with a
freedom which many persons under the circumstances would not have done.
Hannah, though admiring his many fine qualities, could not forget that
he was destitute of the most important of all things--sound religious
principle. Not denying the interest she felt in him, she distinctly
told him that she would never engage herself to marry one who did not
desire faithfully to serve the same God and Master whom she did.
Leonard did not clearly understand her meaning, as, indeed, no one still
following the ways of the world can comprehend the spiritually minded.
In vain she spoke to him. Perhaps not till he had sailed did she
discover how completely, in spite of her resolutions, she had given him
her heart. All she could now do was to pray that the young sailor might
be brought to a knowledge of the truth.
That evening, while the storm was raging, her mind had been far away on
board the _Steadfast_, and her heart sickened as she remembered the
dangers to which he might be exposed, and the hazardous pursuit in which
he was engaged.
"Perhaps Mr Champion may give Harry some of the books to read which he
took with him," observed Hannah. "I chose such as I thought most likely
to interest him."
"I fear Harry is very little addicted to reading," answered Mrs
Graybrook.
"Is there no one else on board likely to speak to Harry on religious
subjects, mother? Are none of the other mates Christians?" asked
Hannah, anxiously.
"I fear not," said Mrs Graybrook. "There is, however, old Tom Hayes,
who has sailed for many years with your father, and has frequently been
at our house. I have at times heard him let drop expressions which
induced me to believe that he is a Christian man. Your father has
spoken of him as a Methodist, and observed that, though he did not think
much of his opinions, he was the most sober and steady man he ever had
with him, and one of his best boat-steerers and harpooners. I remember
being struck by the old man's calm and intelligent countenance and his
gentle and unassuming manners, which true and simple religious faith
could alone impart. When we were last on board the ship he expressed
himself more openly to me than he had ever before done. I spoke to him
about Harry, and he assured me that he would do his best to look after
him and keep him out of danger. He was going to say more, when he was
called away to attend to some duty, and I had no other opportunity of
speaking to him."
"I remember the old sailor," said Hannah. "How I wish that I had
thought of talking with him! But I am afraid that Harry will not be
inclined to listen to anything which a person whom he will look upon as
his inferior may say to him. Still the old man may be able to speak to
him, and if he is, as you think, a true Christian, he will certainly
endeavour to do so."
"After all, dear Hannah, while we rest assured that God will hear our
petitions, we must remember that He knows best how to answer them,"
observed Mrs Graybrook. "Confiding in His love, let our hearts be
comforted."
More than once the conversation of the mother and daughter had been
interrupted by the loud uproar of the storm, and Jane, their
maid-servant, who had been sitting by herself in the kitchen, came
running in, exclaiming that she was afraid the whole house would be
blown away.
"It has stood many a severer gale than this, Jane," answered her
mistress. "But bring your work in here, as you are alarmed at being
alone," she added, kindly. "We should be worse off if we were to run
out into the garden."
The girl thankfully took advantage of Mrs Graybrook's permission to sit
in the drawing-room; and her presence prevented the two ladies from
speaking further on the subject which occupied their thoughts.
The usual time for their evening prayers arrived.
It seemed to Hannah, even while they were on their knees, that the gale
blew with less fury than before. It was, indeed, one of those storms
which occasionally, during the equinox, sweep along the coast, and,
though brief, cause much damage to vessels caught near the shore,
especially to such as are ill-found and ill-manned. So do the trials of
life wreck those persons destitute of sound faith and religious
principle, while those who are resting on Jesus are carried through them
and preserved.
Next morning the wind had ceased, and the sun shone forth.
Hannah anxiously looked through the telescope in the direction she had
seen the flashes of the guns. There lay a large ship on the rocks, but
her masts were standing, and boats were passing to and fro from the
shore. She was greatly relieved when she soon afterwards heard that,
though the ship had received much damage, no lives had been lost.
"I was wrong last night in giving way to my faithless fears and running
the risk of alarming you, my dear mother," she said, with a smile. "I
feel my heart happier this morning, and believe that God will protect
those we love, and that we shall yet see the _Steadfast_, with a full
cargo, sailing back towards the Mersey, and, better still, that father
and Harry" (she could not bring herself to utter the name of Leonard
Champion aloud) "may have accepted the truth, and then--" and she looked
upwards--"when we are called upon to part, we may know that we shall
meet together to enjoy the glorious happiness which our gracious Saviour
has prepared for all those who love Him."