A NEW FRIEND.
After the conversation with Brownlee about the Bible, Charlie took his
pocket Bible down the mine regularly; his father wished him to read a
little every day at his dinner-time. He was one of those people who
never like to waste a minute, and in his dinner-time he managed
generally to have something to read that was worth reading. Bob was
really grateful to Charlie for interfering in his behalf, and lost no
opportunity of showing it. It was astonishing how he improved: so much
good in him that had been lying dormant was called out under Charlie's
better influence. Sometimes he seemed half ashamed of his good
behaviour, and would break out for a time into the old reckless way; but
one night on their way home Charlie was talking in his own loving way
about his dear father and mother, and their kindness to him; how his
plans for being an engineer had been put aside by his father's illness;
how he hoped soon to get more wages for their sakes, and so on, when in
some unaccountable way Bob's whole nature seemed softened; and as if he
could not help it, he poured out to Charlie his home troubles and all
his old life; how he had fallen amongst bad companions, and grew up to
be hardened and reckless, almost without even a wish to be better.
Sometimes, when he saw Charlie and the other boys going to Mrs.
Greenwell's class, looking so happy and clean and orderly, the wish
that he was like them would creep into his heart; but he drove it away,
and called after them with mocking words. All this and much more he told
Charlie with tears streaming down his face, and his voice broken by
sobs.
It almost frightened Charlie to see mocking, reckless Bob give way so
completely. He was just wondering what he had better say to him, when
Bob bid him good-night abruptly, and turned off home.
After that night Bob never again attempted to keep up his
care-for-nothing-or-nobody tone before Charlie. He generally brought his
dinner now to eat beside Charlie. The first time the Bible was brought
out, when they had finished, which required a little courage at first,
Bob got up and sauntered away; the second time he sat still and whistled
popular song tunes in a subdued tone, while Charlie read to himself; the
third time he sat quietly; the fourth day the Bible was brought out he
shuffled about uneasily, and at last said, "You may as well read out if
you must read; it's dull sitting here without anybody to speak to."
Charlie gladly agreed. "Let us read in turns," he said.
Bob did not object, for he read well, and was rather proud of it. After
this the Bible reading was an established custom, and Bob got very much
interested as he read the history of Joseph, Moses, and others. Hudson
Brownlee, happening to pass one day, stopped to listen when he saw how
they were occupied, and soon a third was added regularly to the little
party. After a parable or any striking passage had been read they would
each give their own idea of its meaning and teaching, spending much
thought upon it in their eagerness to give it in the best and clearest
way. Often during their work Hudson Brownlee, Bob, and Charlie too,
would ponder over some passage they had heard or read, comparing the
different opinions upon it, applying it, thinking it out, and turning it
over in their mind, until some great truth would stand out from the
rest, fixing itself immoveably in their hearts and understandings. And
so this study of the Bible, begun without any real religious feeling (on
Bob and Brownlee's part, at any rate), led them to higher things--to a
knowledge of God's holiness, of their own sin and unworthiness, and
their need of a Saviour.
But this was a work of time, and we must now go back a little in our
history.
When Charlie had been two months down the mine as a trapper, he was
advanced to a higher post and better wages as a putter. He might have
had the increase of wages quite a month before, but he put off applying
for the place until it was too late, and another boy had been appointed.
Harry Greenwell lent him some elementary books on mechanics, for his old
love for such things was as strong as ever, and now that he was putter
he had many opportunities of examining the working of the engine
stationed down the mine. Those were glorious days for Charlie when it
was out of order, and the engineer had to come down; he would hover
round him, holding the tools for the men, helping to lift or carry
anything, glad of any excuse to be near. His questions were so sensible
and thoughtful, and his suggestions sometimes, for a youth, so good,
that the engineer became quite interested in him, and explained to him
thoroughly the working of the engine, giving him really valuable
teaching in mechanics; and this knowledge stood him in good stead, as
you will hear.
On coming down to his work one morning he was surprised to find his
favourite, the engine, at a stand-still. A number of the miners were
near it, all talking together, trying to account for the accident, and
deploring the absence of the engineer, who was away for a day or two's
holiday.
Mr. Carlton, the viewer, looked vexed and annoyed; he was asking the
overman to send to a mine a few miles off for their engineer. Charlie
made his way to the engine, and soon saw what was wrong. It was not
much, and he felt sure that if he had the help of a pair of strong arms
he could get it into working order.
In his excitement he pushed his way to Mr. Carlton, and exclaimed, "I
know what is wrong with her, sir; if you will just come and look, sir,
I'll show you."
Mr. Carlton, surprised and amused, followed him, and Charlie, stooping
down and pointing up, full of animation, explained so clearly and
intelligently the nature of the misfortune, and how it might be
remedied, that Mr. Carlton, no longer with the amused expression on his
face, called to one of the men, "Come here, Shields, and help him."
In an hour's time Charlie's pet was working away as hard as ever.
"Well done, my boy," said Mr. Carlton; "tell me where you picked up all
this knowledge."
The men were gone off to their work, and Mr. Carlton soon drew all
Charlie's little history from him. He made no remark, excepting that
when Charlie made his polite bow and turned off to his work, he asked
him where his father lived.
In the evening, when Charlie got home, he thought his father and mother
looked very smiling and mysterious, and after they had kept him guessing
what was the cause for a little while, they told him that Mr. Carlton
had been there; he thought they would like to hear of Charlie's success
with the engine. "And here's good news for you," said his mother. "Mr.
Carlton says that if you like to work as a putter six hours a day you
may help the engineer, and learn all you can, the other six, and he will
give you the same wages as you earn now."
Charlie threw himself into a chair, and sat quite still for a few
moments. "Isn't it wonderful, mother?" he said at last--"isn't it
wonderful? When I went down the pit there seemed no chance of my ever
doing anything else all my life. The _other_ seemed impossible; and yet
how God has brought it all about! I shall be an engineer after all, and
I have good wages too to begin with. If I hadn't given up all thoughts
of it, and gone quietly down the pit because God made me feel it was my
duty, I should have lost all this. I hope I shall never doubt Him after
this. Won't it be capital, father?" he went on, getting excited. "When I
get plenty of money you shall have such a beautiful garden and
greenhouse! I think you're feeling better for the rest already, are you
not?"
John Heedman could not bear to damp Charlie's happiness, so he turned
off the question by saying, "Mr. Roberts, the clergyman, was here
to-day. I told him about Brownlee and Bob White; he was very pleased to
hear about you all meeting for Bible reading, and he is going to look
out for them, and get them to a Bible class he has every week, and to
the house of God."
The only drawback to Charlie's happiness now was the increasing illness
of his father. Sanguine and hopeful as he was, he could not blind
himself to the fact that every day his father got weaker and weaker.
A visit to John Heedman was a lesson in Christianity to any one,--his
wonderful patience under suffering, his perfect trust in the Saviour,
his quiet waiting for the end--happy to go, yet happy to stay and suffer
so long as it pleased God.