Oh! what a gleesome time Nannie had all the long summer day up so near
the blue heavens! There was a rapturous sort of joy in watching the
fleecy clouds as they played in the pure ether, and, while baby slept,
she would kneel down by the window with her head turned side-way upon
her arm, and look into the depths of the sky until she fancied she saw
the spirits beyond; and then her little soul would try to dream out the
mystery of being and immortality. She didn't think so much of this in
the damp dark cellar--every thing there seemed to draw her earthward;
but it was exalting, and refining, and purifying, to be up so near the
angels, and the change was manifested even in her face, which grew more
spiritual, and was really quite winning now.
Her happiness was almost perfect as she contrasted the sad past with the
bright present. There was only one thing more to long for, and that was
books. She could read very well, but all the literature she possessed
was Robinson Crusoe, which one of the ladies at the school had given
her, and that she had learned almost by heart, so that she sung page
after page to Winnie as she lulled her to sleep, and now she craved
something more. She was thinking so earnestly about it that she did not
hear Mr. Bond's knock, nor perceive that he had entered the room and
seated himself by the other window, until he touched her shoulder with
his cane across the table.
"Nannie," said he, as she started and asked his pardon for not noticing
him, "I've brought a book to lend you; would you like to read it?"
A book! Who could have told him that of all things in the world that was
what she most desired?
"Oh! thank you, sir," said she, as her eyes glistened for joy; "I'm so
glad of it, sir!" and she turned the leaves and looked at the
illustrations, while he watched her with a deep interest.
"She would know all that she need to know when she had read the Bible
and Pilgrim's Progress." So Mr. Bond thought. He had not noticed that
there was no Bible there. He forgot that there could be a person in the
world destitute of the precious Word of Life, and he would have gone off
without finding out Nannie's great need, if she had not reminded him of
it as she turned to the explanation of the allegory appended to the work
in her hand. "Oh! it tells about Heaven! doesn't it?" said she, looking
at her kind friend with a sparkling eye.
"Haven't you a Bible, Nannie?" asked he, seeking vainly for one about
the room.
"No, sir," replied the child. "We haven't had one for a long time. Miss
Earl gave me one at the school, but my father took it."
Poor soul! no food for thee, while the world is teeming with the blessed
Book! Tear off the gilt clasps, and the velvet bindings, and scatter the
healing leaves that are hidden within, all about among the people. Let
not one hungry one perish for lack of Heaven's bread while there is
enough and to spare lying all about useless! "Her father took it!" What
for? to learn the way to Paradise? Ah! no--to pawn for the hot liquid
that must drown him in perdition. And the dealer in the dreadful traffic
took it--dared to snatch from his fellow man the comforting words sent
unto him by a loving God, and to substitute instead the poisonous and
damning cup! Even Satan himself must loathe him! Mr. Bond sees it
all--he knows where the Book has gone. But Nannie shall have another,
and she must promise to study it every day.
"I'll send you one, Nannie," said he, "and a little stand to keep it
on--d'ye hear?" and the kind man hurried off to get the holy volume. To
think that he had not seen to that before! It was a moment of penitence
to good Mr. Bond.