_SUNDAY'S REST._
"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice
and be glad in it."--_Psalm_ cxviii, 24.
Nettie's room was the only room on that floor besides her mother's and
Barry's. It was at the back of the house, with a pleasant look-out over
the trees and bushes between it and the spring. Over these the view went
to distant hills and fields, that always looked pretty in all sorts of
lights, Nettie thought. Besides that, it was a clean, neat little room;
bare, to be sure, without even Barry's strip of rag carpet; but on a
little black table lay Nettie's Bible and Sunday-school books; and each
window had a chair; and a chest of drawers held all her little wardrobe
and a great deal of room to spare besides; and the cot-bed in one
corner was nicely made up. It was a very comfortable-looking room to
Nettie.
"So this is the last night I shall sleep here!" she thought as she went
in. "To-morrow I must go up to the attic. Well, I can pray there just
the same; and God will be with me there just the same."
It was a comfort; but it was the only one Nettie could think of in
connection with her removal. The attic was no room, but only a little
garret used as a lumber-place; not boarded up nor plastered at all;
nothing but the beams and the side boarding for the walls, and nothing
but the rafters and the shingles between it and the sky. Besides which,
it was full of lumber of one sort and another. How Nettie was to move up
there the next day, being Sunday, she could not imagine; but she was so
tired that as soon as her head touched her pillow she fell asleep, and
forgot to think about it.
The next thing was the bright morning light rousing her, and the joyful
thought that it was Sunday morning. A beautiful day it was. The eastern
light was shining over upon Nettie's distant hills with all sorts of
fresh, lovely colours, and promise of what the coming hours would bring.
Nettie looked at them lovingly, for she was very fond of them, and had a
great many thoughts about those hills. "As the mountains are round about
Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people;"--that was one thing
they made her think of. She thought of it now as she was dressing, and
it gave her the feeling of being surrounded with a mighty and strong
protection on every side. It made Nettie's heart curiously glad, and her
tongue speak joyful things; for when she knelt down to pray she was full
of thanksgiving.
The next thing was that, taking her tin pail, Nettie set off down to the
spring to get water to boil her kettle. It was so sweet and pleasant--no
other spring could supply nicer water. The dew brushed from the bushes
and grass as she went by; and from every green thing there went up a
fresh dewy smell, that was reviving. The breath of the summer wind,
moving gently, touched her cheek and fluttered her hair, and said God
had given a beautiful day to the world; and Nettie thanked Him in her
heart, and went on rejoicing. Sunday was Nettie's holiday, and Sunday
school and church were her delight. And though she went in all weathers,
and nothing would keep her, yet sunshine is sunshine, and she felt so
this morning. So she gaily filled her pail at the spring and trudged
back with it to the house. The next thing was to tap at her mother's
door.
Mrs. Mathieson opened it, in her night-gown; she was just up, and looked
as if her night's sleep had been all too short for her.
"Why, Nettie! is it late?" she said, as Nettie and the tin pail came in.
"No, mother; it's just good time. You get dressed, and I'll make the
fire ready. It's beautiful out, mother!"
Mrs. Mathieson made no answer, and Nettie went to work with the fire.
It was an easy matter to put in some paper and kindle the light wood;
and when the kettle was on, Nettie went round the room, softly setting
it to rights as well as she could; then glanced at her father, still
sleeping.
"I can't set the table yet, mother."
"No, child; go off, and I'll see to the rest.--If I can get folks up, at
least," said Mrs. Mathieson, somewhat despondingly.
Sunday morning that was a doubtful business, she and Nettie knew. Nettie
went to her own room to carry out a plan she had. If she could manage
to get her things conveyed up to the attic without her mother knowing
it, just so much labour and trouble would be spared her, and her mother
might have a better chance of some rest that day. Little enough, with a
lodger coming that evening! To get her things up there,--that was all
Nettie would do to-day; but that must be done. The steep stairs to the
attic went up from the entry-way, just outside of Nettie's door. She
went up the first time to see what room there was to bestow anything.
The little garret was strewn all over with things carelessly thrown in
merely to get them out of the way. There was a small shutter window in
each gable. One was open, just revealing the utter confusion, but half
showing the dust that lay on everything. The other window, the back
one, was fairly shut up by a great heap of boxes and barrels piled
against it. In no part was there a clear space or a hopeful opening.
Nettie stood aghast for some moments, not knowing what to do. "But if
I don't, mother will have to do it," she thought. It nerved her little
arm, and one thought of her invisible Protector nerved her heart, which
had sunk at first coming up. Softly she moved and began her operations,
lest her mother downstairs should hear and find out what she was about
before it was done. Sunday too! But there was no help for it.
Notwithstanding the pile of boxes, she resolved to begin at the end with
the closed window; for near the other there were things she could not
move: an old stove, a wheelbarrow, a box of heavy iron tools, and some
bags of charcoal, and other matters. By a little pushing and coaxing,
Nettie made a place for the boxes, and then began her task of removing
them. One by one, painfully, for some were unwieldy and some were
weighty, they travelled across in Nettie's arms, or were shoved and
turned over and across the floor, from the window to a snug position
under the eaves, where she stowed them. Barry would have been a good
hand at this business, not to speak of his father; but Nettie knew there
was no help to be expected from either of them, and the very thought of
them did not come into her head. Mr. Mathieson, provided he worked at
his trade, thought the "women folks" might look after the house; Barry
considered that when he had got through the heavy labours of school,
he had done his part of the world's work. So Nettie toiled on with her
boxes and barrels. They scratched her arms; they covered her clean face
with dust; they tried her strength; but every effort saved one to her
mother, and Nettie never stopped except to gather breath and rest.
The last thing of all under the window was a great old chest. Nettie
could not move it, and she thought it might stay there very conveniently
for a seat. All the rest of the pile she cleared away, and then opened
the window. There was no sash--nothing but a wooden shutter fastened
with a hook. Nettie threw it open. There, to her great joy, behold, she
had the very same view of her hills, all shining in the sun now. Only
this window was higher than her old one and lifted her up more above the
tops of the trees, and gave a better and clearer and wider view of the
distant open country she liked so much. Nettie was greatly delighted,
and refreshed herself with a good look out and a breath of fresh air
before she began her labours again. That gave the dust a little chance
to settle too.
There was a good deal to do yet before she could have a place clear for
her bed, not to speak of anything more. However, it was done at last,
the floor brushed up, all ready, and the top of the chest wiped clean;
and next Nettie set about bringing all her things up the stairs and
setting them here, where she could. Her clothes, her little bit of a
looking-glass, her Bible and books and slate, even her little washstand,
she managed to lug up to the attic, with many a journey and much pains.
But it was about done before her mother called her to breakfast. The two
lagging members of the family had been roused at last, and were seated
at the table.
"Why, what have you been doing, child? how you look!" said Mrs.
Mathieson.
"How do I look?" said Nettie.
"Queer enough," said her father.
Nettie laughed, and hastened to another subject: she knew if they got
upon this there would be some disagreeable words before it was over. She
had made up her mind what to do, and now handed her father the money
remaining from her purchases.
"You gave me too much, father, last night," she said, simply; "here is
the rest."
Mr. Mathieson took it and looked at it.
"Did I give you all this?"
"Yes, father."
"Did you pay for what you got, besides?"
"Yes."
He muttered something which was very like an oath in his throat, and
looked at his little daughter, who was quietly eating her breakfast.
Something touched him unwontedly.
"You're an honest little girl," he said. "There! you may have that for
yourself." And he tossed her a shilling.
You could see, by a little streak of pink colour down each of Nettie's
cheeks, that some great thought of pleasure had started into her mind.
"For myself, father?" she repeated.
"All for yourself," said Mr. Mathieson, buttoning up his money with a
very satisfied air.
Nettie said no more, only ate her breakfast a little quicker after that.
It was time, too; for the late hours of some of the family always made
her in a hurry about getting to Sunday school; and the minute Nettie
had done, she got her bonnet--her Sunday bonnet--the best she had to
wear--and set off. Mrs. Mathieson never let her wait for anything at
home _that_ morning.
This was Nettie's happy time. It never troubled her that she had nothing
but a sun-bonnet of white muslin, nicely starched and ironed, while
almost all the other girls that came to the school had little straw
bonnets trimmed with blue and pink, and yellow and green ribbons; and
some of them wore silk bonnets. Nettie did not even think of it; she
loved her Sunday lesson, and her Bible, and her teacher, so much; and it
was such a pleasant time when she went to enjoy them all together. It
was only a little way she had to go, for the road where Mrs. Mathieson
lived, after running down a little farther from the village, met another
road which turned right up the hill to the church; or Nettie could
take the other way, to the main village street, and straight up that.
Generally she chose the forked way, because it was the emptiest.
Nettie's class in the Sunday school was of ten little girls about her
own age; and their teacher was a very pleasant and kind gentleman,
named Mr. Folke. Nettie loved him dearly; she would do anything that Mr.
Folke told her to do. Their teacher was very apt to give the children a
question to answer from the Bible, for which they had to look out texts
during the week. This week the question was, "Who are happy?" and Nettie
was very eager to know what answers the other girls would bring. She
was in good time, and sat resting and watching the boys and girls and
teachers as they came in, before the school began. She was first there
of all her class; and she watched so eagerly to see those who were
coming, that she did not know Mr. Folke was near till he spoke to her.
Nettie started and turned.
"How do you do?" said her teacher, kindly. "Are you quite well, Nettie,
this morning?" For he thought she looked pale and tired. But her face
coloured with pleasure, and a smile shone all over it, as she told him
she was very well.
"Have you found out who are the happy people, Nettie?"
"Yes, Mr. Folke; I have found a verse. But I knew before."
"I thought you did. Who are they, Nettie?"
"Those who love Jesus, sir."
"Ay. In the Christian armour, you know, the feet are 'shod with the
preparation of the Gospel of peace.' With the love of Jesus in our
hearts, our feet can go over rough ways and hardly feel that they are
rough. Do you find it so?"
"Oh yes, sir!"
He said no more, for others of the class now came up; and Nettie
wondered how he knew, or if he knew, that she had a rough way to go
over. But his words were a help and comfort to her. So was the whole
lesson that day. The verses about the happy people were beautiful. The
seven girls who sat on one side of Nettie repeated the blessings told
of in the fifth chapter of St. Matthew, about the poor in spirit, the
mourners, the meek, those that hunger and thirst after righteousness,
the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. Then came Nettie's
verse. It was this:
"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in
the Lord his God."
The next girl gave the words of Jesus, "If ye know these things, happy
are ye if ye do them."
The last gave "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin
is covered."
Then came Mr. Folke's verse, and Netty thought it was the most beautiful
of all.
"Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to
the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
Then Mr. Folke talked about that city--its streets of gold, and the
gates of pearl, through which nothing that defileth can by any means
enter. He told how Jesus will make His people happy there; how they will
be with Him, and all their tears wiped away. And Jesus will be their
Shepherd; His sheep will not wander from Him any more; "and they shall
see His face, and His name shall be in their foreheads."
From school they went to church, of course. A strange clergyman preached
that day, and Nettie could not understand him always; but the words of
the hymn and Mr. Folke's words ran in her head then, and she was very
happy all church-time. And as she was walking home, still the tune and
the words ran in her ears,--
"Jesus all the day long
Is my joy and my song;
O that all His salvation might see!"
So, thinking busily, Nettie got home and ran upstairs. What a change! It
looked like a place very, very far from those gates of pearl.
Her mother sat on one side of the stove, not dressed for church, and
leaning her head on her hand. Mr. Mathieson was on the other side,
talking and angry. Barry stood back, playing ball by himself by throwing
it up and catching it again. The talk stopped at Nettie's entrance. She
threw off her bonnet and began to set the table, hoping that would bring
peace.
"Your father don't want any dinner," said Mrs. Mathieson.
"Yes, I do!" thundered her husband; "but I tell you I'll not take
anything now; so leave your cooking till supper--when Lumber will be
here. Go on, child, and get your work done."
There were no preparations for dinner, and Nettie was at a loss, and did
not like to say anything for fear of bringing on a storm. Her mother
looked both weary and out of temper. The kettle was boiling, the only
thing about the room that had a pleasant seeming.
"Will you have a cup of tea, father?" said Nettie.
"Anything you like--yes, a cup of tea will do; and hark ye, child, I
want a good stout supper got this afternoon. Your mother don't choose
to hear me. Mr. Lumber is coming, and I want a good supper to make him
think he's got to the right place. Do you hear, Nettie?"
"Yes, father."
Nettie went on to do the best she could. She warmed the remains of last
night's porridge, and gave it to Barry, with treacle, to keep him
quiet. Meanwhile she had made the tea, and toasted a slice of bread
very nicely, though with great pains, for the fire wasn't good; and the
toast and a cup of tea she gave to her father. He ate it with an
eagerness which let Nettie know she must make another slice as fast as
possible.
"Hallo! Nettie--I say, give us some of that, will you?" said Barry,
finding his porridge poor in taste.
"Barry, there isn't bread enough--I can't," whispered Nettie. "We've got
to keep a loaf for supper."
"Eat what you've got, or let it alone!" thundered Mr. Mathieson, in the
way he had when he was out of patience, and which always tried Nettie
exceedingly.
"She's got more," said Barry. "She's toasting two pieces this minute. I
want one."
"I'll knock you over if you say another word," said his father.
Nettie was frightened, for she saw he meant to have the whole, and she
had destined a bit for her mother. However, when she gave her father his
second slice, she ventured, and took the other with a cup of tea to the
forlorn figure on the other side of the stove. Mrs. Mathieson took only
the tea. But Mr. Mathieson's ire was roused afresh. Perhaps toast and
tea didn't agree with him.
"Have you got all ready for Mr. Lumber?" he said, in a tone of voice
very unwilling to be pleased.
"No," said his wife,--"I have had no chance. I have been cooking and
clearing up all the morning. His room isn't ready."
"Well, you had better get it ready pretty quick. What's to do?"
"Everything's to do," said Mrs. Mathieson.
He swore at her. "Why can't you answer a plain question? I say, _what's_
to do?"
"There's all Nettie's things in the room at present. They are all to
move upstairs, and the red bedstead to bring down."
"No, mother," said Nettie, gently, "all my things are upstairs already;
there's only the cot and the bed, that I couldn't move."
Mrs. Mathieson gave no outward sign of the mixed feeling of pain
and pleasure that shot through her heart. Pleasure at her child's
thoughtful love, pain that she should have to show it in such a way.
"When did you do it, Nettie?"
"This morning before breakfast, mother. It's all ready, father, if you
or Barry would take up my cot and the bed, and bring down the other
bedstead. It's too heavy for me."
"That's what I call doing business and having some spirit," said her
father. "Not sitting and letting your work come to you. Here, Nettie,
I'll do the rest for you."
Nettie ran with him to show him what was wanted; and Mr. Mathieson's
strong arms had it all done very quickly. Nettie eagerly thanked him;
and then seeing him in good humour with her, she ventured something
more.
"Mother's very tired to-day, father," she whispered; "she'll feel better
by-and-bye if she has a little rest. Do you think you would mind helping
me put up this bedstead?"
"Well, here goes!" returned Mr. Mathieson. "Which piece belongs here, to
begin with?"
Nettie did not know much better than he; but putting not only her whole
mind but also her whole heart into it, she managed to find out and
to direct him successfully. Her part was hard work: she had to stand
holding up the heavy end of the bedstead while her father fitted in the
long pieces; and then she helped him to lace the cords, which had to be
drawn very tight; and precious time was running away fast, and Nettie
had had no dinner. But she stood patiently, with a thought in her heart
which kept her in peace all the while. When it was done, Mr. Mathieson
went out, and Nettie returned to her mother. She was sitting where she
had left her. Barry was gone.
"Mother, won't you have something to eat?"
"I can't eat, child. Have you had anything yourself?"
Nettie had seized a remnant of her father's toast, and was munching it
hastily.
"Mother, won't you put on your gown and come to church this afternoon?
Do! It will rest you. Do, mother!"
"You forget I've got to get supper, child. Your father doesn't think
it necessary that anybody should rest, or go to church, or do anything
except work. What he is thinking of, I am sure I don't know. There is no
place to eat in but this room, and he is going to bring a stranger into
it; and if I was dying I should have to get up for every meal that is
wanted. I never thought I should come to live so! And I cannot dress
myself, or prepare the victuals, or have a moment to myself, but I have
the chance of Mr. Lumber and your father in here to look on! It is worse
than a dog's life!"
It looked pretty bad, Nettie thought. She did not know what to say. She
began clearing away the things on the table.
"And what sort of a man this Mr. Lumber is, I don't know. I dare say he
is like his name--one of your father's cronies--a drinker and a swearer.
And Mr. Mathieson will bring him here, to be on my hands! It will kill
me before spring, if it lasts."
"Couldn't there be a bed made somewhere else for Barry, mother? and then
we could eat in there."
"Where would you make it? I could curtain off a corner of this room,
but Barry wouldn't have it, nor your father; and they'd all want to be
close to the fire the minute the weather grows the least bit cool. No;
there is nothing for me but to live on till Death calls for me!"
"Mother, Jesus said, 'He that liveth and believeth in Me shall never
die.'"
"Oh, yes!" said Mrs. Mathieson, with a kind of long-drawn groan, "I
don't know how it will be about that! I get so put about now in these
times, that it seems to me I don't know my own soul!"
"Mother, come to church this afternoon."
"I can't, child. I've got to put up that man's bed and make it."
"That is all done, mother, and the floor brushed up. Do come!"
"Why, who put it up?"
"Father and I."
"Well! you do beat all, Nettie. But I can't, child; I haven't time."
"Yes, mother, plenty. There's all the hour of Sunday school before
church begins. Now do, mother!"
"Well, you go off to school; and if I can, maybe I will. You go right
off, Nettie."
Nettie went, feeling weary and empty by dint of hard work and a dinner
of a small bit of dry toast. But she thought little about that. She
wanted to ask Mr. Folke a question.
The lesson that afternoon was upon the peacemakers; and Mr. Folke asked
the children what ways they knew of being a peacemaker. The answer,
somehow, was not very ready.
"Isn't it to stop people from quarrelling?" one child asked.
"How can you do that, Jane?"
Jane seemed doubtful. "I could ask them to stop," she said.
"Well, suppose you did. Would angry people mind your asking?"
"I don't know, sir. If they were very angry, I suppose they wouldn't."
"Perhaps not. One thing is certain, Jane; you must have peace in your
own heart, to give you the least chance."
"How, Mr. Folke?"
"If you want to put out a fire, you must not stick into it something
that will catch."
"That would make the fire worse," said one of the girls.
"Certainly. So if you want to touch quarrelsome spirits with the least
hope of softening them, you must be so full of the love of Jesus
yourself that nothing but love can come out of your own spirit. You see,
it means a good deal to be a peacemaker."
"I always thought that must be one of the easiest things of the whole
list," said one of the class.
"You won't find it so, I think; or rather you will find they are all
parts of the same character, and the blessing is one. But there are
more ways of being a peacemaker. What do you do when the hinge of a
door creaks?"
One said "She didn't know;" another said "Nothing." "I stop my ears,"
said a third. Mr. Folke laughed.
"_That_ would not do for a peacemaker," he said. "Don't you know what
makes machinery work smoothly?"
"Oil!" cried Jane.
"Oil to be sure! One little drop of oil will stop ever so much creaking
and groaning and complaining, of hinges and wheels and all sorts of
machines. Now, people's tempers are like wheels and hinges. But what
sort of oil shall we use?"
The girls looked at each other, and then one of them said, "Kindness."
"To be sure! A gentle word, a look of love, a little bit of kindness,
will smooth down a roughened temper or a wry face, and soften a hard
piece of work, and make all go easily. And so of reproving sinners. The
Psalmist says, 'Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and
let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break
my head.' But, you see, the peacemaker must be righteous himself, or he
hasn't the oil. Love is the oil--the 'love of Jesus.'"
"Mr. Folke," said Nettie, timidly, "wasn't Jesus a peacemaker?"
"The greatest that ever lived!" said Mr. Folke, his eyes lighting up
with pleasure at her question. "He made all the peace there is in the
world, for He bought it, when He died on the cross to reconcile man with
God. All our drops of oil were bought with drops of blood."
"And," said Nettie, hesitatingly, "Mr. Folke, isn't that one way of
being a peacemaker?"
"What?"
"I mean, to persuade people to be at peace with Him?"
"That is the way above all others, my child; that is truly to be the
'children of God.' Jesus came and preached peace; and that is what His
servants are doing, and will do, till He comes. And 'they shall be
called the children of God.' 'Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought
also to love one another.'"
Mr. Folke paused, with a face so full of thought, of eagerness, and of
love, that none of the children spoke, and some of them wondered. And
before Mr. Folke spoke again, the superintendent's little bell rang,
and they all stood up to sing. But Nettie Mathieson hardly could sing;
it seemed to her so glorious a thing to be _that_ sort of a peacemaker.
Could she be one? But the Lord blessed the peacemakers; then it must be
His will that all His children should be such; then He would enable her
to be one! It was a great thought. Nettie's heart swelled with hope and
joy and prayer. She knew whose peace she longed for first of all.
Her mother had now come to church, so Nettie enjoyed all the services,
with nothing to hinder. Then they walked home together, not speaking
much to each other, but every step of the way pleasant in the Sunday
afternoon light, till they got to their own door. Nettie knew what her
mother's sigh meant, as they mounted the stairs. Happily, nobody was at
home yet but themselves.
"Now, mother," said Nettie, when she had changed her dress and come to
the common room, "what's to be for supper? I'll get it. You sit still
and read, if you want to, while it's quiet. What must we have?"
"There is not a great deal to do," said Mrs. Mathieson. "I boiled the
pork this morning, and that was what set your father up so; that's
ready; and he says there must be cakes. The potatoes are all ready to
put down--I was going to boil 'em this morning, and he stopped me."
Nettie looked grave about the cakes.
"However, mother," she said, "I don't believe that little loaf of bread
would last, even if you and I didn't touch it; it is not very big."
Mrs. Mathieson wearily sat down and took her Testament, as Nettie begged
her; and Nettie put on the kettle and the pot of potatoes, and made the
cakes ready to bake. The table was set, and the treacle and everything
on it, except the hot things, when Barry burst in.
"Hallo, cakes!--hallo, treacle!" he shouted. "Pork and treacle--that's
the right sort of thing. Now we're going to live something like."
"Hush, Barry, don't make such a noise," said his sister. "You know it's
Sunday evening."
"Sunday! well, what about Sunday? What's Sunday good for, except to eat,
I should like to know?"
"O Barry!"
"O Barry!" said he, mimicking her. "Come, shut up, and fry your cake.
Father and Lumber will be here just now."
Nettie hushed, as she was bidden; and as soon as her father's step
was heard below, she went to frying cakes with all her might. She
just turned her head to give one look at Mr. Lumber as he came in. He
appeared to her very like her father, but without the recommendation
which her affection gave to Mr. Mathieson. A big, strong, burly fellow,
with the same tinges of red about his face that the summer sun had never
brought there. Nettie did not want to look again.
She had a good specimen this evening of what they might expect in
future. Mrs. Mathieson poured out the tea, and Nettie baked the cakes;
and perhaps because she was almost faint for want of something to eat,
she thought no three people ever ate so many griddle cakes before at one
meal. In vain plateful after plateful went upon the board, and Nettie
baked them as fast as she could; they were eaten just as fast; and when
finally the chairs were pushed back, and the men went downstairs, Nettie
and her mother looked at each other.
"There's only one left, mother," said Nettie.
"And he has certainly eaten half the piece of pork," said Mrs.
Mathieson. "Come, child, take something yourself; you're ready to drop.
I'll clear away."
But it is beyond the power of any disturbance to take away the gladness
of a heart where Jesus is. Nettie's bread was sweet to her, even that
evening. Before she had well finished her supper, her father and his
lodger came back. They sat down on either side the fire, and began to
talk of politics, and of their work on which they were then engaged,
with their employers and their fellow-workmen; of the state of business
in the village, and profits and losses, and the success of particular
men in making money. They talked loudly and eagerly; and Nettie had to
go round and round them to get to the fire for hot water, and back to
the table to wash up the cups and plates. Her mother was helping at
the table, but to get round Mr. Lumber to the pot of hot water on the
fire every now and then, fell to Nettie's share. It was not a very nice
ending of her sweet Sabbath day, she thought. The dishes were done and
put away, and still the talk went on as hard as ever. It was sometimes a
pleasure to Nettie's father to hear her sing hymns of a Sunday evening.
Nettie watched for a chance, and the first time there was a lull of the
voices of the two men, she asked softly,
"Shall I sing, father?"
Mr. Mathieson hesitated, and then answered,
"No,--better not, Nettie: Mr. Lumber might not find it amusing;" and the
talk began again.
Nettie waited a little longer, feeling exceedingly tired. Then she rose
and lighted a candle.
"What are you doing, Nettie?" her mother said.
"I am going to bed, mother."
"You can't take a candle up there, child! the attic's all full of
things, and you would certainly set us on fire."
"I'll take great care, mother."
"But you can't, child! The wind might blow the snuff of your candle
right into something that would be all a-flame by the time you're
asleep. You must manage without a light somehow."
"But I can't see to find my way," said Nettie, who was secretly
trembling with fear.
"I'll light you then, for once, and you'll soon learn the way. Give me
the candle."
Nettie hushed the words that came crowding into her mouth, and clambered
up the steep stairs to the attic. Mrs. Mathieson followed her with the
candle till she got to the top, and there she held it till Nettie had
found her way to the other end where her bed was. Then she said "Good
night!" and went down.
The little square shutter of the window was open, and a ray of moonlight
streamed in upon the bed. It was nicely made up: Nettie saw that her
mother had been there and had done that for her, and wrought a little
more space and order among the things around the bed. But the moonlight
did not get in far enough to show much more. Just a little of this thing
and of that could be seen; a corner of a chest, or a gleam on the side
of a meal-bag: the half-light showed nothing clearly except the confused
fulness of the little attic. Nettie had given her head a blow against a
piece of timber as she came through it; and she sat down upon her little
bed, feeling rather miserable. Her fear was that the rats might visit
her up there. She did not certainly know that there were rats in the
attic, but she had been fearing to think of them, and did not dare to
ask, as well as unwilling to give trouble to her mother; for if they
_did_ come there, Nettie did not see how the matter could be mended. She
sat down on her little bed, so much frightened that she forgot how tired
she was. Her ears were as sharp as needles, listening to hear the scrape
of a rat's tooth upon a timber, or the patter of his feet over the
floor.
For a few minutes Nettie almost thought she could not sleep up there
alone, and must go down and implore her mother to let her spread her bed
in a corner of her room. But what a bustle that would make! Her mother
would be troubled, and her father would be angry, and the lodger would
be disturbed, and there was no telling how much harm would come of it.
No; the peacemaker of the family must not do that. And then the words
floated into Nettie's mind again, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called the children of God." Like a strain of the sweetest
music it floated in; and if an angel had come and brought the words
straight to Nettie, she could not have been more comforted. She felt the
rats could not hurt her while she was within hearing of that music; and
she got up and kneeled down upon the chest under the little window, and
looked out.
It was like the day that had passed, not like the evening. So purely and
softly the moon-beams lay on all the fields and trees and hills, there
was no sign of anything but peace and purity to be seen. No noise of
men's work or voices; no clangour of the iron foundry which on week-days
might be heard; no sight of anything unlovely; but the wide beauty which
God had made, and the still peace and light which He had spread over it.
Every little flapping leaf seemed to Nettie to tell of its Maker; and
the music of those words seemed to be all through the still air--"Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."
Tears of gladness and hope slowly gathered in Nettie's eyes. The
children of God will enter in, by-and-bye, through those pearly gates,
into that city of gold "where they need no candle, neither light of the
sun, for the Lord God giveth them light."
"So He can give me light here--or what's better than light," thought
Nettie. "God isn't only out there, in all that beautiful moonlight
world--He is here in my poor little attic too; and He will take just as
good care of me as He does of the birds, and better, for I am His child,
and they are only His beautiful little servants."
Nettie's fear was gone. She prayed her evening prayer, and trusted
herself to the Lord Jesus to take care of her; and then she undressed
herself and lay down and went to sleep, just as quietly as any sparrow
of them all, with its head under its wing.
"O day of rest and gladness!
O day of joy and light!
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright!
On thee the high and lowly,
Through ages join'd in tune,
Sing, Holy, Holy, Holy,
To the great God Triune."