"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps on the sea,
And rides upon the storm."
And I felt impressed to say, alluding to the providential and gracious
preparation of the lad for the sudden coming of the messenger, that,
if the bereaved would seek grace to look away from secondary causes
up to the great First Cause, confiding in his wisdom and love, I
felt confident they would yet see proofs of a kind design in their
affliction, and learn that by it God intended signal good to themselves
and others; a remark which subsequent events justified. But I will not
anticipate.
The mother's sorrowful face haunted me all the way during the
ride back. Few words were spoken by our little company, before so
companionable. The gloom of the death-room was on us all. The very
landscape seemed in unison with the scene we had left, as it stretched
away to the horizon, smooth and treeless, wrapped in its fleecy shroud.
As I glanced athwart the long, dull level, I thought of the races that
once held possession here, now gone. What was that great solitude but
a vast city of the dead, without a memento? Only one living thing
appeared as far as the eye could reach. On a gently swelling mound near
by, scarcely distinguishable, in its garb of pure white, from the snowy
hillock, sat a large Arctic bird ("strix nyctea"). Naturalists say that
nearly all the notes of birds are plaintive. With a moaning scream,
like one in distress, the bird soared over us, his eagle size and
swan-like plumage adding majesty to his lonely flight. The whole was in
unison with the sad emotions that ruled our hearts.
"I thank you for calling for me," said my infidel friend, as he stepped
out of the sleigh at his gate.
"And I thank 'you,'" I replied, "for opening the way for Christian
labor on behalf of that afflicted family. If it benefits them, you
brought it about. And my prayer is, that it may do us 'all' good!"
"I hope it may," he rejoined, with a tremulous voice, as he entered his
door.
The driver was not so much to blame as at first appeared. He did not
realize that the boy was so feeble. Many kind-hearted people, blessed
with health, cannot be made to understand the condition of those less
favored in this regard. How often the incurably diseased, suffering
indescribable horrors, subjected to the slow-wasting power of some
chronic complaint, are contemptuously treated by those who might cheer
their gloom and soften their hard lot. Ah! Dear reader, let us never be
wanting in tenderest sympathy toward the frail, sensitive invalid, soon
perhaps to be hidden from our sight by the clinging turf.