Rosa's Quest Part 11

Grandpa was lying upon an immaculate bed, while everything surrounding him was far more indicative of loving thoughtfulness than of luxury. In his hand he clasped a beautiful rose, because during his rational moments he so often spoke of the "pretty roses a-growin' by the brook down in the lane." The rose was presented by none other than Dr. Dale, not--so he a.s.sured himself--that he was in the least sympathetic with the Fairfaxes in their eccentric freak. It was simply for the good of the patient that all small whims be humored.

Upon a nearby table was Esther's violin. During the long hours of the preceding night, when the burning fever produced a great restlessness in the weary sufferer, nothing soothed him but the low, sweet strains of music.

Now he was calm, and for the first time since Tom died clothed in his right mind.

"Sary, how be you?" he feebly asked, as she slowly walked up to his side. "I'm so glad you've come, fer it's all straightened out now, and I want to thank you afore I go fer all you've done fer me. And may somebody take care of you real kind when you git old and can't work no more. I've been a big bother, Sary. You've had a good deal to put up with since Tom died, but you've been mighty kind. You've always give me enough to eat, and kep' me warm, and you've had to work awful hard to do it. I thank you, Sary, and may G.o.d bless you! But I do want you to find Jesus, the way to the beautiful land. You won't have it so hard there.

He's paid for everything, and it's free fer the askin'."

"Oh, father," she said, dropping upon her knees and weeping bitterly for the first time in many years, "you ain't got nothin' to thank me fer.

I've never seen till jest this minute how awful mean I've been. You did your very best to please me, and the harder you tried, the more I scolded. I wish I'd been better to you. No, you ain't got nothin' at all to thank me fer, and I'll miss you so! I don't know why I've never seen it before, and you've always been so good. I'll never git over feelin'

mean about it, no, I never will, oh dear, dear!"

"There, there, Sary, don't cry! It's all right now."

Tenderly he stroked the hand which many times had been raised threateningly against him, and tried to soothe the thoroughly conscience-striken woman.

"Sary, I do want you to find Jesus. It's so mighty sweet to know Him, and He'll help you over all the hard places,--He says He will; and He always carries the heavy end of the load, too."

"I'm too wicked and mean, father. He wouldn't have me," she sobbed, "but I wish He would; I need Him bad, and want help."

"Mrs. Gray,"--it was the minister who spoke and who had been a silent witness of the pathetic scene,--"Jesus died to save you."

"I wish I knew it," she moaned, "but I'm too mean. I'm the biggest sinner in the world to treat father and Rosa the way I have."

"If you are the biggest sinner in the world, then I know that Jesus died to save you. Listen to His word: 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.' You consider yourself the chief of sinners, do you?"

"Yes, I do; I know I am."

"Who came to save the chief of sinners?"

"Why, the verse says Christ Jesus did."

"Yes, Mrs. Gray, that is true. Then whom did Jesus Christ come to save?"

"Oh, He came to save me, He came to save me! How could He ever do it?"

"Just because G.o.d so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Do you believe it?"

"Yes, how can I help it, when He done all that?"

"Then if you believe in Him, what have you?"

"Everlasting life! Everlasting life!" Dreamily, yet joyously, she repeated the words many times, trying to comprehend their fathomless depths.

"But," she anxiously asked, "what about my sins? You don't know how mean I've been."

"'And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.'"

"Oh, thank G.o.d, thank G.o.d! He's give me everlasting life, and won't remember my sins. I want to begin all over now, and do somethin' fer Him before I die."

In broken pet.i.tions she poured forth her heart in prayer to G.o.d, while at the same moment angelic songs were started anew around the throne above. Another soul was born again.

Is there less rejoicing over there when the soul saved chances to be the tenant of a roughly-hewn temple? Ah no, for it required the shedding of just the same precious blood as for the souls of earth's greatest and n.o.blest!

An expression of unspeakable peace lighted up grandpa's happy face, as he murmured:

"Oh, Sary, I'm so glad, so mighty glad! Now I'll tell Tom you're a-comin', and we'll both be a-watchin' fer you. Won't we be happy when we all git safe home? Goodby, Sary! You've always been a good woman, yes, a very good woman, and now Jesus will take care of you. Goodby, till we meet ag'in!"

The effort of speaking seemed to exhaust him perceptably, and he sank off into a deep sleep.

It was evident that the end was near, and hastily Dr. Dale was summoned.

Upon examining his patient, he found that in a few minutes, or perhaps a half an hour at the most, all would be over.

Silently they watched him. Rosa understood better now than she did a few weeks before what the "moving" meant. She knew that she would be lonely without grandpa, her one comforter through many a dark and dreary hour, and the tears began to gather.

At this Dr. Dale became restless. Just to avoid a scene, he took the little girl up into his arms, wiping away the tears and whispering words of comfort.

Mrs. Gray sat nearest the dying man, gently smoothing back the snowy locks from his forehead. His breath was growing shorter and shorter, but there was no struggle. Suddenly his eyes opened, and with a smile of recognition he greeted each one.

"Oh," he faintly whispered, "Jesus is the way, Jesus is the way! Sing to me my song, won't you, please?"

With difficulty Esther and her father complied with the request, while the doctor walked nervously up and down the room with Rosa still in his arms.

"Oh, how sweet it will be in that beautiful land, So free from all sorrow and pain, With songs on our lips and with harps in our hands, To meet one another again!"

As the words of the last verse died away, the soul took its flight to rejoice forever in the presence of the King.

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to G.o.d which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

VIII.

DUST TO DUST.

The events of Sunday morning had occasioned much comment upon the part of Dr. Fairfax's paris.h.i.+oners.

The majority, after taking time for consideration, approved, and became intensely interested to know the outcome of the strange proceeding.

During the few hours of grandpa's illness many messengers called to learn the latest news, and it cheered the pastor's heart to find that after all he was far from being alone in his love for G.o.d's neglected poor.

He had planned a quiet funeral, and was arranging to that effect when requests from all sides began pouring in that it might be held in the church.

"It is a signal opportunity, father," Esther had said when consulted, so a public funeral was soon announced together with another innovation.

Instead of the customary floral offerings, it was suggested that the people bring gifts of money to place upon the casket, to be used in the forwarding of city mission work.