The Little Gleaner Part 1

The Little Gleaner.

Vol. X.

by Various.

A TOUCHING INCIDENT.

A very touching incident occurred lately at Governeur Hospital, New York City.

Little Annie Ashpurvis was sent by her parents to the cellar for some firewood. The child, who was but six years old, took a lighted lamp in her hand, and while descending the stairs, her foot slipped, and she fell, breaking the lamp, the flames of the burning fluid soon enveloping her entire body. As soon as the surgeon was called, the little sufferer was driven in an ambulance to the hospital. The child was put on a sofa cot, and the surgeon did all he could to alleviate her suffering, but it was impossible to save her life. Under the influence of a narcotic, she soon fell asleep. Thus she lay slowly breathing for some hours. Her face was so swollen that she could not open her eyes. About half-past two in the morning she showed signs of returning consciousness. The watchful nurse asked her if she would take a drink. She distinctly answered, "Yes." In a moment the house surgeon was beside her cot. He felt the pulse, but shook his head, and turned to go away. As he did so, the little creature moved her body. She turned half around. The dim light of the candle shone on the blackened face. The swollen lips pursed out, and in a clear, sweet voice, the dying child began to sing, "Nearer, my G.o.d, to Thee." The doctor and the nurse stood transfixed. The other patients in the silent, darkened ward leaned on their elbows and drank in the sweet melody. The first verse completed, she gradually sank back on her pillow. Her strength began to fail, and with it her voice, and only the humming, like distant music, of the air of the hymn could be heard. How sweet, yet weird, that humming sounded! The candle lent its meagre light, and the big clock in the corner told out its seconds, as the sweet little soul pa.s.sed out to its Maker. The humming ceased. All was over. The doctor turned away with his handkerchief raised to his eyes.

The nurse gazed into the flame of the candle, and heaved a sigh. She seemed to read the little one's death there.

When the remains were buried, the coffin was strewn with flowers, offerings of her little schoolmates, with whom the dead child had been a great favourite.--

_Evangelist_.

SELF-DENIAL.--There never did, and never will, exist anything permanent, and n.o.ble, and excellent in a character which was a stranger to the exercise of resolute self-denial.

"ONLY ONCE."

"Stop a minute, James. We're making up a skating party to go down the river to-night. We shall build a fire on the island, and have a grand time. Come, go with us."

"No, George, I can't. Father says I must skate on the ca.n.a.l. It isn't so wide, nor quite so good skating, I know, but it's safe."

"Nonsense! The ice is at least two inches thick anywhere, even in the thinnest places."

"No matter. I can't skate on the river."

"Well, then, come to the ca.n.a.l. You can skate out to the fork, where it joins the river, and see us all. Will you do that?"

"Yes."

"All right. Be there at seven."

James was ready with his skates at the time appointed, and about to leave the house.

"Where now, James?" asked his father.

"I'm going to skate awhile on the ca.n.a.l, father."

"Well, it's a bright evening, but don't stay late, and don't go on the river."

Just then James's little sister, Marion, who was ready to go to bed, shouted after him, "Stop, James! Give me a kiss," and holding up her rosebud mouth, in a plump face, from which the laughing eyes were s.h.i.+ning, she received his good-night kiss, and he went out. As he pa.s.sed the window, he saw, through the half-drawn curtains, little Marion by her mother, with the Bible. The father had laid his Book down, and they sat reverently listening while his pet.i.tion went up to heaven. It was a beautiful picture. Poor Jamie! With what different feelings would he have looked upon it, had he then known what was to happen within the next two hours!

He crossed the field before the house, and was soon on the ca.n.a.l, and gliding swiftly towards the river, from which the sound of merry voices already reached his ear; and as he wheeled splendidly, just at the entrance of the ca.n.a.l, the boys saw him, and came bearing down upon him like a fleet of swift s.h.i.+ps before the wind.

"Hurrah, James!" cried a dozen of them, as they joined company on the ca.n.a.l.

There they amused themselves awhile, racing, skating backward, and cutting all sorts of fanciful figures upon the ice, until George gave the word, "Now for the island!" and with loud shouts they shot out together upon the river, all but James.

"I must leave you now," he said.

"Oh, James, don't!" cried several at once.

"Now, see here, James," said George; "what's the use of being so set? Go down with us this time."

"Father said, 'Don't go on the river.'"

"Well, as to that, you've been on the river two or three times. Look at your marks."

James now saw that, in the excitement of their sport, he had repeatedly rushed out of the ca.n.a.l quite across the channel of the river. He wanted to go with the boys. He didn't really think there was much danger, and the discovery that he had already unwittingly broken his father's command, did not help him in his hour of weakness and temptation. The boys all clamoured for him to join them. James slowly glided out of the ca.n.a.l, stood still a moment, and the tempter prevailed.

"Well, I'll go down this once--mind you, only once," and he darted like an arrow to the front, for he was the best skater in the company, and soon was far in advance of the rest.

Alas! none of the boys knew of the murderous "breathing-hole" which had opened that day in the ice in the channel, and now lay right in James's path, waiting to receive him; and the first notice they had of its existence was a despairing cry of terror from him as he plunged in.

All was confusion among the boys; but George, more self-possessed than the others, hurried to the sh.o.r.e, and, shouting cheerily, "Hold on, Jamie! I'll help you out," broke off the limb of a tree, as large and long as he could handle, brought it on, and tried, by carefully creeping towards James, to put it within his reach. But the current was strong; the water was bitterly cold; and James, who had been urging his friend to make haste, now began to lose his strength and become benumbed, and before the limb came within his grasp, he said, faintly, "Oh, George, I can't hold on any longer! Ask father--to forgive----" and went down with the tide.

An hour later, the men at the mill below, who had broken the ice above the barred outlet of the dam, and were watching and waiting in expectation of their mournful work, lifted James's body out of the water, and tenderly carried it to his home.

Boys, I have seldom told you a more sad story. Oh, that I could now impress upon your young hearts the lesson of obedience to parents so deeply that it shall never be forgotten! If you are ever tempted to disregard a kind father's commands, or his advice, even though it be "only once," may you have strength to resist the temptation. Remember Jamie. It is true that disobedience to parents is not always--nor indeed often--followed so speedily by such sad consequences, but we know that the smile of G.o.d for this life will rest upon those children who obey their parents.

"Honour thy father and mother" is the first commandment with promise.

LINES ON THE NEW YEAR.

In some simple words of rhyme Read, and mark the flight of time; Seasons come and disappear, As we pa.s.s from year to year.

All things ever on the move, Whether them we hate or love; 'Tis a changing scene below-- This we own, for this we know.

Blest are they--and only they-- Who are in the "narrow way"; Seeking Jesus' blessed face; Longing much to know His grace.

Mourning over inward sin; Panting only Him to win Who for sin and sinners died, When on Calvary crucified.

Do I, who these lines now read, Of redemption feel my need?

Do I really long to know That His blood for me did flow?

Do my heart and mouth confess I am all unrighteousness?