a face illumined-第55章

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heart　was　still　too　sore　to　enter　into　the　half…playful　manner　by

which　he　sought　to　give　a　less　gloomy　cast　to　her　thoughts。



〃Some　years　ago；〃　said　Mr。　Eltinge；　resuming　his　seat；　〃we　had　a

night　of　darkness　and　violent　storm　like　that　through　which　you；

poor　child；　have　just　passed。　　The　garden　fence　was　blown　down；

and　some　stray　cattle　got　in　and　made　sad　havoc。　　This　pear…tree

was　a　little　thing　then；　and　when　I　came　out　in　the　morning　it　was

in　a　bad　plight；　I　can　tell　you。　　The　wind　had　snapped　off　the　top；

and　it　lay　withering　on　the　ground。　　Worse　than　this；　one　of　the

cattle　had　stepped　on　it；　bruising　it　severely；　and　half　breaking

it　off　near　the　root。　　I　don't　know　which　of　the　young　men　you

have　named　this　unruly　beast　typifiesboth　of　'em；　I'm　inclined

to　think。〃



Here　Ida　shook　her　head　in　protest　against　Van　Berg　being　classed

with　Sibley；　and　at　the　same　time　could　not　forbear　the　glimmer　of

a　smile　at　the　old　man's　homely　imagery。



〃Well；　according　to　my　creed；〃　continued　Mr。　Eltinge；　〃'while　there's

life　there's　hope；'　so　I　lifted　up　the　poor；　prostrate　little　tree；

and　tied　it　to　a　stout　stake。　　Then　I　got　grafting　wax　and　covered

the　bruises　and　broken　places；　and　finally　tied　all　up　as　carefully

as　I　used　to　my　boys'　fingers　when　the　cut　them；　sixty　odd　years

ago。　　And　now　mark；　my　child；　I　had　done　all　that　I　could　do。　　I

couldn't　make　the　wounds　heal　or　even　a　new　twig　start；　and　yet

here　is　a　stately　young　tree　beginning　to　bear　delicious　fruit。

Nature　took　my　sorry…looking　little　case　in　hand；　and　slowly　at

first；　but　by　and　by　with　increased　vigor　and　rapidity；　she　developed

what　you　see。　　I　have　an　affection　for　this　tree；　and　like　to　lean

against　it；　and　sometimes　I　half　fancy　it　likes　to　have　me。〃



〃I　should　think　it　ought　to；〃　said　Ida；　heartily；　with　tears　in

her　eyes；　but　a　smile　on　her　lips。



〃Well；　now；　my　child；　to　go　on　with　my　parable；　what　nature　was

to　this　pear…tree；　nature's　God　must　be　to　you。　　We　cannot　find　in

nature　nor　in　the　happiest　human　love　that　which　can　satisfy　our

deep　spiritual　need；　but　we　can　find　all　in　him　who　came　from　heaven

in　our　behalf。　　Jesus　Christ　is　the　patient；　helpful　Friend　you

need。　　He　brings　more　than　joyeven　the　peace　and　rest　that　follow

full　trust　in　One　pledged　to　take　care　of　us　and　make　everything

turn　out　for　the　best。　　He　says　of　those　who　come　to　him；　'I　give

unto　them　eternal　life；　and　they　shall　never　perish。'　　If　you　will

take　this　life　from　him　it　will　never　be　a　burden　to　you；　and　it

will　always　be　a　blessing　to　others。〃



〃I　fear　I　don't　quite　understand　you；　Mr。　Eltinge。　　What　is　this

'eternal　life'this　new；　added　life　which　you　say　Christ　offers；

and　which　I'm　sure　I'd　be　very　glad　to　take　if　I　knew　how？〃



〃Let　Jesus　answer　you　himself；　my　child。　　He　said　plainly：　　'This

is　life　eternal；　that　they　might　know　thee　the　only　true　God；　and

Jesus　Christ；　whom　thou　has　sent。'　　Perhaps　I　can　make　our　Lord's

words　clearer　from　your　own　experience；　if　you　will　permit　me　to

refer　to　your　feelings　toward　the　man　who；　whether　worthy　or　not

has　won　your　love。　　Suppose　he　is　all　you　imagine；　and　that　he

lavished　on　you　the　best　treasures　of　his　heart；　would　not　life

at　his　side　seem　life　in　very　truth；　and　life　elsewhere　but　mere

existence？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Ida；　with　bowed　head　and　pale　cheeks。　　〃I　begin　to

understand　you　now。　　It　seems　to　me　that　I　could　welcome　sorrow；

poverty；　and　even　death；　at　his　side；　and　call　life　rich　and　full。

But　as　it　isoh；　Mr。　Eltinge；　teach　me　your　faith；　lest　I　give

way　to　despair　again！〃



〃Poor　child！　poor　child！　　Don't　my　white　hairs　teach　you　that　I

am　on　the　threshold　of　the　home　in　which　'God　shall　wipe　away　all

tears'？〃



〃I　envy　you；〃　cried　Ida；　almost　passionately。　　〃Think　how　far　I　am

from　that　home！〃



〃Well；　you　are　not　far　from　the　Divine　Friend　who　leads　to　that

home；　and　when　you　come　to　KNOW　him　and　his　love　your　life　will

begin　to　grow　richer　and　sweeter　and　fuller　to　all　eternity。　　This

is　eternal　life。　　It's　know　the　God　who　loves　us　and　whom　we　have

learned　to　love。　　It's　not　living　on　and　on　forever　in　a　beautiful

heaven；　any　more　than　the　earthly　life　you　crave　is　living　on　and

on　in　a　pleasant　home　such　as　the　man　of　your　heart　might　provide。

The　true　life　is　the　presence　of　the　loved　one　himself；　and　all

that　he　is　to　us　and　all　that　he　can　do　for　us；　and　if　a　mortal　and

finite　creature　seems　to　you　so　able　to　impart　life；　how　infinitely

more　blessed　will　the　life　eventually　be　which　comes　from　a　God　of

boundless　power　and　boundless　love！〃



〃Alas；　Mr。　Eltinge；　God　seems　too　boundless。〃



〃Did　God　seem　too　boundless　to　the　little　children　whom　he　took　in

his　arms　and　blessed？〃



〃Oh　that　I　had　been　one　of　them！〃　said　Ida；　with　a　sudden　rush　of

tears。



〃Come；　my　dear　young　friend；　do　not　expect　too　much　of　yourself

to…day。　　You　cannot　take　in　all　this　truth　at　once；　any　more　than

this　young　pear　tree　could　take　all　the　dew　and　sunshine；　cold

and　heat　（for　autumn　frosts　are　needed　as　well　as　spring　showers）

that　nature　had　in　store　for　it；　but　its　life　was　assured　from　the

moment　it　was　able　to　receive　nature's　restoring　influences。　　So

with　greater　certainty　a　happy；　useful　life　is　assured　to　you

as　soon　as　you　receive　Jesus　Christ　as　your　Saviour；　Teacher；　and

Life…giver。　　'As　many　as　received　him；　to　them　gave　he　power　to

become　the　sons　of　God；'　and　I　assure　you　the　Great　King　will　look

after　his　children　right　royally。　　But　you　don't　know　him　very

well　yet；　and　so　cannot　have　the　life　which　flows　from　his　fulness

of　life。　　Suppose　you　come　here　mornings；　and　we'll　read　together

the　story　of　Jesus；　just　as　it　is　told　in　the　New　Testament；　and

I　don't　believe　it　will　be　long　before　you　will　say　to　me　that　my

Friend　is　yours　also。　　Now；　come　up　to　the　house　and　I'll　introduce

you　to　my　sister。　　You　think　me　a　saint；　but　I'll　show　you　what　a

human　appetite　I　have。〃



〃I　hear　a　brook　near　by；〃　said　Ida；　〃may　I　not　go　to　it　and　bathe

my　face？〃



〃Yes；　do　what　you　like　best　while　here。　　Would　you　rather　bathe　in

the　brook　than　at　the　house？〃



〃Yes；　indeed。　　Everything　seems　sacred　here；　and　I　can　imagine　the

brook　yonder　to　be　a　rill　from　the　Jordan。〃



〃Don't　be　superstitious　and　sentimental；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；

shaking　his　head　gravely。　　〃The　life　of　a　Christian　means　honest；

patient　work；　and　Christ's　blood　alone　can　wash　us　till　we　are

whiter　than　snow。〃



Ida's　face　grew　earnest　and　noble　as　she　stepped　to　the　symbolic

tree　and　placed　her　hand　on　one　of　its　lower　branches。



〃Mr。　Eltinge；〃　she　said　gently　and　gravely；　〃as　this　broken；　wounded

tree　received　all　the　help　nature　gave　it；　so　I；　more　bruised　and

broken；　will　try　to　receive　all　the　help　Christ　will　give　me　to

bear　my　burden　and　live　a　life　pleasing　to　him。　　I　shall　be　very

glad　indeed　to　come　here　and　learn　to　know　him　better　under　your

most　kind　and　faithful　teaching；　and　as　I　learn；　I　will　try　to　do

my　best；　but　oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；　you　can't　realize　how　very　weak　and

imperfecthow　ignorant　and　full　of　faults　I　am！〃



〃Just　so　the　poor　little　tree　might　have　spoken　if　it　had　had　a

voice。　　Indeed　I　thought　it　WOULD　die。　　But　now　look　at　the　fruit

over　your　head。　　You　shall　take　some　of　it　home；　and　every　pear

will　be　a　sermon　to　youa　juicy　one；　too。　　If　you　will　do　as　you

say；　my　child；　all　will　be　well。〃



She　bathed　her　tear…stained　face　in　the　brook；　and　came　back　looking

fairer　than　any　flower　in　the　garden。　　Then　they　went　up　to　the

old…fashioned　house。



〃My　dear；　this　is　my　sister；　Miss　Eltinge；〃　he　said；　presenting　a

white…haired　old　lady；　who　still　was　evidently　much　younger　than

her　brother。　　Then；　turning　suddenly　around　in　comical　dismay；　he

said；　〃Why；　bless　you；　my　child；　I　don't　know　your　name！　　Well；

well；　no　matter！　　I　know　YOU。　　There　are　people　whose　names　I've

known　half　my　life；　and　yet　I　don't　know　them　and　don't　trust　'em。〃



〃My　name　is　Ida　Mayhew；〃　said　the　young　girl　simply。　　〃I　heard　Mr。

Eltinge　speak　at　the　prayer…meeting　last　night　in　such　a　way　that

I　wanted　to　see　him　and　ask　his　help　and　advice；　and　he　has　been

very；　very　kind　to　me。　　He　can　tell　you　all。〃



〃Yes；　if　he　chooses；〃　said　the　old　gentleman　with　a　laugh。　　〃Sister

knows　me　too　well　in　my　character　of　father　confessor　to　expect　me

to　tell　everything。〃



They　made　her　at　home　as　the　simple　and　well…bred　only　can　do。



After　dinner　Miss　Eltinge　tried　to　entertain　her　for　a　while；　but

at　last　said；　with　appreciative　tact：



〃My　dear；　I　think　you　will　best　enjoy　yourself　if　you　are　left　to

range　the　old　house　and　place　at　will。　　After　my　brother　has　rested

he　will　join　you　again。〃



Ida　was　glad　to　be　alone。　　She　had　made　a　promise　of　far…reaching

and　vital　import　that　morning。　　Life　was　taking　on　new　aspects　that

were　so　unfamiliar　that　she　was　bewildered。　　She　went　back　to　the

garden；　and；　taking　Mr。　Eltinge's　seat；　leaned　against　the　emblematic

pear…tree；　which　she　curiously　began　to　associate　with　herself；

and　for　which　she　was　already　conscious　of　something　like　affection。



〃Oh；〃　she　sighed；　〃if　my　life　would　only　come　to　abound　with　deeds

corresponding　to　the　fruit　that　is　bending　these　boughs　above　me；

it　could　not　be　a　burden；　thought　it　might　be　very　sad　and　lonely。

I　now　begin　to　understand　Jennie　Burtonher　constant　effort　in

behalf　of　others。　　But　HE　will　comfort　her　before　long。　　Her　dark

days　are　nearly　over。　　No　matter　how　deep　or　great　her　troubles　may

have　been；　they　must　vanish　in　the　sunshine　of　such　a　man's　love。

I　wonder　if　he　has　spoken　plainly　yetbut　what　need　of　words？

His　eyes　and　manner　have　told　her　all　a　hundred　times。　　I　wish　she

could　be　my　friend；　I　wish　I　could　speak　to　her　plainly；　for　she

is　so　kind　and　wise；　but　I　must　shun　her；　or　else　she'll　discover

the　secret　that　I'd　hide　from　her　even　more　carefully　than　from　him；

if　such　a　thing　were　possible。　　I　wonder　if　they　ever　met　before

they　came　here。　　I　never　saw　one　human　being　look　at　another　as

she　sometimes　looks　at　him。　　I　believe　that　deep　in　her　heart　she

fairly　idolizes　him；　although　her　singular　self…control　enables

her；　as　a　general　thing；　to　treat　him　with　the　ease　and　frankness

of　a　friend。　　Well；　she　may　love　him　more　deeply　than　I　do　because

possessing　a　deeper　nature。　　I　can　but　give　all　I　have。　　But　I　think

my　love　would　be　like　the　little　brook　over　there。　　It's　not　very

deep　or　obtrusive；　but　Mr。　Eltinge　says　it　has　never　failed。　　Well；

well！　these　are　not　the　thoughts　for　me；　though　how　I　can　help　them

I　cannot　tell。　　I　will　try　to　win　a　little　respect　from　him　before

we　part；　and　then　my　life；　like　this　pear…tree；　must　be　full　of

good　deeds　for　those　who　have　the　best　right　to　receive　them；〃　and

taking　a　small　pen…knife　from　her　pocket　she　mounted　the　chair；　and

carved　wi