'_'''".Wlt.' .•. I."I>"'"I" •. ~.Rl;(fl"~T'H:.' .... N-Il- .•• , .•-"0".

~r;'--::::1JJ1Al-TIST

5?\lllba9 .:;.chool gibrar9t

TIlE

SJfAjIROCK FLO\VER;

.\X IRISH GIRL IX A~IEIUC.t

~\bilahrJ~bia :A:\[ERIC.\X BAPTIST Pt"RLIC.\TIO:N SOCIETY.

~ ARCli 1>TIlEET.

COXTEXTS.

CHAPTER l.FORKER :\II5ERY OF hELMW--JOUY SUSLEl"3

Vn.UlJ.(.iER },:<I1.I 1JEAtU-ElIIORATIOX OF 1l1$

r.UlILY tv .\JlERICA,. : ••••..•

CIL\PTER II.Vor.\CE-ARRIV AL-}'RIESDS IN' AlITR.\SGE LASD. ~

CIL\l'n:n Ill.

ClIRISTIAS COSlH.TT OF KUnT.F.£S-IIER PUCE.

Tt"L DUTn-PaEClOL'S :\h;XOR1", 31

lltsEFIT OF TUE ScRIl'Tl.IRES •••••••• 34

TIlE

S ILUllt 0 CK li10 "']j 11.

CHAPTER 1.

.1'OR.YER MISERY OF JRELAKD-JOllX SLA-

KEY'S CllARCATEH ASD DEATII-ElllGIU-

TIDY OF JIlS FAMILY TO AMERlCA.

TWELVE years ago the little village ofD., in lrelallll, was enjoying JIIorc tlJnnits usual prosperity. The owner ofCa:,tle D., awl of the broad c~tatesarounu it, was absent with his familyill a foreign land, amI nIl his affairswere left in the hanus of an agcnt. Thisman, prcl5cntiJlg a striking contrast tothose generally forming his class, anu

(5)

6 TilE SIIAMROCK FLOWER.

being naturally (,fiS,}' and good.tempercd,attended to the little wants of the pcas-antry around him; and if allY were UIl-

able to lI1eet tJwir rent on tlw uay ofpayment., he gave them no trollule Lutwaited their conveniellce. He was ajoIIy sort of man, muru fond of fox.llUllt,ing, hon:L"-racing, and wine drinkingthan of attending to tllC bll~iliC:;S com-mitted to IJis care. 00, for the timebeing, he made the tenant.s so happy,that eyery mouth WfiS filled with hispraise. 'VIlcn the people carried intheir rents, he always treated them toa gIa~.s of punch or Irish whisky, andwe presume that few pra.rcr~ were sentup to tllC patron.snint for the nobleman'ssufe return. TllUfl., even after the f;l1r~

rounding ncigllborhood~ Legan to com-plain of dilllilli~hcd crops and incl'eascUrents, the humble inhabitants of B. stillhoasted loudl)' uf their pro,perit)'.

nut aln:'!, nlas, for poor, Ocautiful

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TDE SDAMROCK FLOWER. 7

Ireland! How many a cloud has OYer.shadowed her green fields,-how mallYa blight has fallen on her shamrockfluwcrs, and withered the IJCarts of herlowly children in these last sad ten orfifteen yea". Nor did the people of n.eseupe the general desolatioll. Theagcnt having, hy high living anu im~provitlcllce, wastcd much of the moncycntru:ltcd to him, and hearing of hi~Iord.-;hip's anticipated rotu'rn, becamealmost distracted. In an evil hour, toescape the wrath of the lord of IJ., hetook his own life. That one pistol shot,which sent him into eternity, scatteredhorror anti dismay throughout nIl thelittle tOWII. The people mourned IIi.loss, for agents arc in general the cuI'~cof Ireland's poor, and this man's placewould not likdy he filled by one somerciful to them as he had Leen. ne-sides thi~, they now began to look torreceipts Jur moncy and grain they had

S TilE SHAMROCK FLOWER.

given him. Rut altllOugh he had treateuthem so kiudly, both lie and they Iladbeen veTY careless in thi8 respect, :nulthey had few or none to show . ..:\lnnyof the f."mers hadne:;leeted to get tlleir]ca...')cs renewed, for tllO COJllmon peoplecall not own their farms U8 ill our happycountry; and UB the improvements hudbeen great since hi8loruship's departure,they trembled at the thought of an in-crease of reilt.

Theil' wortit fears were more thanrealized, when, 800n after the agent'sdeath, the nobleman rcaclJeu home witha long train of French and Italian ser-",mts. lIis poor tenantry flocked roundthe c:.\:;lle,-not to welcome him homc,but to assure him that they had fulfilledtheir obligations in his aL~eJlcc, and toentreat him not to demand the acknowl.edgmcntfl of the agent. Dut lIe cooHyreplied that he should demand full rentof e\'ery man who could lIot show his

TUE SIL\.llROCK "LOWEH.

quarterly receipts for the amouut.This threw the whole of the tenantryinto the ueepest distress. Their homes,whether stOlle cottab'"CSor muu hovcls~were dear to their hearts, and thethought of banishment wa~ to themworse thnn uenth. Then they f1eu tothe priest to ask his intercc:-;~ion; butnlas, he was not to be founu. Whilethe poor scattered flock were in such uis-tress, the shepheru who hau charge oftheir ~ouls was comfortably scateu atthe castle, drinking a. "welcome borne"to the imperious oppressor.

In the height of uc~pair, l'ome heart-less men fletl to more favored part~.leusing their helpless families to LcggllryamI starvation. Others spen t their daysand their last shilling at the village inn,while [I, few oIU women, who bau noearthly helper, went, in their ignorance,lUany times a. day to the open chapel, tocount their beads, cross them~clvcs with

10 TIlE SHAMROCK FLOWER.

holy water, repeat" Ave ~raria~," antIkiss the picture of the \~irgill l\Iotherand lIoly Child. There wns Olle man,however, wi.';cr than the re.st. lIe oc-cupied oncofthe largest farm~, and manyof the poorer class were employed byhim as laborers. lIe was sobel", hOlle ...t,and indllstrious~ and they, acknowledg_ing llis supel"ior wisdom, IIOW fleu to Ilinifor cOllllsel. They ltintcu that perha.psa huge riot, the hurning of his lorthhip'sout.huildin~, or the poisoning of lliscarriage horses, might bring him to terms.Then it dark frown gathered on the hrowof llOllest .Jo1m Slan('y~ and llo asked,".And where uo yo think, neighbors, isthe .Almighty gOlle that he woulun't seeyer fearful wickedne8s? JlccallBo yohave lost yer homes on earth, uo yemauc to lose a place fur your I'oulsnbo,'c? Fcar God more tlJil.ll mun anugo home and pray to Him, for the heart

--.---- ----~

TilE SIIAlIUOCK FLQWEU. 11

o' this tyrant is in IIis haw]s." AUtl hewcnt in auu closed IJis cottage duor.

John Slaney, although a cathulic inname, feared God, and as fill' as he lmcwthe WilY, RtroyC to oLey Him. lie wasnn hone~t IIllln and thc sun of an IlOllC.st

man~ anu it was his boa~t that IIOlie whobelonged to him was ever accui"cli of amean action. He was fitern ill his viewof right, aml often gave thc villagepric:'lt no little trouble on this account.lIe diu 110t hesitate to avow his opinionthat priests ,\-.ere boulll.l to be. as moralas utltcr men, ami to ucclare that wcrehe a priest," with such a power upon hisIICad, he'd soon throw out the companyat the inn, and tldve the people to work."John and his fatLer and grnndfilthcr,had nIl Leen born and reared OIl tltef::3.mcspot. The poor man's heart }tllU

grown to the place, and could lIut beturn away without many a bleedingwound. IIe looked abroad froIll the Cot-

l~ THE SHAMROCK FLOWER.

tage door upon Ilis lwmc, 80 heautifuland pro~pcrous. Having been in thepos:"essiun of such men for nearly a cen-tury, it was small WOuuer that it lookedso UlJlike the farms nround it. 'nlileothers had .spent their lwlidaY8 nnd lei~durc hour:-l in begging, poachiug, or IOllllg_ing rOllnd the inn, he ltnu his ancestorswere planting trees, trimming hedge~, ortmilling "inca. Just Lt'forc tltis greataHlictioll he had trimmed nllew thehedge. row, which in Ireland sometimestakes the place of fences. HO~Cfol,]wlley.8uckle~, and many trees and i"hrubs ofancient planting, JlOW cast their shade,and 8ent their fragrance around theplace. The (lotato field was in fullLlourn, promising a plentiful lllu'"e ..;t,_his l:Ihccp,IJCavy "dtb their snowy fleece,grazed in fnIl vi~w, heside llis cattle, amiall them he WRS gazing when iJitrudt'duu by his riotuus neigJdxm~. He <'11t(,1'e<lhis cottage. 'True it had only the earill

TIIr. SIIA1JHOCK FI.OWER. 13

fur its 11001'1 and four panes compoljed itslargest window, The uncovered beamswere dlll'k and low, :lllU the )'Ollf wasonly a thatching of straw. nut all, itwas !Iome, and HOW its real dcf~cts seemedbeauties in the eyes of tho~e who dweltthere ..

The f.1rmcr l,unS' his hat on its ae-customed peg, and sat uo\YU, 5trh'iug tolook bra.\'e and unconcerned. Rut theBobs and groans of Lis wife and eldestuaughter increased when tLey Raw llim.They filled the air with such how lingsand wailings aa Ireland's excitabledaughters only raise o\'er the belO\rcddead. nut litttle Kathleen, or "ourShamrock 11ower," as John was wont tocall llCf', sat ou n low stool LCljiuc IlCrmother, pale and tearless. lJer griefwas as deep as theirs, but it sprang froma cause less earthly.

"Nelly, woman," n~ked .Tohn," whereis your heart gone? ye that always had

}.! TIlE SIlA~fROCK FLOWER.

full amI plcnty when yer I1<.'ighbors wcrcstarving,-yc that never askcd n thingfl'Om God in yer life but ye got it,-doesit hecome the like 0' yc, to fly thus inthc face 0' the Almighty when Je1" ownday of ad\'en~ity comes? It is ai!'y rorthe like 0' ye," he contillucu, holdingalort his brawny arm, "yc that's gotsuch an arm to lane upon, and Buch a.sthrong heart as this" -anu he struckIlia breast-" to care for yo and yer chil-del'. 'Vhat think ,Yc will come o' poorNora PliaIan with her sick child, andhilll:-:clf l'Im away? Sure it was hardluck fill' n. duccnt girl to live v.'itA thclikes o' )Iike. Lut it's hartler still to live,e;llwII( him. Do ye think yer husbantlwillld JC :;tl1nr\'c, }.~clly?"

" Xo, ind::ulc," said Nelly Slaney, " ifliard work ,yiII kape us from stllan-ation;but what good is it sthrong arm if l\ manhas no land to work on? Ye can't stayLere yc know, John,"

-------- -- ~ - -

TIlE SIIA~fROCK }'LOWER. 15

c: Xor do I want to stay," replied Ite."~"'o, I'JI ne\'cr ue the tellant o' a vil.lain and a tyrunt. Sure, XcII)" denr,my f'ced would rot il~his earth beforeit would come up. Ye can't get a cropwitllOut God'8 Llc8sing, and I don't JJC.Jicve his sun will shine 1101' his rain 1itHlwre as in other daY'S, Sure, I'll ::;cllc\"l.!ry thing We own out our beds, 31111

I'll take y" to Ameril.-!!. Oh! but that'sthe free land wllerc there's justice furthe poor, I wouldn't stay in B. now ifhis lord.ship wuuhl give me the IiII'm.No! I'd never more hear the mass nOlo

take the foificramcnt from a Ilriest wllOstrikes hands \,,'ith tlw oppressor, andfOl'folakes hi~ flock in the hUlirofnecu,"

"lIoly .\lothel'," "xclaimed .\'elly Sln-Iley, "wasn't it only the lnWtcHt 0' thepeople here as wint to Amu-il'!I? wasn'tit mostly workhouse paupcr:-J and Leg-gars? and more nor tJl:1t, dacenl manthat ye are, Juhn,,Yc hu\'c nothing to

IG rUE SUAMROCK FLOWER.

se]l, for sure Diuu.}"Roneh lo]d me nil thecattle and sheep is to Ue drh-en to theca~tlc to-night. Blessed .\Jary, help us !"muttered the poor woman_ John sprangto his feet, nnu reaching to n huge hemnoyer lH~adtook dOWll a he:wy hammerfill1l a Lox of nails. "HiB lonl!;ldp wiII1I0t 8talc my crlltllf:rs, for fli dthrivethem ill find nail tIle uoors. I'll fellthem to the hC'st :llh'antnge, ane-I then,if IIe's not (1/i..~w'tdo' Guu. he may stalepart 0' the mOl1PY, anu I'll pay ollr P;I8-sagt':-! with the rel':lt."

Again Kelly nnd Maggie seflt forthanother hmylillg lUJU.-cntation. H Oh,poor lamby," cried Selly, stroking theyellow hair of her youngest born, ••howwill yc with yer faint }lenrt iru cro~sthe angry sea? Och, och, but I'm uwfulafwrul 0' the tempest on the ocean."

"Oeh, mother, dear," replied the littlegirl, "/:lure it's not the sea that 1dtltrcad.Sure that can Jli\'cr swallow us withour

-- - -.-

THE SHAMROCK FLOWER. 1'7

'God's lare, Oh, it's the Jllma"j"lP/"o!f:t;lanls that I fca.r; it must be anawful thing to live alllong a peuplecurst~d o' God."

"JIoly ~Iother, 1.-ape the Protestantsfrolll lJlurthcring my children, or ruin.ing their souls!" exclaimeu pour XcII,}',c1a!'lping lieI' hand.~, aud rnising hereyes to lIchvel1.

Xow, ~ell~iole and well-meaning fi8

these people were, they really oclicn~dthat of all foes they coulilmcct tiJi:'l sideof the infernal regiou.':, tIle Prote~talltsW(:1"C JIlOtit to Lc urcauctl. The cause oftlJis oc'lief was ig-nor;lIJce. TIleY hallLeen told that all out of tl,e Catholicchurch were fL God-forgettillg', a God.de-f.ring people, all uoomeu to cntlle~~ penli-tion j anu having never hecu accjuaiuteJwitli a Protestant, IlOw 8110uld th<,,)' knon;to the contrary?

Oh, bow little tbey knew of the trueGO."ll'cl j how little of the \'ast gulf wlJich

2* .

1 S rnE SHAMROCK f'I.O\n:R.

lies uetween the churches of Chri:-.t nndAnti-Christ. How differently wouldthey have fel.t in that llOur of anguish,could they JlaVC only known how JUllny

kiwI hearts on this side the water werewniting to welcome Ireland's exiled pOOf;how many ~acrificcli were made here tosenu Lrcrul to her hungry childrclI; andhow many prayers followetl the t'hipsthat LOfe it; prayer~, that they miglltnl~o receive that bread which comethdown ii'om Heaven, which jf a man eat,he shall 110 more hunger. Hut theyw<'re ignorant of all this, and lookcu tothi, happy land as to a place of 'piritualnight .

.1olm had di'posed of all J,is little pro-perty, awl mnde arrangements fi,r Jli~yoyage. But his grain Was ripe aHd W:1\',

ing Lrightly over the fielu, auu, heart-8i~k nl1d weary tliough he wa!', he Inll~tgather it in. lIe engageu ten reaper ...amI begun his lust uay'~han'l'sting. But

.--.---- -- --

THE SHAMROCK FLOWER. 19

ere theslin kl<ll'isen high in the he:1\"eI18,he Legan to fcel tllat the 11l8t week'sallrrui~h of heart had weakened his nrm.lIc

cleft tllC field, entered llis cuttnge,

hamlcd his purse to his wife, saying,I. Kelly, I'm ill j wh~n the men InlYcdon("~}lilYthem; pay them well, too, andoon't let the cry 0" the poor enter God'scar ngaiJl~t us. Let me go to III)' bed,mHI if it's God's will to take me as wellfiS the hOllle, from ,ye, mind, Xt'lly, t!tatVG don't speak hack to the Almighty,for he has n right to do as he will withhis own. Dring up the children to fearGod, alllI to 10\'1.' their fellow erat!ters."

It was in vain that 1\'ell)' beggedto l'cnd fc)r the priest. "Xu, poorwoman," lw replied. "God will hear meas lo\'es and trusts him sooner than hewill him as fears neither God nor man.Trust alone in Jesus Christ ano 'yc'lI allbe safe',/lelly" -and he snnk upon hispillow,

20 TilE SII.\lIROCK FLOWER.

At nightfall the laoorers came in; buta mightier reaper than they had beellthere before them, and the shallow of11i~dark wing stilll'c::;tcu un tllC cottage.The fond anu faitlifuI lllall was gOllc,-Iii:; heart WllS broken,-antl tlJU~ Iwlow'u were now uCl:iolatc indeed,

J list as the ~UH was sinking, poorKelly, aflcctionnte though unrecolJcileu,hao ..,ftly openco tlle 0001' of ti,e ruulllin which her husband was lying. ".Tohn,den I' liCart/' /Shc said, "if yer llCad stillaches su fearful, yc would better sit upon the siue 0' the oed, drink n. gooddraught 0' warm tea., anll then take offva clothes for thc night-dull't !It: failnow, or we'll all be dead entirely,"

"Ye'l! hayc the widdy'. Goo left ye,if I Y0(8, Kelly; I.'ape near to Him; audma.y the blcssiug of the Almighty beh'cr upon yc, illY lJeloycd wife, and IIponthe twu darliuB he has Bint us. Amen."

The.e la.t ,,"oros the goud mannttel'ed

TIlE SHAMROCK FLOWJ.:R. 21

n~ he rai:-;cil llim!'Clf in bed according to IIiis wife's I'c1luest. His eyes were liftedto the Heavens whence cometh help, nlldbis l1amli3 tightly c1n!'ped as if ill cnrn- Iest aml trustfnl. prayer. It was hisdying l.ulmullition, his parting l)lessing .•\Vhcn r.Tl'lly returned with bil'l tonfoit andtea he l,ad r.,lIen back on his pillow." I'm filillt, jewel," he said, "lift me up."The agonized wife hent down to aid him,when he clasped lieI' neck with thestrength of death. lIe WfiS gone heyondthe puwer of the tyrant to molelSt oroppress.

The 8uddeu death of his be,t teuantput a check on the outrngcsof the cruelnobleman. When told that Sianey'sgrain wa." gathered, he said to Ilis cruelagent, " Let it be 110W; the poor creaturesIn1\"cnu protector; they will need it nIl."

Their lJa!-':-;ageto America was paid,fim] why !'Ihonhl th(')' remain in B. whenthe ollly heart that had beat fiJl'lhemlny

22 TflE SIIA~IROCK fLOWER.

low anrl eolU in the little church-yard?They raiscu a sim pIc stone cross on hisgr::wc, planted 3. myrtle vine, and Raidtheir last prayers UcRide it. They leftth~ir homes in the darkness of night,for ~elly said, "Sure, it would wringthe blood afresh oot 0' our IlCurts to 8<'C

Jolm's grave as we passed, amI knowtLl:l.t we were latin' it forever. Och, uuthe WU8 the best friend that eyer we had."

CHAPTER II,

T"OYAGE-AnmVAI..-FRIESDSIX A STR.\KGELAXD.

OIl, the agony or fear, nnd helplessnessof ~ickness, which these poor })('oplc cu.unrcd on the sea! Kelly nml :\Ieggiegave .,.,;oiccto their woe whcnc\"cr thetempests rocked the ~hip in their fury.

"Oh, Kathleen, jewel," the motherwould say to her younger daughter,"how can yc sit there with ?ler littlefingers claspcu awl yer 8\\~ate e'yc~ look.ing downlike, just as yc uscu to uo athome on vcr blessed fathcr'8 knee?Don't ye know, honey, tbat ye arc liketo go to the hottom 0' the ~a, jn~t now?"

"If it wouM be God'. will I'd liketo gu down tbere afore I ]o'e. my

(23)

I

I

24 rHE SIUMHOCK FWWI:H,

tloul, mother dear; may be I'll go tomy father then, But (Jell! tl1i~ goingaInOllg a people accursed o' Gud to aJ'lt

ya bread, is n lcarful thing. Didn'tfather )Iurphy tell U~ a lwomlcred timesthat one half our paple ns 1cinl toAmeriky, left the lIooly 01"'701, ulld losttheir 801("/'! Oh 1I0ly ~Iother, f."ape usfrom the hour 0' timptation'"

"Father :\Iurphy indwlcr exclaimedpoor ~\'II..y, forgetting lIer fear of thestorm in Ill'r contempt of the man; "1'dtrust me BOld /'Iooner in the halJd o' theProtestants themselves, than in hiiol.(All! out he was the manc am] wickedwritc/, as fOl~ook the poor as hud llalfstharvcd the,iuoiilves to make a girdle.wan o' him, and Jadies of llis two :-::isterl:!nnu six }t(lCf8! He saw Vcr fathCf_God rest IJis .solel-pay the ngent theJast half )"l>al"S rent, and he would notiJ:Jitfy to it for fear o' losing fayor withthe wicked lurd !"

THE SlIAmtOCK FLOWER. 25

":\Iother denr, don't be callin' hardnam.es," replied the child, "nor be re-milllbt.'rin' otLer ]xlplt'8 ~ins. Sure wehave eno' 0' our own. Mimi what fathersaid, ami trust Christ alone, and all willgo well )',-.jth us. lie can l'ape liS frompoverty, stliart:ation ami the llrotest.ant:; too,"

Thus amid JlOpeS and fears wore awaysix weary weeks all tllC sea, before theshores of n free land blessed their long.ing eyes. They laughed for joy, andalso wept for fear, as the brave shipmoored itself heside the crowded doek.

Some children, reared in Christianf..'l.milicR, may have gar.cd in thoughtlesswonder at the broad-frilled cap of thewiuow, and the outlandish garments ofthe girls, or smiled to hear their brokenEnglish. Could they haye known theirHorrow,. how soon would the smile ofcontempt IInve Lecn changed for tiletear of sympathy. They stood on the

3

26 TilE SnA)fROCK FLOWER.

wharf watching their chests and boxes,looking up and clown the the long streetfilled with confusion. Cruwds of peoplepl1~ltecl past them and gazed iu theirfaces, but none asked, " Are YOll strang-ers ?-can we do yuu an)" good?" Theylooked in vain for a familiar face, nut!at lal'5t went, they knew not whitlwr,with a cartman, who promh;ed to findthem decent lodgings.

Could they but have had the IIl.sbanrland father, were he everso poor, he woulc.l113VC found some way to earn their bread.But tlley were strangers ill a I:ltrallgeland, with no earthly helper, and theirmoney nearly gone. Neily took a roomwhere she could take in work, and the11inquired her way by adyiee to the Intelli-gence office, to secure n place for .:\Ieg'.6-rlc.John had earnestly dl'sired that Kath-leen ~hoult.l go to school; and nJtllOughNeily I.er>elf eould Jlot read, she re-solved to fulfill his wishes, 110 matter

TIlE SIIAMROCK FLOWER. 27

how much ::;;ncrifice amI toil it mightcost her. The poor are often forced toe-trugglo hard to f'enu their little ollesto school, and all the oenevolent ::;llUultlnill them in their efrort~, if only by annpproving smile, or n word of welcome,ill the school-room .. Many an emigrantcllild hns ~en driven to the street:! anuto de8truction oy tIle ridicule of his~choolmates. nut a. brighter lut waslittle Kathleen's. The wiuuw's God hadwntched over poor Xclly, and the fatherof lhe fal!Jerle •• had laken !Jer e!Jildrenby l!Je hand.

'Vilh heating hearts th(')' made theirway through n crowd of boys towanlthe school-room door. A Jew gazedrudely at them, and one boy said aloud,.-,.A new scholar fresh from IrelanJ':'-bllt there was one little girl watching'them as they came near. She steppedup with n bright smile amI :-aiJ, "Iwill lake yonr little girl inlo ,e!Jool

28 TIlE SHAllROCK nOWER.>

with me. J\ry mother toM :\feggie thatI would watch for her, because ~JIC Wasa stranger."

Kelly wn!iJvery timid, and Ilnd reallydreaded making an application for Kath~lecn's aumi!':sion, and therefore I'IJCfeltgreatly relieved by this delicate act ofkindness. It was so unlookeu for, thatshe could scarcely restrain IJCrtears.

"God grant," she said, with a courte:'lj',"that the two rO:iCS may nen'f witheron 'yeT cheeks, nor the light 0' }lCunmfade out 0' JeT sweet eyes, .Missj" andshe returned home fecHug quite ca~yabout Kathleen.

When the teacher rose to pray, Kath-leen looked amazed.

H Do l)rotcstnntR pray?" .!ihc askedsoftly of her little friend.

" Oh, yes," replied the child ~miling,"to the same God you pray to. Butwe mll~t Jlot talk now."

Then Kathleen thought in her IICart

TilE slIAynOCK FLO'fER. 29

thnt the.e could not all he such wickedpeople as she had imagincd. She was!'lure, at least, that her teacher auo )Ir:-;.Bell, with whom ~Ieggio liveo, uno littleSallie, must be gouo and lon~Goo .. Asweeks wore away, and :\lcggie fiUW theloyely fruits of their religion in the fa-mily, slle begau to listen to tllCirdcvotioll~,and almost before 8hc was aware thatthey were heretics, "he fonnd her ue~olateheart seeking' comfort in these mCllllS

of grace. The lonely widow, too, wasjust in the state to he hcncfitt~dhy Christian sympathy. "Surely," ,hethought, "these are not the ~amc })ro-tc:stants I lIsed to hear about at home, nndfrom t11(>se1 could. have lIuthing to fcur."She yielded herself' to their gentle in4

HUCHCC. No bitter invediyes againsther prieste, no ridicule of the Homi~hchurch reached her cars to steel herheart against the truth. These newfricnds dealt with her and her children

3*

30 TilE SIU:YROCK FLOWER.

as with any other BOllls in error, andthe strangers founu just what theyneetled, in the fullness which is in ChristJesus. Oh, what a solemn rcspolI!-'ibilityrc!-'ts upon us in regard to these poorexiles, who Reck for rest beneath theshauow of our "inC'. One Lnrl'!h word,one unjust act, may drive them awayfrom the truth, while gentleness anulo"e may win their ~ollls to Christ.

Cod had been leading Nelly and herc1lildren by n way they knew not.They are no longer widow and father-les •. God h.. adoptetl them into hi.own fhmily, giving tJlCm n. place in hish011se better than that of l"ons anduaughters. Let us then, uear chilJren,walk kindly ill presence of snch:l!-' the:-:c.Let us deal tenderly with them, wllCtherwe meet them in tIw kitchell, ill the~chool-room, or in the highways of life.'Vllo knows but God may hOllor f':omeof UI'! as instruments of leading theminto the way of truth?

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CIUl''l'ER III.

"'CIIRISTL\.:\ COXD ....Cr OF KATl1l.n:S-IIER

PEACEFUL DE.\.TJI-PRECIOUS .M[)IORy'

YEAHS pas8ct.l, amI Kathleen hadmade slIch advances in knowledge thatshe wus really well educated when com-pared with her mother rind her sister.She could rcau well, write a correctletter, cipher ill all the simple rulc~,and give some account of the earth withits countries, rivers, mountain::!, lludci tic~. lIeI' mother amI ':\Ieggic I1mltoiled so hard nnd so long to t;CIlUherto schoul, that the good girl grew impa-tient to fepay them. She fOllnu a placeat service in a minister's f:l.mi1.r,and be-gan her unties with great delight. Shesoon created for herself a deep intcrc~t

(31)

3~ THE SIIAYROCK FLOWER.

in every heart, anu many efforts weremade for her 8piritual bClIcfit. HerBible was 11<1 daily companion, and herf:eat beside the filmily altar wa/:! Ile\'crY:lcant. She listeileu with earnest at-tention to nlll"he hCflnl, awl her friendsrejoiced. in the hope that SJIC was alreadyn cllild of God. A year thus wore away,when it became evident to her mistressthat t:;he Wn8 not long for earth. Aslight cough, then cold chills, n. sorethroat and n hectic f(','er, told her carlyuoom. 'Yith the greatest tClHlcrncst:;itwas hinteu to Kathleen that the~csymptoms, which seemed to give her 110

nhtrm, were con~idered almost fatal. 1'0trembling seized her frail form, 110 teardimmed her meek eye.

"I have known this for weeks ill myown heart, ma'am," she said calmly, Handif now is GOU'I:!time, I'm sure I wouldn'twish to live Lcvonu it. I've never fcareddeath since I. saw Imw pcacefully my

TUE SIL\)[ROCK FLOWER . .-h)

father met it, and I'ye ni\'er forgottenhis dJing counsel. It'R God alollc thruu!/',Jesus Christ that 1 hope in lur panIon;amI I wouldn't be putting off ucath onlyfor lilY poor old mother. But my j"ther."blessing that has e\'cr followed us in thestrange hmd is not run Ollt yet. lIe willsee to her nud 1I1cggie when I'm gonefrom them: .• Three months from that time tlJishumble but lo\'cly girl wus borne to herlong home. IIer faith failed not in thetrying hour, and she departed with "'01'0.3

of peace half.spoken on Ler tongue.This sketch is no fiction, uut true in

all its particulars. The name of herwhom we have here called Kathleen, isn. household word among the affection-ate little chiluren of a minister's familyin ~cw England. lIeI' example is ~tillbright l>cforc the servants in that com-munity, and held up Lef"re those who

34 TIlE SliA1IHOCK fLOWER.

have taken up the toil she left wlIen slleentereu into rest. lIeI' memol'j' ispr~cious to her mistrc~~, ,vito will ~ccklong hefore she finu anotller ~lIch scn'autto share her miJnight wntcl.illgs hc~iJethe little cOllch of }lnin, or to follow upIlC1'holy tcncllillgs with !;uch a lon~lj'life before her c1,ildrell. The lJb,ed.Te~us has ~niu: "\Vell done, thou goounuu faithful l!cn"ant; tlJOu ha:;;t VeenfhitlJflll Over a few things, I will makethee ruler over mnny things: enter thouinto the joy of thy Lord."

BEXEnT 01' THE SCmrTrRES.

I:f nn Irish school, tlle children werenllo,,"cd to take the New Testamenthome with them at night, to learn fromit their lessons for the next uny. One

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DE~EFIT or TnE SClUPTURF.S. 35

of the boys read his Testalllent to hisfatlter und mother, wlto were RomanCatholics, anu they fell IIllieh interestedin what they heaN from it. The wifewas soon after taken dnngcrou~ly ill,and the hu~band rcclucstcd a Protcstantclergyman to visit her; whom he tolu,that in consequence of hearing thechild reau the Scriptures, they had re.nounccu popery, alllIl'cgularly attendedhili miniHtry. "I have reason to thankGod amI yon, .sir," Haid thc man, "furteaching my ~Oll in thc school. I ha\"cbeen all my lifetime in ignorance, sin,amI mi.~ery, until I heard that Look.Now, I am taught to put my trust inChrist alone for salvation." Thewoman, too, gave evid.ence in life anodeath of her uependence OIl the meritsnnll interce~sion of Jesus for eternallite. Her 11ll~bnlld and son 8010mulydetermined, by the Divine help, to make

86 BENErIr OF TIlE SClnI'TGm:S.

the Scriptures the ollly rule of faith3utll'mctice.

"Tllis is the judgc that CIH.lS the strifc,Where wit and rCll.!;OIlfail i

Ollr guide to ercrluHi.lIg life,Through nil this gloomy vale

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