Mrs. Rivers, before she married had been Marian Brookland's nurse, and Marian, whose mother had died when she was a baby, had grown very fond of her. Mrs. Rivers's name before she married was Alice Clark, and she always thought a great deal of little Marian. She used to carry her out into the meadows and play games with her, finding all the sweetest wildflowers to make wreaths for her hat. Then, when a little older, Alice used to go with her when Dr. Brookland visited those of his patients who lived some distance off, and wait with Marian in the carriage while he made his calls.
In the evening Alice used to take Marian on her knee and tell her interesting stories, and rock her to sleep in her arms, so that the little girl grew very fond of her nurse, and cried heartily when she left her to be married to John Rivers. But he had been lost at sea six months after little May was born, and his grief-stricken wife never got over it. While she fretted and pined, a violent and neglected cold brought her down to this sad state of sickness.
She, a good mother, had shown her children much love, but not knowing the Lord Jesus as her Saviour till her illness, they had heard little of His grace and love to poor sinners. She never allowed them to play with the rough children of the village. Occasionally she went to church, but took little interest in what she heard there, and only recently had she learned of the great love of God in giving Jesus to die for her sins.
Like many other people, she knew she was a sinner, but had not felt her sin to be a heavy burden. At last, however, her eyes were opened to see that she was a ruined and helpless sinner, and that unless her guilt was washed away she would be lost forever. Then, when she saw Jesus as the Saviour, the One who "bore our sins in His own body on the tree," she received Him gladly and found peace.
What a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ is! Is He your Saviour? You need the Lord Jesus. If you are satisfied with yourself and your actions, you are not longing after Him. When you see that you cannot save yourself, then you will be glad to hear of a Saviour who has done all for you, and who will receive you, pardon you, care for you and guide you safely to glory. Only you must believe on Him.
Dr. Brookland was one of those whom people generally call a "good man." He gave to the poor when they were in need; he always had a kind word for them, especially if they were in trouble, and he attended the village church regularly. He read his Bible, and he found pleasure in it, but he was not so sure of his own salvation as to be able
"To tell to others round
What a dear Saviour he had found, And point to the redeeming blood, And say, 'Behold the way to God.' "
When he knew his patients could not recover, he would speak to them of the importance of being prepared, but, being a reserved man, he shrank from speaking much to others on these matters.
Marian, too, was like many others: she was gentle and kind to all, was glad to help any in trouble, but was a stranger to the Lord Jesus Christ. She did not know Him as her Redeemer, as the One who had come to save her soul from hell. But when she thought that her dear loved nurse must die, she began to wonder if she were ready to meet God, and fit for heaven, and bought some little gospel booklets, which she slipped into Mrs. Rivers's hands.
Mrs. Rivers read them, and found they directed her to the Bible. To the Bible she turned, and found words of peace and comfort.
"Come unto Me . . . and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)), said Jesus, and her heart replied, "Yes, Lord, I will come, just as I am."
And who ever came and did not find rest?
But what about the children?
Her one brother, a farmer, who lived sixteen miles away, had been very kind to her since her husband's death, and John Clark promised to care for the children, and either to provide for them or take them home with him. She was expecting this brother as the children were taken upstairs to wish her good night.
A change for the worse had taken place, and she was now lying faint upon her bed. The room was partly darkened through the little cotton curtain being drawn across the window. A neighbor was fanning the sufferer on one side, while the doctor was getting some medicine to revive her a little, but as the children came in he moved to the bottom of the bed.
Their mother tried to rouse herself, and looking at Rose, said faintly -
"Goodbye, Rose. I am going away from you for a little while, but I hope you will follow me. I am going to a better land. Go to the Sunday school, and you will learn about the Saviour who died for me. Accept Him as your Saviour and Friend. Take care of your little brother and sister, and be very kind to Robin. Remember that though he is often troublesome he is not a bad boy, and keep him from getting into trouble if you can. Be sure and watch over baby. Poor baby! no father, no mother! but God will care for you, and I think your uncle will be good to you. Kiss me, Rose — you have been a good child to Mother. God bless you!"
They lifted the little sobbing child to the bed, to receive her mother's last kiss. She said not a word, but she held the pillow tight with one hand while she put the other into her mother's, and tried to stifle the sobs that would arise.
When she was taken down, the neighbor wanted to lead her from the room, but she half whispered, half cried, "Oh, let me stay," and her mother's look said, "Leave her," so she stayed.
Robin had hidden his face — half in fear, half in grief — in Miss Brookland's dress, while she urged him to be quiet. But when his mother said,
"Robin, come and kiss me," he looked up, and quite reassured, answered cheerfully,
"Yes, I will come, Mother," and prepared to clamber on the bed.
He was a little frightened at her pale face and faint voice, but it was Mother, and with his child-like curiosity he said, patting her cheek:
"Has the doctor given you good medicine, and are you going to get well again, and come into the meadows with Rose and me? I'll pick you a lot of flowers, Mother."
Her voice trembled, and nearly gave way as she answered:
"Thank you, Robbie. I know you love Mother, but God wants me to go to His beautiful home and soon I hope you will come too. Promise to try and be a good boy when I am gone. Be obedient and faithful to Rose, and love baby, and always pray to the Saviour. I wish I had taught you more about Him."
"When are you coming back?" asked Robin.
His mother tried to speak, but her voice failed, and, kissing the little boy, she sank back exhausted.
Robin slipped down from the bed and out of the room, and the baby, eighteen months old, was placed by the side of its mother.
Tears came into the dying woman's eyes, and rolled down her hollow cheeks, as she gazed on the little one so fondly loved, and as soon as she could speak, said:
"Baby, good-bye, you — will — never remember me, but O Saviour, watch this little lamb and bring it safe to glory."
Then she kissed her child, and begged them to leave it while it slept.
So the fair, fresh baby lay quietly sleeping beside the dying mother, whose feebly beating heart was aching at the thought of parting.
Marian stood by, watching, but saying little; now she moistened the lips of the sufferer, while she whispered:
"Dear Nurse, again let me assure you I will, as far as I can, watch over the children; they shall be provided for as long as Father and I live, and if their uncle fails to take them in, we will provide a home for them."
"God bless you, Miss Marian," murmured her old nurse. "May you through our precious Saviour reach the heavenly land."
Robin was found by the doctor at the garden gate. He was looking eagerly down the road.
"What are you doing here, Robin?"
"I am just looking for the carriage that's to take Mother to the beautiful place. I don't want her to go, so I am watching to keep it away, or else they must take me, too, or I'll . . . " — and Robin put on a defiant air.
"Hush, hush, little one, God will send His angels," said the doctor. "Here is something to comfort you," and he slipped some money into the boy's hand as he drove away.
"I will give it to the angels if they will take me," thought Robin, as he looked up at the bright sky, and wondered how they could fly down all that way. Then, full of hope, he trotted into the cottage. He was too young to realize what the loss of a kind, watchful, loving mother meant to him. None other could ever give to him the care and affection that the heart of a mother alone can give to her own child. But God Himself looks down on the orphan and declares out of His great heart of pity and compassion that He will be "a Father of the fatherless." Psa. 68.5.