“HUSH, Nell! do not cry, darling. She shall not hurt you any more. We'll cut and run, Nell, you and I; will it not be fine for us to give them the slip. Come, cheer up. Ah! she's coming to fetch you; but never mind what she does, it will be the last time.”
“Get along with you, Joe Barker, none of your impudence. I'll tell your father of you, I will. Always hanging about that child instead of going about your business.”
Joe Barker knew better than to interfere as his step-mother seized his little sister, and after administering several hard blows, carried her up the caravan steps, shutting the door after her.
“How can I get her away?" thought Joe, as he sat listening to the sobs of the frightened child. "Well, I'm doing no good here; I'd better be out of sight.”
So saying, Joe crossed the common on which his father's caravan stood, and, climbing a gate near, lay down behind a hedge to "bide his time," as he expressed himself. He had not long to wait, Mrs. Barton soon descended the caravan steps and took her way to the village carrying a number of brushes and brooms for sale; and what good luck! leaving Nellie behind. Now was Joe's time, he bounded across the common and into the caravan, crying “Quick, Nell, quick! get your hat and something warm, and let's be off. Stay, I'll make a bundle of your things. Is there anything more you want? Well, you can carry these, and I'll take my box. I am sure I've a right to it, as I am going to keep you now instead of father.”
In less than five minutes they had left the caravan, the only home Nellie had ever known, and were making the best of their way down a country lane, in the opposite direction to which the rest of the party had gone.
Do not be frightened, Nell; they'll not be able to find us. They'll only think you are out with me on my rounds.”
Arriving about mid-day at a village, Joe was fortunate enough to get a good sale for his tapes and buttons.
“Hark! Nell," he said as he rattled the pence in his pocket; "that's all for you and me. Art hungry, Nell? We'll buy some bread at yonder shop and sit and rest awhile. I reckon you are tired.”
'Tired little Nellie was, but after a very short rest she was ready to start off again. She was too anxious to put a long distance between herself and step-mother to wish to linger on the road, however weary she might be.
“Joe," she said, as they trudged along the road again, after finishing their meal, "you said you would tell me all the parson told you that night.”
“Aye, Nell, that's just what I was thinking of doing, but wait till we are sitting down. I'm looking out for a haystack where we could sleep to-night. We must take care of the pence for some days we shall have bad luck.”
Poor Nellie was well nigh worn out before a suitable place was reached.
“Art comfortable, Nell?" Joe asked, as he placed her in a snug corner he had made for her in a load of loose straw.
“Yes, Joey, dear. I'm so comfortable and happy, but you'll teach me the prayer before it's dark, won't you?”
“Here it be," said Joe, pulling out the little card. "Now say it after me till you know it, Nell.”
It was some time before this was accomplished; at last Nellie said it perfectly.
“Tell me what it means, Joe.”
“Well, you see, Nell, we are all bad, but God loves us, so He sent Jesus to die for us, and His blood will wash away our sins.”
“Is that what the parson said, Joe?”
“Yes, and I have read it in the Testament. Hark to this, Nell: ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,' and here's another verse, ‘Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us.'”
“Does God love me, Joe?”
“Aye, Nell. I guess He does. There's summat here about little children coming to Jesus, and some round about tried to turn them away, but Jesus would not have that, and He called them and took them up in His arms. Ah! here it is, I turned it down on purpose for you. Jesus said, ‘Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
“Will Jesus take me in His arms, Joe?”
“He's gone back to heaven now, Nell; but He can see us all the same, and He hears us when we pray, and will take care of us.”
“I wish I could go to Him like they did," thought weary little Nell as she closed her eyes. "I am so tired I should like Him to take me in His arms.”
“Poor child," thought Joe as he sat watching her; "I do not know what I shall do with her when winter comes. She'll die of cold.”
It was with an anxious heart that Joe lay down to rest. Had he done right in taking his little sister away from where at least she had food and shelter from the cold? But anything was better than to see her beaten and ill-treated. And would not God take care of them if he asked Him? And Joe did ask; long into the night he lay looking up into the star-lit sky while he prayed, "Lord, take care of the little one, give us food eno' and let me find work before the winter sets in.”
Day after day passed and to Joe's great relief the weather still continued mild. It was not always they had such good success as on their first morning. Very often Joe went dinnerless that Nell might have enough. But they often met with great kindness from the people of the villages they went through. "Pretty dear," some kind motherly body would say; "she looks as if a good basin of bread and milk would do her good. Bless her little heart. Sit down, dear, and I'll soon heat ye some.”
“Would you like to go in, Nell?" asked Joe as they stood opposite a door one Sunday afternoon, watching a stream of Sunday-school children as they thronged in.
“Come on then, we needn't be seen. We'll only go just inside the door.”
“Oh! isn't it beautiful?" whispered little Nell, who had never been in a school before, as they took their places in the last seat. "And isn't the singing just grand?”
It was a children's service. The prayers were short, the hymns bright, and the address adapted to the understanding of the little hearers. The text was taken from Matt. 18:1414Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:14), "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.”
Nellie listened in breathless attention while the clergyman told the story of the shepherd going out into the cold night to look for the little lamb that was lost. And how when he found it, he put it on his shoulders, and carried it home rejoicing. And then he went on to say, "And now, dear children, we are all like that little lost sheep. We have all run away from the good Shepherd, and some of us have strayed very far from Him. But the shepherd went after the sheep all the way it had wandered. And so Jesus has followed us, and it is not far back to Him, because He has come to seek us.”
He went on to tell how Jesus, when He looked down on the earth and saw so many of His people had gone astray into the wilderness, and He began to think of coming to look for His sheep, He knew what it would cost Him, He knew He would have to leave His bright happy home and be an outcast, and He knew that people would not listen to Him, and that they would mock and put Him to death on the cross, and that He would have to suffer even to death. But He was willing to suffer all this because He loved His little lambs so much. You know all our sins cause Jesus pain, we cannot commit a single sin without grieving Him, but you know our not coming to Him, our not believing Him, causes Him more pain than anything else.
“Are you going to try and make Him happy this afternoon?" The Lord Jesus Himself rejoices when one soul trusts in Him. Yes, we are told, "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." The service ended with the beautiful hymn, "Jesus is our Shepherd," and though Nellie could not read, she heard enough of the sweet words to fill her little heart with joy and peace.
Jesus is our Shepherd, leading on His flock,
To the living fountains gushing from the rock,
And lest foes should injure any little lambs
These He gently gathers in His loving hands.
Jesus is our Shepherd; nothing need we fear;
Though the wolves surround us, none will venture near;
Though we all may often, wander from the track,
Yet He will not suffer any to go back.
Jesus is our Shepherd: we are in the fold—
Carried in his bosom, shielded from the cold.
Oh, how safely dwelling in the Savior's arms,
Guarded from all danger, kept from all alarms.
Jesus is our Shepherd, none can e'er be lost,
If we but consider, what a price we cost.
How, that He to save us, left His throne on high;
Gave Himself a ransom for the flock to die.
Jesus is our Shepherd, we belong to Him;
He it was redeemed us from our guilt and sin.
Therefore He will keep us, we are His own lambs,
Purchased with His life blood from His side and hands.