DEAF mutes usually remain at school from six to seven years.
Susie was about fifteen, and had been about eight years a pupil at B. when her teachers felt it was time she should leave, and try to do something toward earning her own living, as she had no home to which she could be sent. "But what could she do?" was a question not at all easy to answer.
Several of the elder girls had obtained good situations, others were working at book-folding, dressmaking, and other light trades. But Susie was so very small no one was likely to engage her to do housework, and though fond of children, she was "not strong enough to nurse a baby," the kind matron said, with something between a sigh and a smile, as she looked at Susie.
An attempt was made to teach her straw bonnet work, but after a few weeks' trial it had to be given up as a failure, for though she was willing, and skewed a good deal of intelligence in the way she understood what was required of her, she suffered so much from a cough and pain in her side that the doctor gave it as his opinion that his little friend (as he often called Susie) was far from well, and should not be required to sit closely at any kind of needlework.
So to her great delight Susie was allowed to return to school, "just for a few weeks," her friends said. But the Lord Jesus, who knew better than any one how tired and weak the little girl often was, knew, too, how she longed to be with Him where He is, and who was leading her gently homewards, was about to take her to be with Him in His Father's house. Susie was very near the end of the journey, though I do not think that for a time any of her teachers ever guessed the truth.
Some of her friends thought it would be a good thing if she could be placed in a home, and several were applied to but without success, the managers of some writing to say they were quite full, and did not expect to have any vacancy for a long time; while others declined to receive an inmate whose health was not good. And as Susie still took her place in the schoolroom, and even on sunny days paid a visit to the playground, or took her friend Carrie for a short walk, it hardly seemed desirable to suggest sending her to a hospital, so she was permitted to remain among old friends and young companions till weeks grew into months.
Like many other deaf mutes, Susie was quick to understand much that was going on around her, and the thought of being sent to live among strangers seemed sometimes a real trouble to her.
But on being reminded of the love and care of the Lord for His own, she was much comforted, saying on her fingers, "Yes, Jesus knows, and He loves me. He will not let me be sent away if it is not best for me." And as she made what is called a sign by passing the thumb of one hand quickly over that of the other to express the word best, the anxious look would pass away from her face in a moment, and the smile of peace and even joy come back.
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A KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.
And little Susie was right, was she not, dear young believer? The love of the Lord Jesus will always do its very best for each on whom it rests. If you and I find it hard sometimes to trust that love when sickness or trouble comes, or when the shadow of a great sorrow lies darkly across our path, the very difficulty only spews how little we really and truly KNOW Him; though I am sure we need not turn away in discouragement, and say we may as well give up altogether.
Ah! you see I know something of the way in which Satan tries to tempt tired or disappointed people, for I have been through it all myself. Only I do not feel so badly about it as I used to do, because I am learning just a little of the tender grace and patience of the One who has said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:27, 2827My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27‑28).) And I know, too, that the only safe way in which to meet temptation when it comes is to go at once to Jesus, owning Him as my Lord and Master, and tell Him all about it, and then-just trust Him to keep me from falling. Have you ever noticed a verse in the Epistle of Jude that reads: "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy"? (Jude 1:2424Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (Jude 24))
Now, though to be kept from falling may seem to us, as indeed it is, very great and good, it is not enough for the Lord. Those who read their New Testaments in Greek, which is, all of us will remember, the language in which they were written, tell us that the word translated in our Bibles "falling" ought to be "stumbling.”
I love to think of it, for it always seems just like a sweet, low whisper, reminding me that the One to whom I belong has all power, and is just as able to keep me from slipping or stumbling over all or any of the rough places I meet with on the way home as from falling. But the question I often have to ask myself is, Am I willing to be thus kept?
One of Susie's most valued possessions was her Bible. It had been given to her as a reward for having kept a good place in her class during the whole of a school year. She was often found reading it, and the way in which her favorite chapters and verses were marked proved that she had not been a careless reader of the word of God. I wish I could copy one or two of these pencil line verses for you; but for that I must turn to another Bible, one belonging to a young girl who is deaf and dumb-the Mary already named in these chapters.
She brought her Bible to me one day, saying she wanted me to read some verses she had just found. She thought them very beautiful, and did not even know before they were in one of the gospels. They were the words of the Lord recorded by Matthew. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.”
“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
Susie, who had felt the cold much during the winter, was very pleased when the spring returned with its flowers and sunshine. But the warmth and brightness did not seem to do her any good. Her cough grew worse, and the old pain in the side rarely left her, and was often so severe as to oblige her to leave the schoolroom and lie down. Still she was very patient and cheerful, and would say to Carrie and others who understood her, "I do not think I shall get well; but I am going home, going to see Jesus, and to be with Him forever.”
She seemed very anxious to finish some knitting for which a lady had given her an order. When asked why she worked so hard when not able to sit up for more than a few minutes, Susie replied with a smile, Mrs. M. has been so kind to me that I should be sorry to disappoint her. And the money she promised to give me for the work I should like to be spent in buying a Bible for some poor child who is deaf and dumb.”
Home was very near. Only a day or two after her work was finished she became very ill and unable to rise from her bed, Taking Carrie's hand in hers, she spelled the words, "I think the Lord will take me soon.”
During the few following days she grew worse rapidly; but the Lord, in His own gracious way, kept His little one in perfect peace. Only a few hours before she fell asleep, Carrie, who was sitting by her, asked, "Do you want anything?" Susie replied, "No; only to see Jesus," adding, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
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A BLIND TEACHER READING.
After a few hours of great suffering, the Lord granted her desire, and gently, calmly as a tired child, dear Susie fell asleep to awake in the presence of that precious Savior who had loved her and washed her from her sins in His own blood.