CHAPTER X.
A Messenger from the Skies.
Mrs. Jones and Mattie had found Jennie to be a lovely, intelligent, andmore than ordinarily educated girl. While unused to society, yet therewas an honest straightforwardness about her that was very charming. Thetwo ladies became easily intimately acquainted with her. Her whole soulwas devoted to her mother, and the hope that Dr. Jones had inspiredshone from her eyes. She became quite cheerful and merry. And the effectupon the poor invalid was not less visible. She insisted upon sitting inher easy chair by the fireplace, and joined in the conversation.
Sing, meantime, had installed himself as the presiding genius of thekitchen, and he and the half-breed Indian girl were getting alongfamously together.
"How long have you lived in this place, Mrs. Barton?" asked Mrs. Jones.
"Twenty-three years," replied she.
"Well, have you not found it a very monotonous existence?"
"I did at first; but as my children were born, my mind and heart were sotaken up by them that time did not hang heavily upon our hands. I reallybelieve that we are much happier than the majority of people in thetowns and cities."
"O, if mother can but get well, it seems to me that I shall never bediscontented again in Constance House!" exclaimed Jennie, her eyesfilling with tears.
"My poor girl does long sometimes to see the great world," said Mrs.Barton, stroking the head of Jennie, who was sitting upon a stool at herfeet. "Well, my dear girl, I believe that God, in his infinite mercy,has sent us help directly from the skies; for I must say that lastnight, as I lay the first time for many weary months free from pain andawful burning and restlessness, that I thanked God as I had never donebefore; and my faith went out to Him so that I felt a great peace settleupon me. He has blessed the means being used. I shall recover, mydarling girl."
Jennie, in a paroxysm of joy, threw herself at her mother's feet, andburied her face in her lap, weeping as she had never done in her life.At this juncture the Doctor, Professor Gray, and Mr. Barton entered theroom.
"Tut, tut," said the Doctor, seeing the tears streaming down the facesof the four women, "what sort of business is this? You ought to all belaughing instead of crying. There is nothing to cry about, I assureyou."
"Doctor," said Mrs. Barton, extending her hand to him, "you do notunderstand. We are rejoicing, and this is just our poor woman's way ofdoing it."
"I see, I see," said the jovial Doctor. "Well, now wipe away your tears,and give God all glory. He has sent me, a poor weak mortal, simply as amessenger to administer that which will save you from a loathsomedisease and death. All glory be unto Him."
He then began singing softly and reverently, the others joining:
"God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform, He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs. And works his sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head."
"And now, Mrs. Barton, you must come out and see the chariot in whichthe Lord sent us," cried Dr. Jones gayly.
The poor invalid stood in the door and looked up at the great globe thatshimmered and glistened like burnished silver in the rays of thesetting sun. How proudly and serenely it rode above their heads as ifconscious of its own unparalleled beauty, and its blessed mission inthis present instance. She gazed upon it a few moments in speechlessrapture, her poor emaciated hands clasped upon her breast.
"This is too marvelous for me," she cried. "What am I that God shouldsend deliverance to me in so glorious and majestic a ship of the skies!I am lost in wonder and praise. Glory be to His holy name forever andforever."
"Amen!" responded the listeners fervently.
The canoe party returned at four o'clock, P.M. All were tired and readyto sit about the generous fire; for evening was at hand, and the air wasalready sharp and frosty.
"And how did it happen, Mr. Barton, that you came to settle away up inthis barren wilderness?" asked Professor Gray.
"I do not know that I know myself," returned Mr. Barton. "I was takensick at a boarding-house in Montreal, and was sent to a hospital. I wasat that time master of the bark Twilight, a Liverpool craft. Mrs. Bartonwas then a beautiful girl--don't blush so, Mrs. Barton. Jennie there isa perfect reproduction of you as I first saw you, and I should not beashamed of our Jennie anywhere on earth. Well, as I was saying, Mrs.Barton, named at that time Miss Constance Schmidt, the daughter of aMoravian missionary, visited the hospital frequently as an angel ofmercy. So far as I was concerned it was a case of love at first sight.She nursed me back to health; and, with the usual ingratitude of man, Imarried her for her pains. I then gave up the sea after a trip or two,and settled in Montreal. But I could not get used to, nor like theconventionalities of city life. So I made a trip into these wilds. I sawan opportunity to do a good business in furs; and so, with wife'sconsent, we settled on this spot. I built this house, which I named inhonor of my wife--Constance. I have done fairly well financially, and Iam sure that we have been quite happy and contented. Until Mrs. Barton'sillness, I was without a care or worry in the world."
"But don't you find the winters very long and terribly cold?" askedFred.
"On the contrary, we enjoy our winters very much. To be sure, thethermometer runs from thirty to fifty degrees below zero; but if thewind does not blow, we suffer very little from it."
"What do you do to pass the time?" asked Will.
"The boys, when the weather is favorable, trap and hunt. I am getting alittle too old and heavy for much of that; so I attend to the choresabout the place, trade goods for furs to the hunters and Esquimaux. Ourevenings are passed in reading, one often reading aloud to the rest ofus. And we have a great deal of music. Joe plays the violin, Sam theflute, and Jennie the guitar or dulcimer."
"By the way," cried Fred, "Let's have a musical soiree to-night. What doyou all say?"
This proposition was enthusiastically received.
"Come, Will, let's run up and get the organ. Will you go up?" addressingJoe and Sam.
"Go up, my sons, and see this Alladin's palace," said Mr. Barton. "Youwill never see its like again."
In half an hour they returned. The young Bartons were wildlyenthusiastic in their praises of the globe.
"Jennie, you must not fail to see the wonderful air-ship," cried Joe.Mattie, Jennie, Will and Fred visited the globe, returning just in timefor a splendid supper prepared by the skillful Celestial, Sing. All thatthe larders of both Constance House and the globe afforded had beendrawn upon, and it is doubtful if in all inhospitable Labrador a moreelaborate and bountiful table was ever spread.
The Doctor, at Mr. Barton's request, asked the Divine blessing, and allfell to and ate with an appetite that is known only to those of clearconsciences and sound digestive organs. Having done justice to thereally splendid meal, they repaired to the sitting room. The beautifulaluminum organ graced the center of the apartment, and the musiciansgathered about it. Fred was surprised and delighted to find that theyoung Bartons were all really accomplished musicians, and theirinstruments blended in sweetest harmony. So they played a number oforchestral pieces that were received with great applause by theaudience. Then solos, duets, trios, quartettes, choruses, etc., weresung, and it is not probable that the Barton family ever spent sodelightful an evening in their lives. And let us just contemplate thescene for a moment. How happy, joyous, and innocent they were, just asGod intended his children to be. Two days before, this lovely family hadbeen in the depths of despair, day by day watching a beloved wife andmother dying by inches of a painful, lingering, loathsome disease. Not asound of music had been heard in the house for many days. The violin,guitar, and dulcimer had lain utterly neglected and unstrung. Now achange has occurred that must have delighted the angels of God. Throughthe unselfishness, skill, and noble-heartedness of one
man, has come sounexpectedly, as if dropped from the very skies, in the heart of one ofthe most inhospitable portions of the earth, sweet hope and deliverance.What wonder that their hearts are light and merry? One thought only marstheir pleasure: to-morrow morning the Children of the Skies will sailaway in their glorious sky-ship, probably never to return.
At ten o'clock the company broke up, the ship company ascending, asbefore to their staterooms. Barton would not hear to anything else thanthat they should descend in the morning for the last time. How sad theseearthly partings are. It will not be so in that better land.