WHITER THAN SNOW

AND

LITTLE DOT

“Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

BYMRS. O. F. WALTON

FFAITH PUBLISHING HOUSEDigitally Published by

THE GOSPEL TRUTHwww.churchofgodeveninglight.com

Other digitally published children's books:

Bible Chain of Truth by A. Marie MilesHarry the Newsboy by Isabel Byrum

How John Became a Man by Isabel ByrumOur Darlings' Bible ABC Book by Isabel Byrum

Paula the Waldensian by Eva LecomteThe Hero of Hill House by Mabel Hale

The Pilot's Voice by Isabel ByrumThe Poorhouse Waif by Isabel Byrum

Tim and His Lamp re-written by Fern StubblefieldTouching Incidents compiled by S. B. Shaw

WHITER THAN SNOWCHAPTER 1

Do you love to see the snow fall? I amsure all children who live in the countrydo. It looks so pretty, whitening thebranches of the trees, and covering allthe ground with a vast white sheet.

But it was not on fields and trees thatlittle Nelly Rogers watched the snowdescend; it was in a dark, dull, narrowstreet of a big manufacturing town. StillNelly thought the snow very pretty. Thesoft white flakes looked so different fromeverything else in that smoky, dirtyplace. It seemed a wonder that anythingso pure should come down there andrest on the blackened windowsills of theold tumble-down houses, and make anice white road of the usually dirtyalleys and streets.

Nelly stood at the door for a long time.Her little face looked very pinched andblue, but she seemed unmindful of thecold, in the enjoyment of watching thefast-falling snow. It was very seldom she

5

saw anything so pure and beautiful inthat district of the city.

While she looked, three little wordsfloated into her mind—”whiter thansnow.’’ She knew she had heard themsomewhere; where was it? She thoughta long time, then she remembered theywere Bible words. Yes, she had learnedthem a long time ago, and there wasmore that came after that; but thoughNelly tried hard to remember the rest ofthe verse, it would not come back to her,only those three little words—”whiterthan snow.”

Again and again she repeated themto herself, wondering what could bewhiter than snow. It was certainly some-thing she had never seen, still she feltsure that there was something whitereven than the pure white snow that wasfalling thick and fast around her, for theBible said so, and though poor Nelly’sknowledge was very small, she knew theBible was God’s Word, and therefore itmust be true.

Whiter Than Snow6

But now the snow had ceased falling,and Nelly turned regretfully from thedoor, and went in. Oh, what a contrastit was to the snow outside! How blackand dirty everything looked in the dark,comfortless room!

Nelly sat down close to the fire, andtried to warm herself; for now that sheno longer had anything pleasant to lookat she realized how cold she was.

Life was lonely for poor little Nelly, forshe had no brothers and sisters. Hermother died soon after Nelly was born,leaving the baby in charge of her grand-mother, who took very good care of thelittle motherless infant. As soon as Nellywas old enough to understand, she be-gan to teach her the first lessons fromthe Bible every child should learn. Butwhen Nelly was only five years old, thepious old woman, too, was called to theheavenly home. Since then the childhad had no one to teach her.

That is where our story begins. Threeyears after her grandmother’s death,

7Whiter Than Snow

Nelly had almost forgotten all she hadever learned. Yet those early lessonswere not altogether lost. It was the re-sult of one of them that made Nelly thinkof these three Bible words while watch-ing the falling snow. The seed had takenroot, and, though long buried, was go-ing to spring up and bear fruit.

James Rogers was not an unkindman, but he did not understand chil-dren. It never occurred to him that whilehe was at work all day long in the ironfoundry, his little girl must be verylonely! He supposed she went into theneighbor’s houses, or amused herselfplaying with the children in the street.But the neighbors were all too muchoccupied with their own business andcares to trouble themselves about thequiet little child who never troubledthem, and she did not like playing withthe children in the street, they were sorude and quarrelsome.

Nelly, however, had one friend. In thelower room of one of the houses across

8 Whiter Than Snow

the street there lived an old Irishman.Micky M’Guinness was a strange oldman. The walls of his little room werelined with small cages, for he sold birds.There were canaries, goldfinches, bull-finches, and many other kinds of birds.Nelly used to go and spend hours inMicky’s room, listening to the sweetsinging, and helping the old man carefor the little songsters.

She was naturally silent, and fromliving alone, the old man hardly evertalked to anyone but himself and hisbirds: nevertheless he was very fond ofNelly, her quiet ways just suited him.Mutual love for the birds had first drawnthem together, and now a strong friend-ship existed between the two. But to goback to the beginning of our story, Nellysat a long time by the fire, trying toremember what it was that was whiterthan snow.

Suddenly a bright thought came toher— perhaps her old friend knew. Shewent again to the door, and looked out.

9Whiter Than Snow

It was getting dark, and the air wasintensely cold. It was snowing heavilyagain. The light of the bright fire in oldMicky’s room was lighting up his win-dow. Nelly could see the ruddy glow andwas sure he was home. So, her little feetsinking deep in snow at every step, shemade her way across the street.

The old man was sitting before thefire in a large wooden armchair. Thebirds had all gone to sleep, so that theroom was silent. Nelly drew up a littlethree-legged stool, as the old man signi-fied to her, and nestled into her favoritesnug position by his knee.

“Micky,’’ she asked, after silentlywatching him for some time, ‘’do youknow the Bible?”

Micky’s head turned as he sat up-right. He stared at the child in wonder-ment.

“Do you, Micky?” Nelly repeated.“Well, I can’t say I do, rightly.”The child looked disappointed.“Why, what did you want to know

10 Whiter Than Snow

for?” said the old man, seeing thetroubled look on her face.

‘’Oh, I thought you could tell mesomething! Did you never learn anyBible verses, Micky?’’

“Well no, dear. You see where I livedwhen I was a lad, there was no schoolwithin three miles, and so I never learnedto read. To be sure, I’ve heard bits of theBible now and then, but it’s a long timesince; it’s little I remember now.”

Having thus explained himself, Mickyresumed his comfortable position, andfor some minutes neither spoke. Nelly’sface looked very grave.

“Micky,” she said at last, in a lowfrightened tone, ‘’do you think we’ll everget to heaven if we don’t know theBible?”

“Well, dear, I hope to get there beforelong. I’m an old man now, and it’s neartime I was there. You’ll get there any-way, for you’re a good little thing, andnever did harm to anyone.’’

“Oh Micky, I wish I knew the Bible; I

11Whiter Than Snow

don’t think I’ll get there if I don’t!”As the child spoke she pressed closer

to the old man’s side, looking anxiouslyin his face. Again he turned towards thegirl, and regarded in astonishment thelittle pale face before him, so anxiousand earnest. Then laying his hand onNelly’s head, he replied, “Why you lookalmost as if you were going now. Whatails you child?”

“I don’t know, only I’m tired.” Nellylaid her head down wearily upon the oldman’s knee and presently fell fast asleep.Micky’s comfort was not so complete asbefore, and every now and then his eyewould rest uneasily upon the pale cheekhalf covered by the thin little hands. Anoise in the street woke Nelly with astart. She looked around in a bewil-dered way, then remembering whereshe was, got up to leave.

‘’And must you go, dear?’’ said the oldman. ‘’Stay and have a cup of tea.”

Nelly looked wistfully back at thesnug place she had just left, but father

12 Whiter Than Snow

would be coming home, she remem-bered, and she must get his supperready. So, shivering, she crossed thecold, dark street and entered her deso-late home.

13Whiter Than Snow

Nell, is that you?’’ cried a loud harshvoice, and a cross-looking woman ap-peared at the head of the stairs. “Wherehave you been all this time? I had to re-light the fire you let go out, troublesomechild. And a pretty thing, too, after ahard day’s work, to have to go to thepump because you forgot to get thewater.” Nelly looked frightened; but be-fore she could make any reply the womanturned away, telling her not to standthere any longer, but to be quick and gether father’s supper ready.

Mrs. Millar was poor Nelly’s greatdread. She was always scolding her forsomething or other; so it was a greatrelief to Nelly when the woman’s workkept her out all day, as it generally did.She occupied the room over the kitchen,paying Mr. Rogers for her lodging bytaking care of the house and doing allthe work Nelly was not equal to.

Poor woman! Hers was a hard life,

CHAPTER 2

14

too. This had done much to harden herheart and embitter her spirit. She hadno children, and her husband was atsea. Sometimes, however, Joe Millarwould come to the town, spend all hisearnings in drink; and then his wifewould have to support him. After loudcomplaints and a good deal of quarrel-ing she would give him more money tosquander away. And so, when Joe wentback to his ship, all his wife’s hard-earned savings were gone too, and shewas left to toil on and scrape together alittle more, to be swept off in the samemanner at his next visit. It was nowonder she was unhappy.

Very different was she as the bright-looking Jane Ellwood, the pride of hervillage home, a little hot-tempered, cer-tainly, but so lively and warmhearted.Her mother warned her when first thefine, careless, sunburnt sailor cameand appeared to be more than casuallyinterested in her attractive daughter.But Jane tossed her head and said, “He

15Whiter Than Snow

meant nothing.” She liked to listen whileJoe talked to her of foreign ports andgreat cities he had seen. Finally shelonged to know more of the world, ofwhich then she knew so little. Thenwhen Joe Millar said he wanted to marryher, Mark Ellwood declared he wouldnever give his daughter to a sailor ofwhom he knew nothing, he must firstknow more of his character. Jane’s tem-per was up. Why should they think Joebad? It was unjust; she did not thinkhim so, and marry him she would. So offshe went, leaving a father in anger anda mother in tears.

Soon after their marriage Joe wentaway to sea and Jane was obliged tolook for work. For years she never sawhim. Then Joe wrote to say he wascoming home, and with both their earn-ings they would live comfortably, and hewould go no more to sea. So Jane left herposition, and thought they would behappy.

But Joe had got into idle drinking

16 Whiter Than Snow

habits, and before very long all theirmoney was gone. Still his wife struggledhard to earn enough to support themboth. It was no use. Bitterly she re-proached her husband, till, weary of hercomplaints, he took to his sailor lifeagain. Jane did not have the courage togo back to her former position, so shelived as already told, working hard andsaving up what she could. After all, Joewas still her husband, and she would dowhat she could for him.

Tired after her hard day’s work, Mrs.Millar sat down to brood over her mis-fortunes; while downstairs, Nelly wea-rily moved about, getting supper ready.A heavy step announced her father’sapproach. Presently the door opened,and a hardened working man entered.

“Bitter cold night; supper ready?That’s a good girl.’’ So saying, Mr. Rogerssat down to the table and devoted all hisenergies to making a hearty meal ofwhat was set before him. Indeed, soentirely engrossed was he, that he never

17Whiter Than Snow

noticed Nelly’s tired, worn look, or thatshe ate nothing. His appetite satisfied atlast, he drew a newspaper out of hispocket, at the same time asking Nelly toput a log on the fire. Poor Nelly went tothe corner of the room where there wasa pile of firewood and lifted one of thelogs—it was very heavy. Nelly felt soweak she could hardly move it, and yetthere was no smaller one. She looked ather father—wouldn’t he help her? Hewas busy with his newspaper, so Nellythought she would make one brave ef-fort. It was as much as the child coulddo; but she succeeded at length in car-rying the heavy log across the room andplacing it on the fire. Her whole bodyached with the exertion.

Having scanned the contents of hispaper, Mr. Rogers went out to spend therest of his evening drinking and carous-ing, as had become his custom of late.

Nelly cleared away the things, andthen sat down by the fire. She felt verymiserable and unhappy, she hardly

18 Whiter Than Snow

19Whiter Than Snow

knew why—poor child! Little did sheknow how ill she was. She had no one totalk to, nothing to amuse her but watch-ing the little blue and red flames thatseemed to play with one another aroundthe log. Then she crept up to her littlelonely garret, and lay down all alone inthe dark, without the blessed knowl-edge that she was in a heavenly Father’skeeping, and that His holy angels werewatching around her bed.

Mr. Rogers came home at a late hour,and as he was climbing the stairs withunsteady step, the sound of Nelly’s dis-tressed coughing, now and then mingledwith low sobs, caught his ear. He stoppedand listened.

Mrs. Millar was still up. She hadrecently become aware that he frequentlycame home under the influence of li-quor and was watching for his return.Hearing him coming up the steps, shelooked out of her room, then burst out ina complaining tone—“And is that whatyou’re coming to, Rogers? It’s well your

20 Whiter Than Snow

poor wife’s spared seeing her trouble.’’Had he been perfectly sober, Mr.

Rogers would have angrily resented thewoman’s remarks.

“I say, missis,’’ he stammered out,“does anything ail the child?”

“Ail her! that cough’s killing her, that’swhat ails her.”

21Whiter Than Snow

CHAPTER 3Was it an unpleasant dream he had

had, that something was the matterwith his child? But one look at Nelly thenext morning convinced James Rogersit was reality.

“Nell, what were you crying for lastnight?’’ he asked her.

Nelly looked ashamed. “I couldn’thelp it,’’ she said; “it was so cold, andthe cough hurt me.’’

The father was startled. The child’sface looked just as her mother’s hadwhen she was ill. He always knew thelittle girl was not very strong, but thenshe never complained. For the first time,when he went away to his work that day,he was troubled at the thought of thelonely little one at home. James Rogersfelt ashamed to think how the increas-ing love for drink was making him evenneglect his child, and yet it was veryhard to give it up. All that day there wasa fierce battle going on in the man’s

22

mind. He finally resolved to stop drink-ing for awhile.

The snow fell heavily during most ofthe day, and Nelly found some amuse-ment in watching it. She did so lovethose soft white flakes, and again andagain she wondered what could bewhiter.

That evening, when supper was over,the father drew his chair over to the fire,and lifted Nelly on his knee. He told herhe would take her some day to thefoundry, and show her all the wonderfulmachines. Her little face lighted up withpleasure, and she looked so eager andhappy that her father reassured himselfshe would soon be well.

Presently the door opened.Jim, aren’t you coming out tonight?’’

asked a rough voice. “Here, come on,let’s drink over at Jake’s.’’

Alas for Rogers’ halfhearted resolu-tions!

“I don’t think I’ll go with you tonight,”he said, slowly.

23Whiter Than Snow

Nelly’s eyes were fixed wistfully uponher father’s face.

“Why, what are you going to do?”asked the other.

“Nothing; but I’ve decided to stay athome tonight.’’

“Oh, don’t be so stupid! What’s gotinto you, Jim? You’re generally not sofond of staying at home.”

Jim looked uncomfortable, and Nellytook his large rough hand in both hers,and held it tight, as if to keep him.

“Come on Jim, let’s get going,” saidNed impatiently.

Mr. Rogers felt ashamed of holdingback any longer, so he put Nelly downfrom his knee.

“Well, then, I’ll go along with you,” hesaid, moving towards the door. Then heturned and saw the little girl standingby the fireside watching him mourn-fully.

“I say, Ned, the little one will be verylonesome.”

“Well, bring her along to my house,

24 Whiter Than Snow

she can stay with my wife and thechildren till we come back; but make itsnappy.”

“Nell, wrap yourself up warm andcome,” said Mr. Rogers; and Nelly puton her hat and coat and placed her littlehand into her father’s, quite pleased toaccompany him. The night was bitterlycold. The snow which covered the groundcrackled under their feet. A sharp windpierced through Nelly’s cloak and madeher teeth chatter, and her whole bodyshiver. The men walked very fast, andher poor little aching limbs could hardlykeep up with them. When her coughbecame distressing, she wished she hadstayed at home. Then Mr. Rogersstopped, lifted her up in his arms, andcarried her the rest of the way.

“Here we are,” said Ned Harrison, ashe opened the door. “Mary, keep thischild till we come back.”

A tidy-looking woman came forwardand led Nelly over to the fire.

“Poor child, are you ill?” she asked,

25Whiter Than Snow

as the bright flame showed Nelly’s littlethin white face.

A fit of coughing prevented the childfrom answering.

“Poor little thing, and no mother totake care of her,” the kind woman saidsoftly, and she gave the child a compas-sionate kiss, which made Nelly look upin her face and smile a grateful, winningsmile.

“Now, maybe, you’d like to play withthe children,” Mrs. Harrison suggested,as several little ones gathered aroundher. Nelly did not join in, but sat watch-ing the others, looking quite content.Sometimes her eyes followed the busymovements of Mrs. Harrison and hereldest daughter Ruth. It was Saturdaynight and they were busily makingpreparations for the next day. Then hereyes wandered around the tidy roomwhere the firelight danced and flick-ered.

How easy it was to be happy andcontented in a bright cheerful home like

26 Whiter Than Snow

this! How different from poor Nelly’s!But the mother’s face looked grave. Sheknew too well where her husband hadgone.

Mrs. Harrison was a godly woman;not in name only, but in deed and intruth, and it was her one great trial thather husband was not a Christian. Whenshe married him she was equally care-less of the “one thing needful.’’ Whenher first little baby died, and the youngmother’s heart was bowed down withgrief, the good words of a kind lady, achurch visitor in the district were themeans of bringing her to the Saviour.Soon she learned to thank God for theaffliction which had been so sanctified.That God would touch her husband’sheart was Mrs. Harrison’s constant andbelieving prayer, and she felt sure Hewould do so in His own good time.

Mr. Harrison was a kind husbandand father, and an honest, industriousworkman. There was little danger of hisgetting into intemperate habits, as he

27Whiter Than Snow

naturally disliked strong drink. It wasto join his friends, hear the news, dis-cuss politics, or play cards, that led himto frequent Jake’s Place.

Their work finished, the mother tookthe little ones off to bed, and Ruth cameand sat down beside Nelly. The twochildren soon became friends thoughRuth was a good deal older. It did nottake long until the older girl was ac-quainted with Nelly’s short history. Shewas sorry for the poor child who saidshe had no one to play with, never wentto school, and was generally alone allday. Ruth thought she would neverdesire to change places with her.

After they had talked a little while,Ruth ran off to get her Bible. She mustlook over her lesson for Sunday schoolbefore bedtime. Nelly looked wistfully atthe Book and into Ruth’s face as the girlwas repeating her verses over and overto herself. Nelly wondered in her ownmind whether Ruth would be likely toknow more than old Micky.

28 Whiter Than Snow

“Ruth,’’ she said presently.“What, Nelly?”“Do you know what’s whiter than

snow?”“Whiter than snow? No, I think snow’s

the whitest thing there is.’’“Oh! but there’s something whiter. I

know there is. I remember the Biblesays so; but I’ve forgotten all but that.’’

“Maybe you’re thinking of the angel’srobes, they’re white as snow—but wait—I think I know now what you mean; it’sin the Psalms. I’ll find it.’’

Ruth turned over the leaves of herBible unsuccessfully.

“Oh, here’s mother, she’ll know!Mother, where in the Bible is ‘whiterthan snow’? ”

“The fifty-first Psalm, Ruth; don’t youremember we were reading it the othernight?”

“Oh yes, mother, it was a beautifulpsalm! Now I have it. Here, Nelly, look!”“But I can’t read it,’’ said Nelly, sadly.“Read it to me.”

29Whiter Than Snow

Ruth read through the Psalm: “ ‘Havemercy upon me, O God, according to thylovingkindness: according unto themultitude of thy tender mercies blot outmy transgressions. Wash me throughlyfrom mine iniquity, and cleanse mefrom my sin. For I acknowledge mytransgressions: and my sin is ever be-fore me. Against thee, thee only, have Isinned, and done this evil in thy sight:that thou mightest be justified whenthou speakest, and be clear when thoujudgest.

“ ‘Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;and in sin did my mother conceive me.Behold, thou desirest truth in the in-ward parts; and in the hidden part thoushalt make me to know wisdom. Purgeme with hyssop, and I shall be clean:wash me, and I shall be whiter thansnow. Make me to hear joy and glad-ness; that the bones which thou hastbroken may rejoice. Hide thy face frommy sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.Create in me a clean heart, O God; and

30 Whiter Than Snow

renew a right spirit within me.“ ‘Cast me not away from thy pres-

ence; and take not thy holy spirit fromme. Restore unto me the joy of thysalvation; and uphold me with thy freespirit. Then will I teach transgressorsthy ways; and sinners shall be con-verted unto thee. Deliver me frombloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of mysalvation: and my tongue shall singaloud of thy righteousness.

“ ‘O Lord, open thou my lips; and mymouth shall shew forth thy praise. Forthou desirest not sacrifice; else would Igive it: thou delightest not in burntoffering. The sacrifices of God are abroken spirit: a broken and a contriteheart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’ ”

Nelly listened with fixed attention.“But still I don’t know,” she said,

when Ruth had finished. “What does itmean ‘wash me, and I shall be whiterthan snow?’ ”

Ruth looked a little puzzled how toexplain.

31Whiter Than Snow

“Mother,” she said, “you can tell herbetter than I can.”

“Whose words are they, Ruth?”“David’s.”“Well, tell Nelly what David wanted.”“He wanted to have his sins washed

away, and then his heart would bewhiter than snow. Isn’t that it, Mother?”

“But how could his sins be washedaway?’’ Nelly asked.

Mrs. Harrison looked at her pity-ingly.

“Don’t you know, child, who died foryou, to take away your sins?’’

“Jesus—Granny taught me aboutHim, but it’s so long ago I forget it all.’’

“Well, the Bible says, ‘The blood ofJesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.’He shed His blood for poor sinners likeus, that we might be washed, and haveour hearts made clean, and make us fitfor heaven.”

Nelly’s anxious eyes were fixed onMrs. Harrison. She would have liked tohave heard more, but just then the door

32 Whiter Than Snow

opened and the two men walked in. Mr.Rogers’ heated face and unsteady stepwere too evident proof that he had beendrinking too much. Mrs. Harrison lookeduneasily at him, then at Nelly.

“The child had better stay here,” shesaid firmly. “It’s too cold for her to be outwith such a cough as she’s got.”

Incapable of reasoning, Mr. Rogersshowed a dogged determination not togo home without the child.

Saying good-bye to Mrs. Harrisonand Ruth, who promised to go and seeher soon, Nelly confidently placed herlittle hand in her father’s, and trustedherself without any fear to his uncertainguidance through the dark windingstreets. The way seemed very long, andthis time poor Nelly was not carried; butcold and fatigue were alike forgotten byher, because of one great all-absorbingidea. Every now and then the wordsescaped her lips—timidly, as if uncer-tain where they were going, “Wash me,and I shall be whiter than snow.”

33Whiter Than Snow

CHAPTER 4Sunday came, a short cessation to

the restless motion and weary toil of thebusy city. To Ruth Harrison and hermother, Sunday was a very happy day.The rest was very sweet to the motherafter the six days’ toil, but sweeter stillwas the service of the house of God, thewords of divine truth and heavenly con-solation, which her meek heart loved sowell. Ruth’s face, always cheerful,seemed to wear a more than usuallyhappy expression on Sundays.

This morning, as she looked forwardto her own pleasures, she wonderedwhat Sunday was like to poor littleNelly; was it just the same as any otherday? Ruth pitied her very much. Herwarm affectionate heart had been drawntowards the little stranger the nightbefore; and now, when she knelt downto say her morning prayer, Nelly wasincluded in the petition for a blessing onall she loved.

34

At an early hour, the Harrison chil-dren started off to Sunday school, theirfresh tidy appearance contrasting withthat of most of the children they passedin the streets. As Ruth walked along,leading her youngest little brother bythe hand, she was making an effort todrill him in learning his memory verse.It was not an easy matter to divert hisattention from all the attractive sightsand sounds.

Ruth’s own lesson was always wellprepared, for to study God’s Word washer great delight. The lesson today wasabout the little captive maid, who wasthe means of recovering her masterfrom leprosy. The teacher spoke veryearnestly about opportunities of doinggood, and being useful to others, espe-cially by leading the wandering ones tothe Lord Jesus Christ; none of themwere too young to be employed in theservice of God, and the highest workwas to try and bring others to love Him.

The lesson was not lost upon Ruth.

35Whiter Than Snow

She thought of the poor little girl whoknew not how the blood of Jesuscleanseth from all sin; and, joyful at theopportunity offered her, she resolved tobe Nelly’s teacher. So that afternoon,when the other children were gettingready to go with their father for a walkinto the country, Ruth told her mothershe would like to go and see Nelly Rogers.

“That would be very kind and thepoor little girl would enjoy it, I know,”said her mother; “but if you go now,you’ll lose out on the walk, Ruth.” Mrs.Harrison knew, too, what a treat theSunday walk was to Ruth, how sheenjoyed her father’s company, and howmuch she liked getting out to some ofthe quiet, pleasant roads beyond thesmoky city. But Ruth said she wantedvery much to see Nelly, she thought shecould teach her something. The motherlooked pleased, and silently prayed for ablessing on her child’s endeavors. Ruthtook her Bible, and set out. Throughnarrow lanes and streets the youthful

36 Whiter Than Snow

37Whiter Than Snow

missionary threaded her way, happy inher heart that she was doing somethingfor the Lord.

Just as she was considering whichhouse was most like the one Nelly haddescribed as her home, a door opened,and Mr. Rogers appeared dressed in hisworking clothes.

“Have you come to see Nelly?’’ heasked, when Ruth came up. “That’sfine! She was just wondering if you’dcome today, and now I’m going out, sowill you stay with her a bit, like a goodgirl?”

Ruth said she would, and pointing tothe door of the room where Nelly was tobe found, Mr. Rogers walked away. Ruthwent in.

“Oh, I’m so glad you’ve come!” ex-claimed Nelly, when she saw her.

“Well now I’m going to stay a good bit,and look,’’ said Ruth, holding up herBible, “I’ve brought this to read to you.’’

Nelly’s pale face flushed with plea-sure.

38 Whiter Than Snow

“Oh, I’m so glad!” she said eagerly,“and won’t you read me again what youread last night, about David praying tobe washed and made whiter than snow?’’

Ruth seated herself by Nelly’s side,opened her Bible, and read the psalm.When she had finished, Nelly told hershe had been thinking about David’sprayer ever since last night, and won-dered whether her heart could be madeso very white; she would like it to be.Ruth told her how the blood of Jesuswashes out every stain of sin.

“Then I must pray to God,” said Nelly.“Tell me how, Ruth. I don’t know.”

“Oh Nelly, do you never say anyprayers?”

“No; because I have no one to saythem to.

“No one to say them to! What do youmean, Nelly?’’ asked Ruth in a tone ofastonishment.

“I used to say them to Granny, butwhen she died I had no one to say themto. Father wouldn’t listen, and so I left

39Whiter Than Snow

off, and now I’ve forgotten the words.’’“Nelly, now you must say them to

God; you don’t need anyone else tohear.’’

“But what shall I say? I’m afraid,Ruth.’’

But Ruth told her she need not fear,for though God was so great and so holy,yet He was a kind Father to all who puttheir trust in Him; and she had only totell Him how sorry she was for all hersins, and ask Him to forgive her forJesus’ sake.

“And may I say ‘Wash me, and I shallbe whiter than snow?’ ” Nelly asked.

“Yes, you may say that too. Nelly,shall we pray now?’’

And the two children knelt down,and the elder simply, but trustingly,asked their Father in heaven to blessNelly, to forgive her her sins, and tomake her one of His faithful children forJesus’ sake.

“And God really heard us?’’ said Nelly,when they rose from their knees.

40 Whiter Than Snow

41Whiter Than Snow

“Yes, Nelly, and He’ll do what we askHim.” An expression of sweet peacerested on the child’s face. The goodShepherd had sought out His little wan-dering lamb, and was going to bring hersafe into His heavenly fold.

Then Ruth read her own favoritechapters about our blessed Lord’s cruelsufferings and death. The tears filledNelly’s eyes when she heard of the crownof thorns that pierced His holy brow,but when it came to their nailing Him tothe dreadful cross, she fairly sobbed.But Ruth read on, of His resurrectionfrom the dark grave, and how in a brightcloud Jesus ascended up again to Hisown home in heaven, and then Nellywas comforted. Every now and thenRuth stopped to make some explana-tion to her attentive listener, or answerNelly’s eager questions. The shortwinter’s day was nearly gone, and Ruthfelt she must be going too.

“Nelly,’’ she said, “would you like meto sing you a hymn before I go?’’

42 Whiter Than Snow

“Oh yes, do!”And Ruth began in a clear sweet voice

to sing the Evening Hymn—

“Glory to thee, my God, this night,For all the blessings of the light!

Keep me, oh, keep me, King of kings,Beneath the shadow of thy wings.

“Teach me to live, that I may dreadThe grave as little as my bed;

Teach me to die that so I mayRise glorious on the Judgment day.”

Ruth was glad to see the look ofpleasure on Nelly’s face, and promisingto come and see her very often, she bidher good-bye.

Nelly was not the only listener toRuth’s hymn; the sound had reachedJane Millar’s ears and brought her tothe head of the stairs to listen to thesong. There was a time when her voicewas as fresh and clear, and the familiartune called to mind her younger days

43Whiter Than Snow

when on peaceful Sunday evenings inthe quiet village church, her voice usedto join in singing the same beautifulhymn. It was a long time since she hadheard it. It awoke many recollections ofthe past, and bitterly feeling the con-trast of her present situation, Janeturned to her room to weep over hermisfortunes.

44 Whiter Than Snow

CHAPTER 5We must now take a peep into the

small dark room opposite, filled withlittle feathered inmates, and see whatsort of a Sunday the old man was spend-ing there. Old Micky M’Guinness wassitting, as usual, in his large woodenarmchair before the fire, but this after-noon an uneasy, pained expressionrested on his face. Well it might, forneither mind nor body was at rest.Rheumatism had attacked his agedframe with more than usual severity,owing to the extreme inclemency of theweather: and during the night, as theold man lay awake with pain, Nelly’squestion seemed repeated in his earsover and over again, “Micky, will we everget to heaven if we don’t know theBible?’’ All day long uneasy thoughtshad filled his mind. He felt he wouldn’tlast much longer, and after all, perhapshe wasn’t going the right way. Then thechild’s little worn, pale face seemed

45

constantly before him. Maybe, hethought, she wouldn’t last much longereither. Where were they both going?

Like many of his sort, Micky veryseldom went to church, and as littleNelly never went there either, having noone to take her, she was in the habit ofspending most of Sunday in her oldfriend’s company. This day she was notleft without a companion at home, forher father had stayed with his little girlthe whole morning. She was evidentlythe worse for last night’s cold, late walk,and Mr. Rogers felt angry with himselfthat he had allowed Harrison to per-suade him to go out of the house. Againhe resolved never to drink again.

Old Micky wondered that his littlefriend had not paid him her accustomedvisit. He feared the child was ill, and felta strong desire to hobble across thestreet and see. So taking his thick-knotted stick from its corner by thefireplace, he rose with difficulty; but hislimbs were too stiff and crippled to allow

46 Whiter Than Snow

him to walk; and, with a groan, the oldman dropped down into his chair again.

It was nearly dark when the dooropened, and a little figure glided in, andkneeling by the old man’s side, Nellyseized both his hands in hers, and look-ing earnestly up into his face exclaimed,“Oh Micky, I have found it, I’ve found itall!”

Then she began and told him all thathad happened since she had last seenhim, the kind friends she had found,and the wondrous story Ruth had readto her. In broken childish language,Nelly repeated all she could remember.The old man listened eagerly, only inter-rupting her with an occasional “Ay.’’Nelly told him that the blood of Jesuswashes the sinner’s heart, and makes itwhiter than snow and fit for heaven.

“And now,” she said joyfully, “youand I can go to heaven, can’t we, Micky?’’

“May God Almighty bring us there,’’said the old man devoutly. “I’ll not bemuch longer here, that’s clear.’’

47Whiter Than Snow

48 Whiter Than Snow

“Oh Micky, but you mustn’t go beforeI do!’’ The child pressed closer the handshe still held in hers. Here their conver-sation was interrupted, for Mr. Rogersput his head in at the door and told Nellyto come home, as it was growing lateand cold. The child wonderingly obeyed;her father’s care was something newand pleasant to her.

The winter wore on, and Nelly’s healthbecame gradually worse. At her father’sdesire Mrs. Harrison had taken her to adoctor. Dr. Hooper was a kind man. Helooked pityingly at the child and gaveher something to relieve her cough andthe pain in her side, and gently raisingthe little drooping face, he said, “Medi-cine will do you no good, my little girl.You may just do what you like, and tryand be as happy as you can.’’

Mrs. Harrison understood the doctor’smeaning, but she had not heart to com-municate it to the father or Ruth. Both,she thought, would find out the truthquite soon enough. Still, though she

49Whiter Than Snow

was growing weaker nearly every day,Nelly’s life was much happier now thanit used to be. Her father was very kind toher. He had succeeded in keeping hisresolution, and never spent his eve-nings drinking now, but always stayedat home with Nelly. After supper hewould sit with the little girl on his knee,until she fell asleep with her head nestledon his shoulder.

Ruth came to see her every day. Nellyloved to talk of heaven and to listen tothe sweet hymns Ruth sang to her, or tohear the lessons Ruth had learned atSunday school. And Ruth was teachingher to read. Nelly did not find it hard tolearn, for she was a capable child, andbesides, she remembered nearly all theletters which she had once learned fromher grandmother. One of the little girl’samusements had been to spell out thelarge letters on the signs over the doorsof the shops, and so she had kept up herknowledge of the alphabet.

It was the child’s chief delight when

50 Whiter Than Snow

she was all alone, to sit with hergrandmother’s large Bible on her knee,spelling out the words. If she came upona long or difficult one, it was reserveduntil Ruth came to help her. In hersimple way she explained what seemedhard to understand. Then, when shehad mastered all the long words in achapter, she would hasten across thestreet to read it to her old friend. MickyM’Guinness loved the Book as much asshe did now, and he also loved to hearthe child, unconscious of being histeacher, talking in her simple way of thegreat truths of man’s salvation. Thechildish explanation was just what wasneeded for his darkened but anxiousmind.

To Nelly’s great delight, she had goneto church a few Sundays, first withRuth, and then with her father. It was along time since James Rogers had en-tered a church door, and at first he wasvery unwilling to go, but Nelly pleadedso earnestly, that he went to please her.

51Whiter Than Snow

And now that she was too ill to accom-pany him, it made her so unhappy if herfather missed attending one Sunday,that, rather than give her pain, Rogersbecame a regular churchgoer.

One Sunday morning, Nelly was sit-ting with the large Bible on her knee, buther eyes had wandered off the page, andshe was singing in a sweet low tone afavorite hymn she had learned fromRuth, beginning—

“Oh, where shall rest be found,Rest for the weary soul—”

Mrs. Millar had come in and was straight-ening up the room a bit. She was gettingready to go out and spend the Sunday inher usual way, visiting the neighbors,listening to their various tales of hard-ship, and pouring out her own. Her earcaught the words Nelly was singing.

“Well,” she thought, “if ever a wearysoul wanted rest, it’s mine.’’

When Nelly had finished her songshe sat silently for some time and

52 Whiter Than Snow

watched the woman’s busy movements.“Jane,’’ she said at length, rather

timidly, “why don’t you go to church?”“Just because I’m too miserable,’’

answered Jane shortly; then she addedto herself—“Oh, there was a time whenI was never absent from the house ofGod.’’

“But,” persisted Nelly, “in church theypray for miserable people; do go.”

The child’s anxious tone surprisedJane. She looked up and saw the wistfuleyes fixed upon her with an earnestexpression.

“Well, perhaps I will,’’ she said. “MaybeI’ll hear something of that rest you weresinging about just now.’’

“Oh yes, you will, and I’ll ask Godthat you may find it,’’ said the childeagerly.

“Well, well, who’d have thought I’dever be seen there in such clothes asthese. But what does it matter? I’venothing to be proud of now,’’ and with aweary sigh Mrs. Millar left the house,

53Whiter Than Snow

while Nelly knelt down to pray that Godwould give her rest.

Unwilling to meet with any of herneighbors lest they should ask her whereshe was going, Jane Millar passed thenearest church and entered a larger onesome distance from home. Here shehoped that she would be hidden in thecrowd.

It was still early, and the great build-ing was nearly empty. Jane took herseat close to the door. The place wasvery silent. A strange feeling came overher. She was in the house of God; shewas tempted to get up and go away, butsomething held her. Old associationscrowded upon her memory as she foundherself again within the sacred walls—recollections of the little village church,the good old parson whose instructionsshe had so heedlessly neglected, thekind parents she had so disobedientlyleft. The congregation was fast assem-bling, but, with her head bowed down,Jane looked at no one. The service be-

54 Whiter Than Snow

gan—the well-known words of the firsthymn struck a tender chord in that poorworn heart. As it proceeded, her atten-tion became more and more riveted andit was almost with sobs that she joinedin the response which followed the open-ing song, “Have mercy upon us, miser-able sinners.”

The preacher gave out his text slowlyand solemnly, “There remaineth, there-fore, a rest for the people of God.’’ Theattention of the weary, worn-out womanwas instantly fixed. The sermon wasearnest and impressive, such as glad-dened the hearts of many in that crowdedcongregation. Their thoughts were raisedabove the bustle, toil, and excitement ofthe busy, restless city to the calm andholy rest that remaineth.

Then Jane returned home. She saidnothing, but went straight up to herroom, and when Nelly saw her next, hereyes were red from weeping. From thatSunday on her manner graduallychanged. She was no longer cross and

55Whiter Than Snow

fretful, but became quiet and subdued,bearing her cross with meekness. Hertreatment of Nelly also changed and sheliked to listen to her singing hymns, andoften when Nelly was tired of reading toherself, Jane would take the Bible out ofher hands and read to her. When thenext Sunday came around, Jane againwent to church.

56 Whiter Than Snow

CHAPTER 6Months passed, and when the long,

cold winter was gone and spring hadcome with its glad sunshine and warmth,Nelly was not much more than a shadow.But though her body and strength werewasting away, her little face lookedpeaceful, and even happy.

Hardly a day passed that Ruth didnot call on her. The affectionate, warm-hearted girl was always thinking of whatshe could do to cheer her sick friend.She had given her a plant with beautifulpink and white blossoms, because Nellyloved flowers—this and a little goldencanary in an old rusty cage, a presentfrom old Micky, pleased her most. Shecould read quite well now. Ruth lent herall the books she possessed, but theBible was Nelly’s favorite. Every day shecarried it over to read to the old bird-seller who prized it as much as she did,for it was no longer an unfamiliar Bookto him.

57

One day while visiting a district of hisovercrowded parish, the pastor of aneighboring church discovered the ex-istence of old Micky. Here was one whoneeded instruction, whose days on earthwere numbered. From that time the oldman was frequently visited by the pas-tor or one of his assistants, and the wayof salvation was made plain to him.

Micky had grown very feeble; he wasno longer able to go out on the streetsselling his birds, so he had disposed ofthem all to another bird-seller with theexception of a few, which the old mancould not make up his mind to partwith. The sum which they brought wasenough to support him for the shortremaining time of his life.

Ruth and her mother often visitedold Micky, and ministered to his com-fort, both body and soul; but there wasno one he was so glad to see as Nelly.She was like an angel visitant, bringinglight and joy to the old man’s heart andhome. The old man and the little child

58 Whiter Than Snow

were fast nearing their eternal home,and so they loved to read and talk of thatcity “which hath no need of the sun.”

In the fading light of an April eveningMr. Rogers sat by the window reading.His little girl was on his knee, her handresting wearily on his shoulder. She layvery quiet, but her eyes were anxiouslyfixed on her father as he turned thepages of his newspaper. At last he fin-ished it and threw it on the table.

“Father,’’ said Nelly, “is it too dark toread any more?’’

“No, not close to the window, Nell.”“Then will you read something for me

now?”“Read you what, child?”“Something out of the Bible. Please

Father; I’ll get it.’’ Nelly got down fromhis knee and brought him her Bible.

“What shall I read, Nell?’’ he asked,taking it out of her hands.

“Read the fourteenth chapter of Johnfirst, and then, maybe, you’ll read some-thing else. It’s not there, father,’’ said

59Whiter Than Snow

Nelly, as he turned over the pages look-ing for it.

“Well, you’ll have to find it, Nelly.”Nelly turned to the place quickly and

then resumed her former position onher father’s knee, only this time hereyes were closed and a sweet peacefulexpression rested on the little wornfeatures.

“ ‘Let not your heart be troubled: yebelieve in God, believe also in me. In myFather’s house are many mansions: if itwere not so, I would have told you. I goto prepare a place for you. And if I go andprepare a place for you, I will comeagain, and receive you unto myself; thatwhere I am, there ye may be also. Andwhither I go ye know, and the way yeknow.

“ ‘Thomas saith unto him, Lord, weknow not whither thou goest; and howcan we know the way? Jesus saith untohim, I am the way, the truth, and thelife: no man cometh unto the Father,but by me. . . .

60 Whiter Than Snow

“ ‘If ye love me, keep my command-ments. And I will pray the Father, andhe shall give you another Comforter,that he may abide with you for ever;Even the Spirit of truth. . . . I will notleave you comfortless; I will come toyou. . . . Peace I leave with you, my peaceI give unto you: not as the world giveth,give I unto you. Let not your heart betroubled, neither let it be afraid. . . .’ ”

When the chapter was finished,Nelly’s thin little fingers turned over tothe seventh chapter of Revelation.

“Read that now, please, Father, fromthe ninth verse,’’ and Nelly turned herhead around until her face was buriedin his shoulder, and clasped her littlearms tightly round his neck.

Mr. Rogers read, but his voicetrembled toward the end, ‘ “After this Ibeheld, and, lo, a great multitude, whichno man could number, of all nations,and kindreds, and people, and tongues,stood before the throne, and before theLamb, clothed with white robes, and

61Whiter Than Snow

palms in their hands; And cried with aloud voice, saying, Salvation to our Godwhich sitteth upon the throne, and untothe Lamb.

“ ‘And all the angels stood roundabout the throne, and about the eldersand the four beasts, and fell before thethrone on their faces, and worshippedGod, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory,and wisdom, and thanksgiving, andhonor, and power, and might, be untoour God for ever and ever. Amen.

“ ‘And one of the elders answered,saying unto me, What are these whichare arrayed in white robes? and whencecame they? And I said unto him, Sir,thou knowest. And he said to me, Theseare they which came out of great tribu-lation, and have washed their robes,and made them white in the blood of theLamb. Therefore are they before thethrone of God, and serve him day andnight in his temple: and he that sittethon the throne shall dwell among them.They shall hunger no more, neither

62 Whiter Than Snow

thirst any more; neither shall the sunlight on them, nor any heat. For theLamb which is in the midst of the throneshall feed them, and shall lead themunto living fountains of waters: and Godshall wipe away all tears from theireyes. ’ ”

“Will that do now, Nelly?’’ he asked.“Yes, thank you, Father.’’For some time neither spoke, but

when it was too dark for them to seeeach other’s faces, Nelly turned hersaround and said in a very low voice,“Father, I think I shall be going therevery soon.”

“Where?” said her father, understand-ing, but unwilling to believe her words.

Nelly answered dreamily, her eyesfixed upon the little bit of pale sky justvisible above the tops of the tall darkhouses across the street: “Where theyshall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, neither shall the sun light onthem, nor any heat. For the Lamb whichis in the midst of the throne shall feed

63Whiter Than Snow

them, and shall lead them unto livingfountains of waters: and God shall wipeaway all tears from their eyes.”

There was another long silence, andNelly lay so still in his arms that herfather thought she was asleep. Greattears were slowly coursing down hischeeks. Presently the child spoke again.“Father, you’ll be very lonely.”

“Very lonely,’’ repeated Mr. Rogers,and pressed his child still closer to him.

“Father, you’ll be sure and come theretoo?’’ and her gentle tone startled him inits deep earnestness.

“I don’t know, Nell; I’m afraid I’m toobad.”

“Oh Father, but God can make yougood; won’t you ask Him? I did, and Heheard me and forgave all my sins; andHe’ll hear you, too. Father, say what Idid, ‘Wash me, and I shall be whiterthan snow.’ Yes,” she went on, “I knowyou’ll come to heaven, I’ve asked God sooften.’’

The father’s heart was too full to

64 Whiter Than Snow

speak, but a silent petition went up thatmoment to the throne of grace, “TheLord have mercy on my soul.’’

65Whiter Than Snow

CHAPTER 7For some days Nelly was too weak to

leave her bed. She did not suffer a greatdeal of pain, but felt very tired. JaneMillar seldom left the child’s bedside,and a kind and gentle nurse she was.She could repeat many hymns learnedin her childhood, which Nelly loved tohear her sing. She knew which wereNelly’s favorite passages in the Bibleand would read them to her over andover again, for the child never tired ofhearing them.

Often the little girl would talk sotouchingly of the goodness and love ofGod, and of the beautiful home to whichshe was going, that the woman had tolisten in silence. Jane Millar was learn-ing many lessons of faith and hope atthe child’s bedside. Often she had toturn her head away so that Nelly mightnot see the tears that would come.

One Sunday morning the childseemed better. She asked to be taken

66

downstairs, so her father carried herdown to the room below, and fixed acomfortable place for her.

Mr. Rogers sat beside her the wholeday, and he told her he would stay withher for several days to come, for he hadobtained leave of absence from his workfor a week. Nelly smiled, then lookedgrave.

“Father,” she said, as the churchbells began ringing for morning service,“you’ll go there, won’t you?”

“Not today, Nell.”“No, not today—I mean when I’m

gone.’’Her father promised he would.“Father,” she added, “you’ll read the

Bible often, won’t you? Will you bring itto me now?’’

Mr. Rogers brought it, and Nellyturned to the places she wished himparticularly to read, and feebly drew aline with her pencil along the margin tomark them. This required some time,and then she talked to him of God and

67Whiter Than Snow

heaven, until she was too weak to talkany more.

Ruth came to see her in the afternoonand Nelly asked her to sing. Ruth sangall her favorite hymns, while Nelly layquietly with her eyes closed. Hearing thebells ringing for evening service, shesaid, “Ruth, before you go, please singthe Evening Hymn.”

The girl sang it very softly, and hervoice trembled when she came to thelast words.

“Ruth,” said Nelly, when she hadfinished, “sing that verse over again.’’

Ruth paused. She knew why Nellyliked that verse, and she feared to trustherself to sing it again, but seeing Nelly’seyes fixed upon her, she made a greateffort to steady her voice, and again shesang—

“Teach me to live, that I may dreadThe grave as little as my bed;

Teach me to die that so I mayRise glorious on the Judgment day.”

68 Whiter Than Snow

Ruth felt a strong desire to be aloneand cry, but bravely restrained her feel-ings and then knelt for a minute at thebedside as she uttered a simple childishprayer. She rose to go away, kissed Nellyaffectionately, and promised to bringher some wild flowers the next day.

Nelly looked at her with eyes full oflove and gratitude, and softly murmured,“Dear, dear Ruthie.’’

Just as the long night that followedwas changing into day, the child awoke.She looked up into her father’s face, andsmiled faintly; then the weary eyelidsdrooped again. Her lips moved. Mr.Rogers bent down his head over her. Hecould just hear something about Jesusand the angels. His eyes were blindedwith tears. When he looked again, thesame sweet smile rested on the peacefulface, but the happy spirit was releasedfrom the frail little body. It had left thedark room and the crowded city, andwas soaring up beyond the sky, to thatcity, “which hath no need of the sun.’’

69Whiter Than Snow

Ruth Harrison was up at the firststreak of dawn. She dressed herselfquickly, then quietly left the house andhastened along through the desertedstreets. They looked dismal in the coldgrey light, but Ruth was thinking of thepleasure she would give Nelly in bring-ing her a nice bunch of fresh wild flow-ers.

She had been walking fast and nowhad reached the outskirts of the citywhere the streets were wider and moreopen. She passed pretty yards with flow-ers in front, and window boxes filledwith beautiful plants. Ruth gave themmany a wistful glance and sighed tothink of the delight one of those beauti-ful flowers would give Nelly. She has-tened on to where the flowers grew wildalong the roadside. At last she reacheda little green lane where primroses andviolets grew in wild profusion along thefences.

Eagerly Ruth filled her hands, andthen sat down to enjoy the sweetness of

70 Whiter Than Snow

71Whiter Than Snow

an early spring morning. The birds weresinging in the trees; the grass looked sogreen, the flowers so fresh, all wet withdew, that Ruth sighed to think that herhome was in the city instead of thecountry. A distant clock was strikingsix, and reminded Ruth she had no timeto linger, so she started off at a quickpace, until she reached the city. Thestreets were very different now fromwhat they were before—the bustle andexcitement of the day had begun.

Fresh and rosy with her early exer-cise, her hands filled with flowers, Ruthhastened on, penetrating deeper anddeeper into the city, through narrowlanes and winding alleys. At last shereached the house where Nelly had madeher home.

Ruth paused a moment at the door,wondering whether Nelly would beawake. Then she remembered the littlegirl had told her she always awoke at anearly hour. The door was open, andRuth went in. Mr. Rogers was sitting in

72 Whiter Than Snow

the room downstairs, his arms folded onthe table, and his head buried in them.Ruth, not wanting to disturb him, passedon without asking any questions. Noise-lessly she approached Nelly’s door. Thesun was shining brightly into the room,and Nelly’s canary, rejoicing in the cheerysunbeams, was pouring forth its joyoussong. Ruth stopped a moment at theopen door to see if Nelly was sleeping—yes, she was, a sleep from which Ruthcould not awaken her.

On the bed lay the small well knownform, still and motionless. Ruth camequite close, and bent over it in silentawe; there was no breathing, all wasstill—quite still.

Mrs. Harrison, having found that Ruthhad gone out early, guessed where shemust be, and also guessing what shemight find, she came to seek her. Shesoothed the poor girl, and then told hershe must come away. Ruth scatteredthe flowers she had brought over thebed, and with a last, long, lingering look

73Whiter Than Snow

at the little face, now angelic in its calmrepose, she allowed herself to be drawnaway.

Together the mother and daughterwent over to old Micky to tell him hislittle friend had gone. The old man lis-tened quietly, only saying, ‘’Well—well, Ithought this old man would have beentaken first; but then she’d have grieved;but after all, I shall not be long followingher to glory.”

And so it was. Just two days later oldMicky M’Guinness departed in peace,resigning his soul into the hands of itsfaith Creator and most merciful Sav-iour. The aged form was laid in its lastresting place in the same churchyardwith the little child, who had first awak-ened him to prepare for eternity, and hisspirit joined hers in paradise.

May this story teach us a lesson. Doyou not wish to go to heaven after youdie? How was it that the old man and thelittle child had a good hope of beingadmitted into that holy place where

74 Whiter Than Snow

“there shall in no wise enter in any thingthat defileth’’? Because, as they trusted,their sins were washed away in theblood of Jesus. May Nelly’s prayer beyours, “Wash me, and I shall be whiterthan snow.’’

75Whiter Than Snow

LITTLE DOTCHAPTER 1

It was a bright morning in spring,and the cemetery on the outskirts of thetown looked more peaceful, if possible,than it usually did. The dew was still onthe grass, for it was not yet nine o’clock.The violets and snowdrops on littlechildren’s graves were peeping abovethe soil, and speaking of the resurrec-tion. The robins were singing their sweet-est songs on the top of mossy grave-stones—happy in the stillness of theplace. And the sunbeams were busyeverywhere sunning the flowers, light-ing up the dewdrops, and making every-thing glad and pleasant. Some of themeven found their way into the deep gravein which Solomon Whitaker, the oldgravedigger, was working, and they madeit a little less dismal, and not quite sodark.

Not that old Whitaker thought it ei-ther dismal or dark. He had been a

77

gravedigger nearly all his life, so helooked upon gravedigging as his voca-tion, and thought it, on the whole, morepleasant employment than that of mostof his neighbors.

It was very quiet in the cemetery at alltimes, but especially in the early morn-ing; and the old man was not a littlestartled by hearing a very small voicespeaking to him from the top of thegrave.

“What are you doing down there?’’said the little voice.

The gravedigger looked up quickly,and there, above him, peeping cau-tiously into the grave, was a child in aclean white pinafore, her dark brownhair hanging over her shoulders.

“Whoever in the world are you?’’ washis first question.

His voice sounded very awful, comingas it did out of the deep grave, and thechild ran away, and disappeared assuddenly as she had come.

Solomon looked up several times af-

Little Dot78

terward as he threw up fresh spadefulsof earth, but for some time he saw nomore of his little visitor. But she was notfar away; she was hiding behind a hightombstone, and in a few minutes shetook courage and went again to the topof the grave. This time she did notspeak, but stood with her finger in hermouth, looking shyly down upon him,as her long brown hair blew wildly aboutin the breeze.

Solomon thought he had never seensuch a pretty little thing. He had had alittle girl once, and though she had beendead more than thirty years, he had notquite forgotten her.

“What do they call you, my little dear?”said he, as gently as his husky old voicewould let him say it.

“Dot,” said the child, nodding herhead at him from the top of the grave.

“That’s a very funny name,” saidSolomon. “I don’t think that I’ve everheard it before.”

“Dot isn’t my real name; they call me

79Little Dot

Ruth in my father’s big Bible on ourparlor table.’’

“That’s got nothing to do with Dot asI can see,’’ said the gravedigger.

“No,’’ she said, shaking her long brownhair out of her eyes; “it’s ‘cause I’m sucha little dot of a thing that they call meDot.’’

“Oh, that’s it, is it?’’ said Solomon,and then he went into a deep meditationon names, and called to mind somestrange ones which he had read on theold churchyard gravestones.

When Solomon was in one of his“reveries,’’ as his wife used to call themwhen she was alive, he seldom tookmuch notice of what was going on aroundhim, and he had almost forgotten thelittle girl, when she said suddenly, in ahalf-frightened voice,“I wonder what theycall you?’’

“Solomon,” said the gravedigger. “Mr.Solomon Whitaker—that’s my name.’’

“Then please, Mr. Solemn, what areyou doing down there?”

80 Little Dot

“I’m digging a grave,’’ said Solomon.“What’s it for, please, Mr. Solemn?”

asked the child.“Why, to bury folks in, of course,’’

said the old man.Little Dot retreated several steps when

she heard this, as if she were afraid Mr.Solomon might want to bury her. Whenhe looked up again there was only acorner of her white pinafore in sight.But as he went on quietly with his work,and took no notice of her, Dot thoughtshe might venture near again, for shewanted to ask Mr. Solomon anotherquestion.

“Please,” she began, “who are yougoing to put in that hole?’’

“It’s a man who fell down dead lastweek. He was a hard-working fellow,that he was,’’ said the gravedigger. Mr.Solomon always liked to give people agood word when digging their graves.

Dot now seemed satisfied and, drop-ping down on her knees, told the oldman that she had come to live in one of

81Little Dot

the small cottages near the cemeterygates, and that they used to be ever sofar off in the country.

Then she ran away to another part ofthe cemetery, and old Solomon shadedhis eyes with his hand to watch her asshe went out of sight.

82 Little Dot

CHAPTER 2Dot’s mother had lived all her life in

a remote part, far away from church orchapel or any kind of school. But herhusband had been born and broughtup in a town, and country life did notsuit him. And so, when Dot was aboutfive years old, he returned to his nativeplace, and took one of the cottages closeto the cemetery, in order that his littlegirl might still have some green grass onwhich to run about, and might still seea few spring flowers.

The cemetery was some way out ofthe town; and Dot’s mother, having hadbut little education herself, did not thinkit at all necessary that Dot, at her tenderage, should go to school. Therefore thelittle girl was allowed to spend most ofher time in the cemetery, which pleasedher very well. She liked to run aroundthe gravestones, and climb over thegrassy mounds, and watch the robinshopping from tree to tree.

83

But Dot’s favorite place was by oldSolomon’s side. She went about withhim from one part of the cemetery toanother, and he liked to feel her tinyhand in his. She took a great interest,too, in the graves he was digging. Shewatched him shaping them neatly andmaking them tidy, as he called it, untilshe began, as she fancied, to under-stand gravedigging nearly as well as hedid. But she sometimes puzzled the oldman by her questions, for Dot alwayswanted to know everything about whatshe saw.

“Mr. Solemn,’’ she said, one day, “Shallyou make me a little grave when I die?”

“Yes,” he said, “I suppose I shall, littlewoman.”

Dot thought this over for a long time.“Idon’t want to go into a grave,’’ she said;“it doesn’t look nice.”

“No,” said the gravedigger, “youneedn’t be frightened; you won’t have togo just yet. Why, you’re ever such a littlemite of a thing!”

84 Little Dot

“Please, Mr. Solemn, when you die,who’ll have to dig your grave, please?”

“I don’t know,” said Solomon, uneas-ily; “they’ll have to get a new digger, Isuppose.”

“Maybe you’d better dig one whenyou’ve a bit of time, Mr. Solemn.”

But though Solomon was very fond ofdigging other people’s graves—for hewas so used to it that it had becomequite a pleasure to him—he had no wishto dig his own. Nor did he like thinkingabout it, but Dot would not let himforget it.

Another day, when he was working ina distant part of the cemetery, she askedhim, “Whereabouts will they bury you,Mr. Solemn?”

And when they were standing over anewly-made grave, and Solomon wasadmiring his work, she said, “I hopethey will make your grave neat, Mr.Solemn.’’

But though these questions and re-marks made old Whitaker very uneasy—

85Little Dot

for he had a sort of uncomfortable feel-ing in his heart when he thought of theday when his gravedigging would cometo an end—still, for all that, he likedlittle Dot, and he would have missed thechild much if anything had kept herfrom his side. She took such an interestin his graves, too, and watched themgrowing deeper and deeper with as muchpleasure as he did himself. And, inter-est in our work generally wins our hearts.And by and by Dot found herself a way,as she thought, of helping old Solomonto make his graves look nice.

He was working one day at the bot-tom of a grave, and Dot was sitting onthe grass at a little distance. He thoughtshe was busy with her doll, for she hadnot been talking to him for a long time.He gave a jump, as he suddenly feltsomething patting on his head, andheard Dot’s merry little laugh at the topof the grave. She had filled her pinaforewith daisies, and thrown them uponhim in the deep grave.

86 Little Dot

87Little Dot

“Whatever in the world is that for?’’said the old man, good-naturedly, as heshook the flowers off his head.

“It’s to make it pretty,’’ said Dot. “It’llmake it white and soft, you know, Mr.Solemn.”

Solomon submitted very patiently;and from that time the child alwaysgathered daisies to scatter at the bot-tom of Solomon’s graves, till he began tolook upon it as a necessary finish to hiswork. He often thought Dot was like adaisy herself, so fresh and bright shewas; he wondered at himself when hereckoned how much he loved her. Forhis own little girl had been dead somany years; and it was so long nowsince he had dug his wife’s grave, thatSolomon had almost forgotten how tolove. He had had no one since to care forhim, and he had cared for no one.

But little Dot had crept into his oldheart unawares.

88 Little Dot

CHAPTER 3Old Solomon was digging a grave one

day in a very quiet corner of the cem-etery. Dot was with him, as usual.

“It’s a tidy grave, this is,’’ remarkedthe old man as he smoothed the sideswith his spade, “nice and dry, too; it’ll dome credit.”

“It’s a very little one,” said Dot.“Yes; it has to be little when it’s for a

little girl. You wouldn’t want a very biggrave, Dot.’’

“No,’’ said Dot; “but you would wanta good big one, wouldn’t you, Mr. Sol-emn?’’ The mention of his own gravealways made Solomon go into one of his“reveries.’’ But he was recalled by Dot’sasking quickly—“Mr. Solemn, is she avery little girl?’’

“Yes,’’ said the old man, “maybe aboutyour size, Dot. Her pa came about thegrave. I was in the office when he called.He said, ‘I want a nice quiet little corner,for it is for my little girl.’ ”

89

“Did he look sorry?’’ said Dot.“Yes,’’ he said. “Folks mostly do look

sorry when they come about graves.’’Dot had never watched the digging of

a grave with so much interest as she didthat of this little girl. She never leftSolomon’s side, not even to play withher doll. She was very quiet, too, as shestood with her large eyes wide open,watching all his movements. He won-dered what had come over her, and helooked up several times rather anx-iously as he threw up the spadefuls ofearth.

“Mr. Solemn,’’ she said, when he hadfinished, “when will they put the littlegirl in?”

“Tomorrow morning,’’ said the oldman, “sometime about eleven.’’

Dot nodded her head, and made upher mind she would be in this corner ofthe cemetery at eleven o’clock.

When Solomon came back from hisdinner and went to take a last look at thelittle grave, he found the bottom of it

90 Little Dot

covered with the white daisies whichDot had thrown in.

“She has made it pretty, bless her!’’he murmured.

Dot crept behind the bushes near thechapel the next day to watch the littlegirl’s funeral. She saw the small coffintaken from the hearse. Then she watchedthe people. A lady and gentleman, whomshe felt sure were the little girl’s fatherand mother, arrived first. The lady hadher handkerchief to her eyes, and Dotcould see that she was crying. After herwalked two little girls, and they werecrying also.

There were a few other people at thefuneral, but Dot did not care to look atthem; she wanted to see what became ofthe little girl’s coffin, which had justbeen carried into the chapel. She waitedpatiently till they brought it out, andthen she followed the mournful proces-sion at a little distance, till they reachedthe corner of the cemetery whereSolomon had dug the grave.

91Little Dot

Solomon was there, standing by thegrave. Dot could see him quite well, andshe could see the minister standing atthe end of the grave, and all the peoplein a circle around it. She did not like togo very near, but she could hear theminister reading something in a verysolemn voice, and then the coffin was letdown into the grave. The little girl’smother cried very much, and Dot cried,too; she felt so sorry for her.

When the service was over, they alllooked into the grave, and then theywalked away. Dot ran up as soon as theywere gone, and, taking hold of Solomon’shand, she peeped into the grave.

“Is the little girl inside there?’’ saidDot, in an awe-struck voice.

“Yes,’’ said Solomon, ‘’she’s in there,poor thing; I’ll have to fill it up now.”

“Isn’t it very dark?’’ said Dot.“Isn’t what dark?’’“In there,’’ said Dot. “Isn’t it very dark

and cold for the poor little girl?”“Oh, I don’t know that,’’ said Solomon.

92 Little Dot

“I don’t suppose folks feels cold whenthey are dead; anyhow, we must coverher up.’’ But poor Dot’s heart was veryfull, and, sitting on the grass beside thelittle girl’s grave, she began to cry andsob as if her heart would break.

“Don’t cry, Dot,’’ said the old man.“Maybe the little girl knows nothingabout it—maybe she’s asleep like.’’

But Dot’s tears only flowed the faster,for she felt sure that if the little girl wereasleep, and knew nothing about it, asold Solomon said, she would be wakingup some day, and then, how dreadful itwould be for her.

“Come, Dot,” said Solomon, at last, “Imust fill it up.’’

Then Dot jumped up hastily. “Please,Mr. Solemn, wait one minute,’’ she cried,as she disappeared among the bushes.

“Whatever is she up to now?” said theold gravedigger.

She soon came back with her pin-afore full of daisies. She had been gath-ering them all the morning and had

93Little Dot

hidden them in a shady place under thetrees. Then, with a little sob, she threwthem into the deep grave and watchedthem fall on the little coffin. After thisshe watched Solomon finish his workand did not go home until the little girl’sgrave was made, as old Solomon said,“all right and comfortable.’’

94 Little Dot

CHAPTER 4Dot took a very great interest in “her

little girl’s grave,’’ as she called it. Shewas up early the next morning, and assoon as her mother had given her herbreakfast, she ran to the quiet corner inthe cemetery to look at the newly-madegrave. It looked very bare Dot thought,and she ran away to gather a number ofdaisies to spread on the top of it. Shecovered it as well as she could withthem, and she patted the sides of thegrave with her little hands to make itmore smooth and tidy. Dot wondered ifthe little girl knew what she was doing,and if it made her any happier to knowthere were daisies above her.

She thought she would ask Solomon;so when she had finished she went insearch of him. He was not far away, andshe begged him to come and look atwhat she had done to her little girl’sgrave. He took hold of Dot’s hand, andshe led him to the place.

95

“See, Mr. Solemn,” she said, “haven’tI made my little girl’s grave pretty?’’

“Aye,’’ he answered, “you have foundmany daisies, Dot.’’

“But, Mr. Solemn,’’ asked Dot, anx-iously, “do you think she knows?’’

“Why, Dot, I don’t know—maybe shedoes,” he said, for he did not like todisappoint her.

“Mr. Solemn, shall I put you somedaisies at the top of your grave?’’ saidDot, as they walked away.

Solomon made no answer. Dot hadreminded him so often of his own grave,that he had sometimes begun to thinkabout it and to wonder how long itwould be before it would have to bemade. He had a vague idea that when hewas buried he would not come to anend. He had heard of heaven and of hell;and though he had never thought muchabout either of them, he had a kind offeeling that some day he must go to oneor the other. Hell, he had heard, was forbad people, and heaven for good ones;

96 Little Dot

and though Solomon tried to persuadehimself that he belonged to the latterclass, he could not quite come to thatopinion. There was something in hisheart which told him all was not rightwith him, and made the subject anunpleasant one. He wished Dot wouldlet it drop and not talk to him about itany more; and then he went into areverie about Dot, and Dot’s daisies,and all her pretty ways.

It was the afternoon of the same dayand Dot was sitting beside her littlegirl’s grave, trying to make the daisieslook more pretty by putting some leavesamong them, when she heard footstepscrossing the broad gravel path. Shejumped up and peeped behind the treesto see who was coming. It was the ladyand gentleman whom she had seen atthe funeral, and they were coming tolook at their little girl’s grave. Dot feltvery shy, but she could not run awaywithout meeting them, so she hid be-hind a hawthorn bush at the other side.

97Little Dot

The little girl’s father and mother cameclose to the grave, and Dot was so nearthat, as they knelt down beside it, shecould hear a great deal of what theywere saying. The lady was crying verymuch and for some time she did notspeak. But the gentleman said, “I won-der who has put these flowers here, mydear? How very pretty they are!”

“Yes,” said the lady through her tears,“and the grave was full of them yester-day.’’

“How pleased our little girl wouldhave been!’’ said he. “She was so fond ofdaisies! Who could have done it?”

Little Dot heard all this from herhiding place, and she felt very pleasedthat she had made her little girl’s graveso pretty.

The lady cried a great deal as she satby the grave. But just before they left,Dot heard the gentleman say, ‘’Don’tcry, dearest; remember what our littleLilian said the night before she died.”

“Yes,’’ said the lady, “I will never

98 Little Dot

forget.’’ And she dried her eyes, and Dotthought she tried to smile as she lookedup at the blue sky. Then she took abunch of white violets which she hadbrought with her and put them in themiddle of the grave, but she did notmove any of Dot’s daisies, at which shelooked very lovingly and tenderly.

As soon as they were gone, Dot cameout from behind the hawthorn bush.She went up to her little girl’s grave, andkneeling on the grass beside it shesmelled the white violets and strokedthem with her tiny hand. They made itlook so much nicer, she thought; butshe felt very glad that the lady had likedher daisies. She would gather somefresh ones tomorrow.

Dot walked home very slowly. Shehad so much to think over. She knewher little girl’s name now, and that shewas fond of daisies. She would notforget that. Dot felt very sorry for thepoor lady; she wished she could tell herso. And then she began to wonder what

99Little Dot

it was that her little girl had said thenight before she died. It must be some-thing nice, Dot thought, to make thelady wipe her eyes and try to smile.Perhaps the little girl had said she didnot mind being put into the dark hole.

Dot thought it could hardly be that,for she felt sure she would mind it verymuch indeed. Dot was sure she wouldbe very frightened if she had to die andold Solomon had to dig a grave for her.No, it could not be that which Lilian hadsaid. Perhaps Solomon was right andthe little girl was asleep. If so, Dot hopedit would be a long, long time before shewoke up again.

Solomon had left his work, or Dotwould have told him about what shehad seen. But it was getting late and shemust go home. Her mother was stand-ing at the door looking out for her, andshe called to the child to be quick andcome in to supper.

Dot found her father at home, andthey began their meal. But little Dot was

100 Little Dot

so quiet, and sat so still, that her fatherasked her what was the matter. Thenshe thought she would ask him whatshe wanted to know, for he was verykind to her and generally tried to an-swer her questions.

So Dot told him about her little girl’sgrave, and what the lady and gentlemanhad talked about, and she asked whathe thought the little girl had said thathad made her mother stop crying.

But Dot’s father could not tell her.And when Dot said she was sure shewould not like to be put in a hole likethat, her father only laughed and toldher not to trouble her little head aboutit; she was too young to think of suchthings.

“But my little girl was only just aboutas big as me,” said Dot, “ ‘cause Mr.Solemn told me so.’’

This was an argument which herfather could not answer, so he told Dotto eat her supper and get to bed. Andwhen she was asleep he said to his wife

101Little Dot

that he did not think the cemetery wasa good place for his little girl to play in—it made her gloomy. But Dot’s mothersaid it was better than the street, andDot was too light-hearted to be dulllong.

And while they were talking, little Dotwas dreaming of Lilian and of what shehad said the night before she died.

102 Little Dot

CHAPTER 5A day or two after, as Dot was putting

fresh daisies on the little grave, she felta hand on her shoulder, and looking upshe saw her little girl’s mother. She hadcome up very quietly, and Dot was sointent on what she was doing that shehad not heard her. It was too late to runaway; but the lady’s face was so kindand loving that the child could not beafraid. She took hold of Dot’s little handand sat down beside her, and then shesaid very gently, “Is this the little girlwho gathered the daisies?”

“Yes,’’ said Dot shyly, “it was me.’’The lady seemed very pleased, and

she asked Dot what her name was andwhere she lived. Then she said, “Dot,what was it that made you bring thesepretty flowers here?’’

“Please,’’ said the child, “it was ‘causeMr. Solemn said she was ever such alittle girl—maybe about as big as me.’’

“Who is Mr. Solemn?” asked the lady.103

“It’s an old man—he digs the graves;he made my little girl’s grave,’’ said Dot.

The tears came into the lady’s eyes,and she stooped down and kissed thechild.

Dot was beginning to feel quite athome with her little girl’s mother, andshe stroked the lady’s soft glove with hertiny hand.

They sat quietly still for some time.Dot never moved, and the lady hadalmost forgotten her—she was thinkingof her own little girl. The tears began torun down her cheeks, though she triedto keep them back, and some of themfell upon Dot as she sat at her feet.

“I was thinking of my little girl,’’ saidthe lady, as Dot looked sorrowfully upinto her face.

“Please,’’ said Dot, ‘’I wonder whatyour little girl said to you the nightbefore she died?’’ She thought perhapsit might comfort the lady to think of it, asit had done so the other day.

The lady looked very surprised when

104 Little Dot

Dot said this, as she had had no ideathat the little girl was near when shewas talking to her husband.

“How did you know, Dot?” she asked.“Please, I couldn’t help it,’’ said little

Dot. “I was putting the daisies—”“Yes?’’ said the lady, and she waited

for the child to go on.“And I ran in there,’’ said Dot, nod-

ding at the hawthorn bush. “I heardyou—and please, don’t be angry.”

“I’m not angry,’’ said the lady.Dot looked into her face, and saw she

was gazing at her with a very sweetsmile.

“Then please,’’ said little Dot, “I wouldlike very much to know what the littlegirl said.’’

“I will tell you, Dot,” said the lady,“Come and sit on my knee.”

There was a flat tombstone close by,on which they sat while the little girl’smother talked to Dot. She found it veryhard to speak about her child, it was soshort a time since she had died. But she

105Little Dot

tried her very best, for the sake of thelittle girl who had covered the grave withdaisies.

“Lilian was ill only a very short time,’’said the lady. “A week before she diedshe was running about and playing—just as you have been doing today, Dot.But she took a bad cold, and soon shedied.”

“Oh!’’ said Dot, with a little sob, “I amso sorry for the poor little girl!”

“Lilian wasn’t afraid to die, Dot,” saidthe lady.

“Wasn’t she?” said Dot. “I should befrightened ever so much—but maybeshe’d never seen Mr. Solemn bury any-body; maybe she didn’t know she had togo into that dark hole.’’

“Listen, Dot,’’ said the lady, “and I willtell you what my little girl said the nightbefore she died. ‘Mama,’ she said, ‘don’tlet Violet and Ethel think that I’m downdeep in the cemetery, but take them outand show them the blue sky and all thewhite clouds, and tell them that little

106 Little Dot

sister Lilian’s up there with Jesus.’ Vio-let and Ethel are my other little girls,Dot.”

“Yes,’’ said Dot, in a whisper; “I sawthem at the funeral.’’

“That is what my little girl said, andthat made me stop crying the otherday.’’

Dot looked very puzzled. There was agreat deal that she wanted to think overand to ask Solomon about.

The lady was obliged to go home, forit was getting late. She kissed the childbefore she went and said she hoped Dotwould see her little girl one day, abovethe blue sky.

Dot could not make out what the ladymeant, nor what her little girl had meantthe night before she died. She wantedvery much to hear more about her, andshe hoped the lady would soon comeagain.

“Mr. Solemn,’’ said Dot the next day,as she was in her usual place on the topof one of Solomon’s graves, “didn’t you

107Little Dot

say that my little girl was in that longbox?’’

“Yes,’’ said Solomon. “Yes, Dot, I saidso, I believe.’’

“But my little girl’s mama says sheisn’t in there, Mr. Solemn, and my littlegirl said so the night before she died.’’

“Where is she then?’’ asked Solomon.“She’s somewhere up there,’’ said

Dot, pointing with her finger to the bluesky.

“Oh, in heaven,’’ said Solomon. “Yes,Dot, I suppose she is in heaven.’’

“How did she get there?’’ asked Dot, “Iwant to know all about it, Mr. Solemn.’’

“Oh, I don’t know,’’ said the old man;“good folks always go to heaven.”

“Will you go to heaven, Mr. Solemn,when you die?’’

“I hope I shall, Dot,’’ said the old man.“But there, run away a little; I want totidy round a bit.’’

Now Solomon had very often “tidiedround,’’ as he called it, without sendinglittle Dot away; but he did not want her

108 Little Dot

to ask him any more questions, and hehoped she would forget it before shecame back.

But Dot had not forgotten. She hadnot even been playing; she had beensitting on an old tombstone, thinkingabout what Solomon had said. And assoon as he had finished, she ran up tohim.

“Mr. Solemn,’’ she said, “did she getout in the night?’’

“Who get out?’’ said the old man in avery puzzled voice.

“My little girl, Mr. Solemn. Did she getout that night after you covered herup?’’

“No,’’ said Solomon, “she couldn’t getout; how could she?’’

“Then she’s in there yet,” said littleDot, very sorrowfully.

“Yes, the last home of man is thegrave, Dot.’’

“But, Mr. Solemn, you said she was inheaven,” Dot went on in a very mournfullittle voice.

109Little Dot

Solomon did not know how to answerher; indeed it was very puzzling to him-self. He wished he could think of what tosay to Dot, but nothing would come tohim, so he gave up the attempt.

But Dot’s busy little mind was notsatisfied. The little girl’s mother must beright; and she had said she hoped Dotwould see Lilian above the blue sky. Dotwondered how she would get up abovethe sky.

“Mr. Solemn,’’ she said one day, “don’tyou wish you were just like a bird?’’

“No,’’ said the old man, “I’d rather bedigging graves.’’

“But, Mr. Solemn, they’ve got twowings,” she went on.

“And what would you do with twowings, my little dear?” asked thegravedigger.

“I’d go right up into the sky and lookfor my little girl,” said Dot.

“Oh!” said Solomon, “your thoughtsare always running on that, Dot.How’s dolly today?”

110 Little Dot

But Dot had left her dolly at home—she had almost forgotten it the last dayor two.

111Little Dot

112 Little Dot

CHAPTER 6The next week was very wet, and

Dot’s mother would not let her go intothe cemetery. So she sat at home by thefire with her doll upon her knee, won-dering what her little girl was doing andwhether she was really in the sky. Thenshe listened to the rain pattering againstthe windowpanes and thought how thelittle grave would be and how bare itmust look, now that there were no dai-sies upon it. Dot hoped very, very muchthat her little girl was not inside.

Every time that Solomon passed toand from his work, Dot was at thewindow to nod to him. He missed hervery much this rainy weather; but hehad to go on with his work in the coldand damp, just as usual. It was a greatcheer to the old man to see the little faceat the window, morning and evening—and sometimes Dot’s mother was theretoo. Dot would pull her by the apronwhen she saw her old friend coming.

113

“Mother,’’ she would say, “here’s myMr. Solemn!’’ and then her mother wouldrun with her to the window to see the oldgravedigger pass.

But as soon as the sunshine cameand the grass began to dry, Dot was bySolomon’s side again. She walked withhim to the cemetery, though as soon asthey reached the gates she ran quicklyforward to look at her little girl’s grave.But when she got to the place, she stoodstill in amazement. It looked quite dif-ferent from what it did when she wasthere last. The sides of the grave werecovered with nice soft grass which lookedgreen and fresh after the rain. Then thetop of the grave was quite flat andsmooth like a flower bed, and in themiddle of it was a small rosebush.

Dot ran around the grave severaltimes to look at all these changes. Thenshe sat beside it and patted the grassand admired the rosebush.

After a time she went to look forSolomon to tell him what she had found.

114 Little Dot

115Little Dot

“Oh, Mr. Solemn!’’ she cried, “mylittle girl’s grave is ever so pretty!’’

“Yes,’’ he said, “I know it is, Dot; aman came and did it a week ago—I thinkit was the lady’s gardener. I thought Iwouldn’t tell you, my little dear—you’dbe more surprised like.’’

“Oh, Mr. Solemn, did you see therosebush!”

“Yes, I saw it, Dot.’’“Mr. Solemn, I know what I’ll do, I’ll

put you a rosebush on your grave whenyou die—a real nice one.’’

The old man took her up in his armsand kissed her, and then he went onwith his usual work.

It was a bright summer’s morningnot long after, when Dot saw the twolittle girls who had walked behind thelady and gentleman at the funeral, com-ing in at the cemetery gates. The older ofthem had a green watering can in herhand, and her sister had a small cov-ered basket. Dot followed them at a littledistance and watched them going to the

116 Little Dot

quiet corner of the cemetery.But before they went in among the

trees they turned around and caughtsight of Dot. Their mother had told themto look out for her, so they came back tomeet her.

“Are you Dot?’’ asked the elder sister.“Yes,” said Dot shyly.“Mama told us about you,” said Vio-

let.“And she thought you would help

us,’’ Ethel went on. “We’re going to sowsome seeds on Lilian’s grave aren’t we,Violet?”

“Yes,” said Violet, “our gardenerwanted to do it, but Papa says we coulddo it if we wanted to. Come, Dot, youmay walk with us.”

So the three children went hand inhand to the little grave.

It was a long business sowing theseeds, but when they were put safely inthe ground, and Dot had given the eartha last pat with her hand, Violet said theymust be watered.

117Little Dot

“Dot,” she said, “where can we getsome water?”

Dot ran with the green watering canto the pump near the cemetery gatesand soon returned with the water, withwhich Violet carefully watered the earthwhere the seeds had been planted.

“They ought to be watered every day,’’she said. “Our gardener always watershis seeds every day; they won’t springup if they haven’t enough water, willthey, Ethel? What shall we do about it?”

“Please, I’ll water them,’’ said littleDot.

“Oh! will you?’’ asked Violet. “Thatwill be a very good plan, won’t it, Ethel?’’

“Yes,’’ said her sister, “and we canleave Dot the small can.”

“But you must hold it up as high asyou can, Dot,” said Violet, ‘’and do itvery gently, or you will wash the seedsout of the ground. Do you think you canmanage?’’

“Yes,” said Dot, gravely, as thoughimpressed with the greatness of her

118 Little Dot

trust. “Will the little girl like them?” sheasked as they walked away.

“What little girl?’’ asked Ethel.“Your little girl,” said Dot, nodding in

the direction of the grave.“Who, Lilian?” asked Ethel. “Yes, I’m

sure she will like them if she knows. Butthen, you see, I’m not quite sure if shedoes.”

“Perhaps Jesus will let her fly downand look at them,” said Violet.

“Oh! I don’t think she would want tocome, Violet,” said her sister. “She wouldhave so many pretty flowers to look atup there.”

“Then she is in the sky?’’ asked Dot,standing quite still and fixing her eyesearnestly on the two little girls.

“Yes,” said Violet, in a shocked voice,“didn’t you know that, Dot? But you’resuch a tiny little thing—isn’t she, Ethel?’’

“But please,’’ said Dot, eagerly, “I sawMr. Solemn put her in, right down amongmy daisies in a white box, and please, Iwould so like to know how she got out.’’

119Little Dot

“She didn’t get out,” said Ethel.“Because she never went in,” Violet

went on. “She told Mama so, you know,before she died.”

“Then please,” said Dot, “wasn’t shein the little box?’’

“Yes, she was—at least—no, shewasn’t. I wish Mama was here,” saidEthel, “she could tell you how it was.That was her body, you know, in there—her soul was in the sky.”

“I don’t quite see,” said Dot, beingpuzzled.

“Why this is your body, Dot,” saidViolet, taking hold of Dot’s arm andgiving it a little pat.

“But, please, that’s my arm,’’ saidlittle Dot in a very bewildered voice.

“Yes,’’ explained Ethel, ‘’but all this isyour body, Dot—all over you—your soul’sinside somewhere, where you can’t seeit.”

“I should like to see my soul,” saidlittle Dot.

“Oh, but you never could,’’ said Vio-

120 Little Dot

let. “Could she, Ethel?”“No, I think not,’’ said Ethel. “Perhaps

when we get to heaven we shall.”

121Little Dot

CHAPTER 7As soon as the two girls were gone,

Dot hastened in search of Mr. Solomon.She found him walking home to hisdinner, his spade over his shoulder.Slipping her hand into his, she walkedbeside him and told him her morning’sadventures.

“Please, Mr. Solemn,’’ she said, “haveyou got a soul?’’

“Why, yes,’’ said Solomon,“everybody’s got one—to be sure theyhave.’’

“Then they’ll only put your body inthe ground, Mr. Solemn? I’m so glad—that won’t matter so very much will it?’’

Solomon made no answer, so Dotwent on, “Would you like your soul to goto heaven, Mr. Solemn?’’

“Yes, child,’’ said the old man; “heavenis a good place, so they say.’’

“Will you dig graves in heaven, Mr.Solemn?’’

“No,” said the old man, with a laugh.122

“There are no graves in heaven. There is‘no more death, neither sorrow, norcrying.’ ”

Solomon had learned this verse at hismother’s knee, years ago, and it cameback to him with a strange freshnesswhich almost startled him.

Dot looked up into his face, as shesaid, brightly, “What a very nice placeheaven must be! But what will you dothere, Mr. Solemn, if you don’t diggraves?’’

“Why sing, I suppose, Dot—singhymns and such like.’’

“I didn’t know you could sing, Mr.Solemn,” said Dot, with a laugh. “You’vegot such an old voice; it all shakesabout; but you and me must help eachother; that’ll do—won’t it?”

Never were plants more diligentlywatered than those on Lilian’s grave;and great was Dot’s delight as she sawthe little green shoots coming, one byone, out of the ground.

But what was her surprise one morn-

123Little Dot

ing, on going to the grave, to find twomen in her quiet corner. They were verybusy, for they had brought with them asmall white marble stone for the littlegirl’s grave. Dot watched their everymovement with the deepest interest,and when they were gone she examinedthe stone very carefully, though shecould not read a word of what was on it.But old Solomon put on his spectaclesand made it out for her.

“ ‘Lilian Stanley,’ ” he began—“That’s my little girl’s name,” said

Dot.“ ‘Age 6 years.’ ”“Is that all?” asked little Dot.

“No, wait a minute,’’ said the old man;“and I’ll tell you it all—here’s some read-ing at the bottom: ‘White in the blood ofthe Lamb.’ That’s all, Dot.’’

“What Lamb, Mr. Solemn?’’“Oh, I don’t know Dot; that’s a text;

it’s in the Bible somewhere.’’“I want to know all about it,’’ said Dot.

“Can’t you tell me, Mr. Solemn?”

124 Little Dot

But just then they heard a voicebehind them, saying ‘’Oh! that looksvery well. I am so glad it is done!”Looking up, they saw the little girl’sfather, with Violet holding his hand.

Solomon touched his hat respect-fully and moved away; but Dot stayedbehind, for she wanted to hear aboutthe text on the little girl’s grave.

“ ‘White in the blood of the Lamb,’ ”read Mr. Stanley aloud.

“What Lamb?’’ asked little Dot, sim-ply.

“The dear Lord Jesus,’’ said the gentle-man. “My little girl would never havegotten to heaven if He had not washedher in His blood. And now Lilian wearsa white robe, made white in the blood ofthe Lamb. Yes, my children,’’ he wenton, “there is no other way to the brightland above the sky; there is no other wayto get rid of your sins—and no sin canenter into heaven. But Jesus has lovedyou and shed His blood for you, and Hecan wash you whiter than snow.’’

125Little Dot

“Will He wash me?’’ asked little Dot.“I am sure He will, my child, if you ask

Him,’’ said the gentleman.Then he took the two little girls to a

seat by the gravel path not far away, andhe taught them this short prayer: “Washme, and I shall be whiter than snow.”And that prayer was treasured up inlittle Dot’s heart.

Over and over she repeated it as shewalked home, and she said it manytimes during the day. When Dot’s mothercame to look at her child in bed, littleDot turned over in her sleep, and hermother heard the words again, “Washme, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

126 Little Dot

CHAPTER 8The autumn came on very early that

year. There were cold east winds whichswept among the trees of the cemeteryand scattered their leaves on the ground.Then there were thick mists and driz-zling rains, and each morning andevening the dew fell heavily on the grass.And now and then there was a slightfrost which nipped the geraniums andthe fuchsias and all the flowers whichhad been so bright through the sum-mer.

It grew very damp and chilly in thecemetery, but Dot was still in her placeat Solomon’s side. She was very paleand thin, he thought; and he fanciedshe shivered sometimes as she stood onthe damp grass. He would wrap her upin his old overcoat very tenderly as shesat on the cold stone near him, and hewould tell her to run about to warmherself many times in the day.

But Dot was not so fond of running127

about as she used to be. She had beenvery tired lately, and she would sooncome back to him, and stand beside himat his work, talking to him in her prettychildish way. He liked to hear her talk,and it was never dull when she was withhim. She had taught him her little prayer,and old Solomon could say it as well asshe could. As for Dot, it was seldom outof her thoughts, and Solomon oftenfound her kneeling among the trees ofthe cemetery, “asking the Lord Jesus,”as she called praying.

But Dot’s mother often sent for her tocome in, for she noticed that her childwas not well. She had a tiresome littlecough which often kept her awake bynight, and distressed old Solomon byday. He walked into the town, poor oldman, to buy her some cough drops,which he heard had helped a neighborof his. He thought they might make hislittle dear’s cold well. But Dot’s coughstill continued, and grew worse insteadof better. So Dot’s mother kept her at

128 Little Dot

home, and she could only wave andthrow kisses to Solomon as he passedthe window to his work. He came to seeher in the evenings, for she fretted somuch for him that her mother invitedhim to come as often as he could.

“Mr. Solemn,” she said one day, “Iknow all about it now.”

“About what, my dear?” asked the oldman.

“About my little girl, and heaven, andJesus, Mr. Solemn. Has He washed you,Mr. Solemn?’’

“I don’t know, my dear,’’ he replied.“ ‘Cause you can’t go to heaven if He

doesn’t, Mr. Solemn.’’“No, I suppose not,’’ said the old man.

“There’s many things in me that oughtto be different—I know that, Dot.’’

“You will say my little prayer, won’tyou, Mr. Solemn?” asked Dot.

“Yes, Dot, I will,’’ said the old man,“God help me, I will.’’

This little child was teaching himmany lessons; and now that he saw her

129Little Dot

slipping away from his sight, each daygrowing more thin and pale, he felt as ifhis heart would break.

Violet and Ethel, and their father andmother often came to see Dot andbrought her tempting things to eat anddrink.

Dot was always very pleased to seethem and for hours would look out ofthe window for their coming.

But the flower was fading very quickly.Dot was taken suddenly worse, andeven her mother knew that her little girlwould not be long with her. She was verytender to Dot now. She would hold herlittle girl in her arms for hours at a time,for Dot was very weary and liked to liequite still with her head on her mother’sshoulder. And, at length, there came along sorrowful day, when Dot’s fatherstayed away from work, and Dot’s mothersat all day beside the little bed whichthey had brought down for the child tolie upon.

It was evening and little Dot was

130 Little Dot

sinking fast. She had scarcely spokenall day, except to murmur her littleprayer; but now old Solomon had comein, after his day’s work, and was sittingbeside her, holding her tiny hand in his.

She opened her eyes and smiled athim.

“Mr. Solemn,’’ she asked, “have yousaid it?’’

“Said what, my dear?” asked the oldman.

“My little prayer, Mr. Solemn.’’“Yes, my dear. Yes, Dot, I’ve said it

many a time, and I do believe the Lord’sheard me and done it for me; I do believeHe has.”

“I’m so glad,” said little Dot, smilingas she said it.

He stayed with her until it was quitelate, and when he was coming away shesaid wearily, “I’m so tired, Mr. Solemn.’’

“Are you, my dear?” said the old man.“Please, Mr. Solemn, say my little

prayer for me tonight.”Solomon knelt down by the side of

131Little Dot

the bed. Dot’s father and mother kneltbeside him, and little Dot clasped herhands and shut her eyes, while the oldman prayed in a trembling voice.Then he kissed Dot and came away witha troubled heart.

The next morning, as he went to hiswork, he heard that his little girl wasgone. “What! my little darling,” said theold man, “my little darling gone!”

132 Little Dot

CHAPTER 9There was a little grave to be dug that

day, and it was the hardest task oldSolomon ever had. The earth seemed tohim as heavy as lead that morning, andmany a time he stopped and moaned asif he could work no more. He sometimeslooked up, as if he half expected to seehis little Dot standing at the top of thegrave. He almost thought he heard hermerry laugh, and her dear little voicesaying, “Won’t you say my little prayer,Mr. Solemn?’’

But this was his little Dot’s grave,and she was gone. It could not be true;oh, it could not be true!

But as the old man toiled on, a hap-pier thought stole into his old heart, andhe thought he saw his little Dot, dressedin white and walking with the angelsnear the Lord, in the home above theblue sky. And it did old Solomon good tothink of this.

The grave was close to Lilian’s; side133

by side they were to lie, for so Lilian’sfather had ordered it. He loved little Dotfor the care she had taken of his child’sgrave.

It was the day of the funeral—littleDot’s funeral. Old Solomon was wan-dering among the trees of the cemetery,every now and then stooping wearily togather something from the ground. Hewas getting daisies to put in his littledear’s grave. They were very scarce now,and it gave him much trouble to collectthem, and they looked very poor andfrostbitten when he put them together,but they were the best he could find,and, with trembling hands, he threwthem into the little grave.

It was a very quiet funeral. The gentle-man and lady and their two little girlscame to it, and Dot’s father and mother,and old Solomon did his sorrowful part.And they looked down into the grave atthe little coffin lying among the daisies.Then all was over, and the robin sanghis song on little Dot’s grave.

134 Little Dot

Lilian’s father ordered a stone ex-actly like that which had been put onhis own child’s grave—a small whitemarble stone; and on the stone werethese words:

Old Solomon toiled on, often lonelyand sad. The neighbors said he wasgetting childish, for he often fanciedthat his little Dot was still alive, and hewould look up from the graves and smileat her as he used to do when she stoodat the top. And he often thought heheard her little voice whispering amongthe trees of the cemetery. And the wordsshe whispered were always those of herlittle prayer.

So Solomon grew to think of her asalive and not dead, and it comforted hisold heart. “For,’’ said he, “it will not bevery long before I shall see her again.”

and underneath was Dot’s text:LITTLE DOT

“WASH ME, AND I SHALL BEWHITER THAN SNOW.”

135Little Dot