按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Harry to see you。〃
〃Cousin Harry？〃
〃Yes； Maimie's brother came last night； you know； and Maimie is
going back with him in two weeks。〃
〃Maimie's brother。 Well； well； is that the nice…looking fellow
that sat by you？〃
〃Huh…huh； he is awful nice； and mother wanted〃
〃Indeed he looks it； I am sure；〃 Ranald said； with sudden
enthusiasm； 〃I would just like to know him。 If I thought Yankee
would〃
〃Oh； pshaw！ Of course Yankee will milk the cows；〃 exclaimed
Hughie。 〃Come on； come on in。 And Ranald went to meet one of the
great nights of his life。
〃Here is Ranald！〃 called Hughie at the top of his voice； as he
entered the room where the family were gathered。
〃You don't say so； Hughie？〃 answered his cousin； coming forward。
〃You ought to make that fact known。 We all want to hear it。〃
Ranald liked him from the first。 He was not a bit 〃proud〃 in spite
of his fine clothes and his head being 〃split in the middle。〃
〃You're the chap；〃 he said； stretching out his hand to Ranald；
〃that snatched Maimie from the fire。 Mighty clever thing to do。
We have heard a lot about you at our house。 Why； every week〃
〃Let some one else talk； Harry；〃 interrupted Maimie； with cheeks
flaming。 〃We are going to have some singing now。 Here is auntie。
Mayn't we use the piano？〃
〃Why； yes； I suppose so；〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃I was glad to see
your father there to…night；〃 she said to Ranald。
〃And Yankee； mother。〃
〃Hush； Hughie； you must call people by their right names。 Now let
us have some singing。 I hear Ranald is singing bass these days。〃
〃And bully good bass； too；〃 cried Hughie。 〃John 'Aleck' says that
it's the finest bass in the whole singing school。〃
〃Well； Hughie；〃 said his mother； quietly； 〃I don't think it is
necessary to shout even such pleasant information as that。 Now go
to your singing； and I shall listen。〃
She lay back in the big chair； looking so pale and weary that Harry
hardly believed it was the same woman that had just been keeping a
hundred and fifty people keenly alert for an hour and a half； and
leading them with such intellectual and emotional power。
〃That class is too hard for you； auntie；〃 he said。 〃If I were your
husband I would not let you keep it on。〃
〃But you see my husband is not here。 He is twelve miles away。〃
〃Then I would lock you up； or take you with me。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried Hughie； 〃I would much rather teach the Bible class than
listen to another sermon。〃
〃Something in that；〃 said his cousin； 〃especially if I were the
preacher； eh？〃 at which they all laughed。
It was a happy hour for Ranald。 He had been too shy to join the
singing school； and had never heard any part singing till he began
to attend the Bible class。 There he made the delightful discovery
that； without any instruction； he could join in the bass； and had
made； also； the further discovery that his voice； which he had
thought rough and coarse； and for a year past； worse than ever；
could reach to extraordinary depths。 One Sabbath evening； it
chanced that John 〃Aleck；〃 who always had an ear open for a good
voice； heard him rolling out his deep bass； and seizing him on the
spot； had made him promise to join the singing school。 There he
discovered a talent and developed a taste for singing that
delighted his leader's heart； and opened out to himself a new
world。 The piano； too； was a new and rare treat to Ranald。 In all
the country there was no other； and even in the manse it was seldom
heard； for Mrs。 Murray found little time； amid the multitude of
household and congregational duties； to keep up her piano practice。
That part of her life； with others of like kind； she had been
forced to lose。
But since Maimie's coming； the piano had been in daily use； and
even on the Sabbath days； though not without danger to the
sensibilities of the neighbors； she had used it to accompany the
hymns with which the day always closed。
〃Let us have the parts；〃 cried Hughie。 〃Maimie and I will take the
air； and Ranald will take the bass。 Cousin Harry； can you sing？〃
〃Oh； I'll hum。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said Maimie； 〃he sings tenor splendidly。〃
〃Oh； that's fine！〃 cried Hughie； with delight。 He himself was full
of music。 〃Come on； Ranald； you stand up behind Maimie； you will
need to see the notes； and I will sit here；〃 planting himself
beside his mother。
So Hughie arranged it all； and for an hour the singing went on； the
favorite hymns of each being sung in turn。 For the most part； Mrs。
Murray sat silent； but now and then she would join with the others；
singing alto when she did so； by Hughie's special direction。 Her
voice was not strong； but it was true； mellow； and full of music。
Hughie loved to hear her sing alto； and more especially because he
liked to join in with her； which he was too shy to do alone； even
in his home； and which he would never think of doing in the Bible
class； or in the presence of any of the boys who might； for this
reason； think him 〃proud。〃 When they came to Hughie's turn； he
chose the hymn by Bliss； recently published； 〃Whosoever will；〃 the
words seem to strike him tonight。
〃Mother；〃 he said； after singing it through； 〃does that mean
everybody that likes？〃
〃Yes； my dear； any one that wishes。〃
〃Pharaoh； mother？〃
〃Yes； Pharaoh； too。〃
〃But； mother； you said he could not possibly。〃
〃Only because he did not want to。〃
〃But he could not； even if he did want to。〃
〃I hope I did not say that；〃 said his mother； smiling at the eager
and earnest young face。
〃No； auntie；〃 said Harry； taking up Hughie's cause； 〃not exactly；
but something very like it。 You said that Pharaoh could not
possibly have acted in any other way than he did。〃
〃Yes； I said that。〃
〃Not even if he wanted to？〃 asked Hughie。
〃Oh； I did not say that。〃
〃The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart；〃 quoted Ranald； who knew his
Bible better than Harry。
〃Yes； that is it；〃 said Harry； 〃and so that made it impossible for
Pharaoh to do anything else。 He could not help following after
those people。〃
〃Why not？〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃What made him follow？ Now just
think； what made him follow after those people？〃
〃Why； he wanted to get them back；〃 said Hughie。
〃Quite true；〃 said his mother。 〃So you see； he did exactly as he
wanted to。〃
〃Then you mean the Lord had nothing to do with it？〃 asked Ranald。
〃No； I could not say that。〃
〃Then；〃 said Harry； 〃Pharaoh could not help himself。 Now； could
he？〃
〃He did what he wished to do；〃 said his aunt。
〃Yes；〃 said Ranald； quickly； 〃but could he help wishing to do what
he did？〃
〃If he had been a different man； more humble minded； and more
willing to be taught； he would not have wished to do what he did。〃
〃Mother；〃 said Hughie； changing his ground a little； and lowering
his voice； 〃do you think Pharaoh is lost； and all his soldiers；
andand all the people who were bad？〃
Mrs。 Murray looked at him in silence for a few moments； then said；
very sadly； 〃I can't answer that question； Hughie。 I do not know。〃
〃But； mother；〃 persisted Hughie； 〃are not wicked people lost？〃
〃Yes； Hughie；〃 replied his mother； 〃all those who do not repent of
their sins and cry to God for mercy。〃
〃Oh； mother；〃 cried Hughie； 〃forever？〃
His mother did not reply。
〃Will He never let them out； mother？〃 continued Hughie； in piteous
appeal。
〃Listen to me； Hughie；〃 said his mother； very gently。 〃We know
very little about this。 Would you be very sorry； even for very bad
men？〃
〃Oh； mother；〃 cried Hughie； his tender little heart moved with a
great compassion； 〃think of a whole year； all summer long； and all
winter long。 I think I would let anybody out。〃
〃Then； Hughie； dear；〃 said his mother； 〃remember that God is much
kinder than you are； and has a heart far more tender； and while He
will be just and must punish sin； He will do nothing unjust or
unkind； you may be quite sure of that。 Do not forget how He gave
up His own dear son for us。〃
Poor Hughie could bear it no longer。 He put his head in his
mother's lap and sobbed out； 〃Oh； mother； I hope he will let them
out。〃
As he uttered this pitiful little cry； his cousin Harry got up from
his chair； and moved across to the window； while Maimie openly
wiped her eyes； but Ranald sat with his face set hard； and his eyes
gleaming； waiting eagerly for Mrs。 Murray's answer。
The mother stroked Hughie's head softly； and while her tears fell
on the brown curls； said to him； 〃You would not be afraid to trust
your mother； Hughie； and our Father in heaven loves us all much
more than I love you。〃
And with that Hughie was content。
〃Now let us sing one more hymn；〃 said his mother。 〃It's my
choice。〃 And she chose one of the new hymns which they had just
learned in the singing school； and of which Hughie was very fond；
the children's hymn； 〃Come to the Saviour。〃 While they were
singing they heard Mr。 Murray drive into the yard。
〃There's papa；〃 said Mrs。 Murray。 〃He will be tired and hungry；〃
and she hurried out to meet her husband； followed by Harry and
Hughie； leaving Ranald and Maimie in the room together。 Ranald had
never been alone with her before； nor indeed had he ever spent five
minutes of his life alone