Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

The haar from off the German Sea,
Oh! it was cold and keen,
And scarce a single loiterer

On all the street was seen.

For such as called some home their own
Were thither hurrying fast,

And homeless ones in nooks and stairs
Sought shelter from the blast.

Only one little waif stood still
Upon the wintry street,
Waiting to sell his matches there,
Amid the snow and sleet.

"Only a penny, matches, sir,
Lights, matches, please to buy ;
Only a penny, lights, sir, lights:
Such was the poor child's cry.

I saw him as I hurried past,
There shiv'ring in the cold;

A child in years, his pale thin face
Was prematurely old.

"Give me a box," I said, 66 of those

Wax matches that you sell.

Not change a shilling? Bring the change

Around to my hotel."

The hours passed by, no boy returned
To bring me back the change;
Temptation had o'ermastered him,
I thought, nor thought it strange,

Not strange that such a waif as he
Should clutch dishonest gain,
And yet I hoped that he would come:
My hope, it seemed, was vain.

"Poor child! he knows no better; born
And bred in some thieves' den,
You cannot judge of such a child
As you would judge of men."

Late in the evening came a knock
At my room door. "Come in."
'Twas a poor little shivering child,
His dress was worn and thin.

He spoke; his voice was very sad,
And yet the tones were sweet.
"Are you the gentleman that bought
The matches in the street?

There's fourpence of your shilling, sir,
My brither has lost some;

That's a' that's left, I've brocht it you,
For Sandie canna come.

He would hae come himsel' to you,
It's no for want o' will,

For him and me is honest, sir,
But Sandie's very ill.

A cart ran o'er him, and he lost
Your pennies in the sna';

His legs are broken, and he'll dee,
The doctor says. That's a'.

And there's your pennies, a' that's left." He laid them on the tray,

And with a great heartrending sob

He turned to go away.

"Stay, little man. What is your name?

You're hungry, that I know,

And very cold your little feet

With trudging through the snow.

O, Reubie, is it? That's your name."
I placed him by the fire,

And set before him everything
I thought he could desire.

He tried to eat, but scarce the child
From sobbing could refrain,

Then started up-"I maun gang hame,
For Sandie's a' his lane."

I rose up also. Then I said,
"I'll go with you, my man,
And see now Sandie is, poor lad,
And help him if I can."

Upon the road he told me they
Were friendless and alone;

His father and his mother both
He said were dead and gone.

We found poor Sandie on the floor,
Some shavings formed his bed;
He made a sign, I stooped to hear,
And this is what he said :-

"I got the change, was coming back,
A horse then gave a start
As I was passing, and my legs
Were broken by the cart.

But Reubie, little Reubie, oh!
What will become of you

When I am gone? When I am dead,
Oh! what will Reubie do?"

"I will provide for him," I said,
Then gently took his hand;
He could no longer speak, but he
My words could understand.

A smile broke o'er his cheek; he gave
One look of glad surprise,

And all was o'er, the light of earth
Had faded from his eyes.

And I once thought the boy a thief
Dishonestly enticed,-

A small Barabbas, when the child
Was liker to the Christ.

With duty seen to mid his pains,
And done in face of death,
And for another tender care
Breathed in his latest breath.

A bright example for us all
Did Sandie manifest,
Of duty and unselfish love-
A pattern for the best.

With sorrows many, many a care,
And privileges few,

Though tempted upon every side
He honest was and true.

A manly heart was in the child,
A spirit true and brave;
Plant roses where he takes his rest,
Strew lilies on his grave.

And tell the young in happy homes
To be like him in youth,

To tread the path of helpfulness,
Of honesty and truth.

And seek the Spirit of the Lord
To help them in the strife;
'Tis He alone can give them grace
To lead a noble life.

For God hath sent His Spirit down
To dwell with men below,

And in the blood for sinners shed
To wash them white as snow.

He cometh with the grace of Christ
Unto the burdened soul;

The dead in sin to life He brings,
And makes the wounded whole,—

All for the sake of that dear Lord
On Calvary who died;
Who was for us rejected once,
Condemned, and crucified,

That all the sins that we have done

By God may be forgiven,

And we, clothed in His robe of white,

Find entrance into heaven.

By the Author of 'Little Will,' The Blind Man on the Bridge,' &c.

of Protestant Beaconesses.

OME years ago, when staying at Jerusalem, the writer had the pleasure of an introduction to the widow of Pastor Fliedner, who was then residing at the Deaconesses' Home in the outskirts of the city. The name of her revered husband had long been familiar as the originator of that work, which, commencing in 1833 in a room ten feet square with an attic above, in a summerhouse at Kaiserwerth, has sent out fruit-bearing branches not only into more than a hundred towns or villages in Germany, but also into Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Palestine, and North America. When we consider that the work was of a very multifarious kind, ultimately embracing schools, hospitals, orphanages, care of prisoners, &c., we may well ask how so small a seed could produce so great a harvest. The answer is to be found in the words which its founder took for his life-motto, "He must increase, but I must decrease." The Master whom he delighted to serve, abundantly blessed his labours, and bestowed upon him the "Well done," even here.

Theodore Fliedner was born at Epstein in Germany, January 21st, 1800, and died at Kaiserwerth, October 4th, 1864. Within the comparatively short space of thirty years, the sapling he had planted at Kaiserwerth had become a great tree, and its offshoots were flourishing in four continents! The son of a poor pastor he was early thrown upon his own resources, and manfully, while yet a child, battled with the trials and difficulties of life. Reading was his only luxury, and schemes of future usefulness formed his fairyland. At twenty years of age he became tutor in a gentleman's family at Cologne, and afterwards was ordained pastor of Idstein, an obscure village on the Rhine, where he had only £27 a year, the parsonage to be shared with the aged widow of a previous pastor! Still, nothing daunted, he threw his whole energy into the work, visited the schools, and opened

« AnteriorContinuar »