The children saw that tears were in the old man’s eyes, as he raised them with a serious expression, and said: “Yes, truly, Providence has been to me like the bright pole-star, when all around was dark. He will not suffer those who trust in Him to perish; so my Bible tells me, ma’am; and I have found it to be, through his blessing, a safe guide to port.”
“I rejoice to hear you say so,” said Mrs. Ashton: “happy, indeed, is the mariner, who trusts not in any strength or skill of his own, to guide his bark through the troubled ocean of life.”
The widowed mother did not take much part in this conversation; but Edward and Lewis observed her fast-falling tears, as she busily plyed her needle. They therefore forbore to ask any more questions about old Tom’s voyages, the storms he had encountered, or the foreign lands he had visited, lest they should remind poor Mary of the husband she had lost, and give pain to her feeling heart.
Mrs. Ashton praised the neatness and cleanliness of the little habitation; and the children admired the curious specimens of shells, fossils, and sea-weed, which were arranged on the top of an antique chest-of-drawers, over which was placed a looking-glass of the same date, so inclined as to reflect the treasures below, and draw the attention of visitors to these marine productions.
A small shelf, near the fire-place, contained a much-used Bible, and some tracts, with two or three other books. Mrs. Ashton added a few to the little store; and then, with many kind words, left the humble dwelling, amid the oft-repeated thanks of poor Tom, and his daughter Mary, for all the favours shown them by the good lady, and the young gentlemen.
Edward and Lewis were not sorry when they had quitted the narrow, confined street, to come in view of the sea once more. They rambled along the beach to the westward, enjoying the cool sea-breezes, as they had often done at other times.
The tide was now low, and many women and children were employed in shrimping, at a distance from the shore; while the husbands and fathers of some of them were busily engaged in making the necessary repairs in their fishing-nets, which were spread all around to dry. The sun, like a vast globe of fire, seemed gradually sinking below the horizon, until it really appeared to rest upon the ocean; and then the sky and water were of the same golden hue.
Edward and Lewis looked again and again, at the splendid sight, till the sun had almost disappeared, and only the bright tints remained. When they joined their mother, who was resting on one of the seats, they found that she, too, had been watching with delight the departure of the glorious orb of day; nor did she fail to remind her children, that such a sight should inspire them with gratitude to our beneficent Creator, who “giveth us all things richly to enjoy;” and whose power and goodness are alike manifest in all his works. “As you grow older,” she said, “I hope you will find much pleasure in examining them, and I am sure that the more you do so, the more you will admire the skill and wisdom of the great Artificer. But we have loitered here so long, my dears, that we must not think of going further to-night; some other day we may, perhaps, pursue our walk along the Cliff as far as Brunswick Square.”
Evening, indeed, closed in upon the little party before they had anticipated; for by the time they reached home, the last streak of golden light had faded from the sky, and the stars, one by one, began to twinkle in the deep blue.
Mrs. Ashton saw, as she sat at the window of her sitting-room, a sight which she thought would greatly surprise and delight the children; but she waited awhile to see whether the unusual appearance was noticed by either of them.