“Just as he was about to leave the room, he said, ‘Oh, mother, in my hurry, I have forgotten my morning prayer; may I kneel here by your bed, and say it?’ His mother heard him whispering the Lord’s Prayer, till he came to the words, ‘Thy will be done.’ There he stopped, then slowly repeated the petition, and finishing his prayer, stooped over and kissed his mother many times, and then ran off, humming a favorite song.
“An hour after, distressed villagers brought back little Spencer’s lifeless body. A farmer had called to ask him if he would stand and hold open a gate, whilst his cattle were driven through, and as he stood there, a cross animal lowered its horns suddenly, and tossed the little fellow in the air, killing him instantly.
Little Spencer Gathering Brush for Widow Sampson’s Fire. Page 233.
“The whole village mourned the child, and poor Widow Sampson came to tell the mother how she had been the little fellow’s care during all the last winter. Every snow-storm brought Spencer to her door with his little barrow, filled with bits of brush he had gathered, and when ill, he came every day to minister to her wants.
“I have been told that the farmer immediately killed the treacherous cow, and when he sent its flesh to the poor people, they all sent back, saying, ‘they thanked him kindly, but that meat they could not eat.’
“I am afraid my story has saddened you, but I see the Psyche is in sight, and Papa is making signals. I know he wanted to give us a little sail when he returned, so we must hurry.”