Brought out of peril

by Emma Leslie

"Do you really think so," she asked.

"I do, indeed. Many a lesson learned at home or at school, and forgotten or neglected, perhaps despised for years and years, often comes back when we are ill. And what is more likely than that your Fanny turned to God and asked His forgiveness for Christ's sake? And though no one may know of this, we are sure that God was ready to forgive all her sins, and receive her to Himself."

Mrs. Brown was too ill to bear much talking; but the Vicar felt sure, from the changed look in her sad eyes, that the few words he had spoken had led her to hope in God's mercy to Fanny. And then he left, promising to help in the business arrangements if his help was needed.

Of these, however, Mrs. Brown heard very little, Fanny's body had been placed in a coffin, and fastened down before her father reached the hospital, and arrangements for the funeral had to be made, and carried out very quickly.

Mrs. Brown was too ill to ask many questions, so she did not know that her husband had not been able to look upon the face of their child. He was careful to keep this to himself as far as he could. By-and-by they might be able to talk the matter over. Now they spoke of the pleasant shady spot where Fanny had been laid in the churchyard, and where several of her old schoolfellows had already placed bunches of choice wildflowers, such as Fanny had often gathered herself in her lifetime.

Jessie Collins insisted upon doing her share of the nursing for her friend, and Minnie allowed her to sit with her mother many an hour, when she would rather have been there herself, because she knew that Jessie longed to show her gratitude by doing what she could for them in their trouble.

Everybody was very kind to the bereaved parents; and when at last Mrs. Brown was able to come downstairs once more, friends and neighbours tried all they could to shield her from any painful reminder of her loss, and tried to interest her in what was going on.

There was one subject that was in the mind of a good many people; although Mrs. Brown herself had apparently forgotten it, and this was Fanny's box of clothes. Brown had sent to the parish authorities asking them not to send them back immediately, as his wife was ill, and his work took him away from home at present.

To this request a polite answer had been returned that the clothes might remain in their charge for a month, if that would suit the convenience of Mr. Brown, and this arrangement being made, Brown thought no more about the matter, and the days and weeks went on, until more than a month had passed since the news of Fanny's death first reached her mother. One morning, after the girls had gone to school, a cart stopped at the door, and when Mrs. Brown went to open it to the man who had knocked, she saw that he had just set down Fanny's box.

"Good morning, ma'am. Will you please look through this, and see that everything is right by this paper?" and he held out a list of what the box had contained when it was taken from Mrs. Lewis's.