And then a new life began for her. The former time of her stay there came back very vividly, but the memory of it did not make her unhappy. On the contrary, she was glad and thankful that strength and courage had come to her since then.
“I will trust and not be afraid,” she said to herself as she came in at the door, and she said it many times as she went from one bed to another. Before the day was over, she had for the time forgotten her own care, in caring for the poor suffering creatures about her.
There were no “bad cases” in the room in which she had been placed. There were some whose chief complaint was the aches and pains of age, brought on before their time by hard labour and exposure; poor folk who were taking a rest after a season of sharper suffering, and making ready for another turn or two of hard work before the end should come.
“It is no’ that I’m sae ill. I hae done mony a day’s work with more suffering on me than I have now. But oh! I’m weary, weary, I hae lost heart, and it’s time I was awa’,” said one old woman who held Allison’s hand, and gazed at her with wistful eyes.
“What brings the like o’ you here?” said another, “to such a place as this. Ay, ay, ye look pitifu’ and ye can lift a head and shake up a pillow without gieing a body’s neck a thraw. But I doubt it’s just that ye’re new to it yet. Ye’ll soon grow hardened to it like the lave (the rest).”
“Whisht, woman,” said her neighbour, “be thankful for sma’ mercies. Ye would be but ill off at hame.”
“And be ye thankfu’ that ye are an auld wife and near done wi’t,” said the neighbour on the other side. “As for mysel’, I’m bowed with rheumatics, and me no’ fifty yet. I may live many years, says the doctor, and what’s to ’come o’ me, the Lord alone kens.”
“But,” said Allison, speaking very softly, “He does ken. Dinna you mind, ‘Even to your old age I am He, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you.’”
“Ay, but ye see, I’m no’ sae sure that He’s with me now, or that He has ever been with me. That mak’s an awfu’ differ.”
“But He is willing to come,—waiting to be asked.”