It was a clear, cold Sabbath day in March; our friends were seated together in their humble room, conversing on spiritual things, when a rap upon the door of their apartment startled them,—for visitors they had none,—and in answer to the invitation “Come in,” a lady, clothed in heavy and costly apparel, entered. The lady proved to be the wife of a wealthy Spiritualist. She had been directed to this humble abode by the spirit of her child, who had told her, through a medium, that there she would find manifold evidences of spirit existence, and a medium of great power, poor and unknown, in need of assistance.
The events proved these statements to be true; for hardly had the lady entered than the medium beheld a bright light shining all around, and standing in this light were many spirits who spoke their names to her, and whispered messages of hope, coupled with words and sentences concerning their identity; and a power she could not withstand impelled her to describe those spirits and to repeat their words aloud. The visitor wept for joy at receiving such tokens of spirit power and presence; she recognized the spirits, both by their description and words, and for a time it seemed as though heaven had descended to earth, and was chiefly known in that almost barren home.
You may be sure the lady insisted on paying the poor, blind woman liberally for her services as medium that day, and departed promising to visit her again in a short time. And not only did she keep her promise, but sent her friends to the poor woman to receive a spiritual baptism. Not one went away disappointed; all were gratified with what they received, and paid for it with willing hearts. At length the visitors became so numerous that the good nurse found herself obliged to remain at home to attend to her charge and those who came daily.
Instead of the spiritual power lessening, it seemed to increase, and the medium grew strong and happy. All care of the morrow passed away, and the two friends now began to reap the harvest of their weary-watching and patient trust in God. Our good nurse found sweet compensation for all her hours of toil, self-denial and sacrifice; for she had not only some one to love and to love her, but the daily companionship of angels, and likewise the comforts that material means can furnish.
In a short time, our friends were enabled to remove from their humble abode to a neat brick house in the heart of the city, which they furnished with taste and an eye to comfort. Here business grew and thrived; here the two women lived and blessed each other, the one by providing means of existence, as well as imparting spiritual light, the other in tender helpfulness and care for her companion. And today these two individuals reside in one of your large cities, honored and respected by all who know them.
The spiritual work goes on; the medium has never regained her sight, but she is no longer the pale, emaciated, despairing being she once was. Angel friends have saved her from a living death, and she delights to impart their blessing unto others. She has never been obliged to advertise for business, for she has all she can attend to; and it is not for the wealthy alone she sits, for many a poor soul has received spiritual bounty from her, without money and without price; while it is the delight of our dear old nurse, strong and hearty in her well-doing, to minister to the bodily comforts of those who are in needy circumstances.
Occasionally she, too, listens to the sound of angel voices, and it makes her heart rejoice; but her grand work seems to be in caring for others.
CHAPTER IX.
THE FORTUNES OF LITTLE GEORGIE.
A child, young, fair, and innocent, lay dying among the pillows of a snowy couch in the upper room of a large and spacious house,—the only child of wealthy parents, whose hearts seemed breaking under the necessity of giving their loved one up to death,—for these parents had no idea or knowledge of the spirit world, and the power of its inhabitants to return to earth and to minister to their friends. All that skill could do or love suggest had been tried for the recovery of their one ewe lamb, but all in vain; slowly and surely the change was stealing upon him, and in a little while his spirit had joined the angel band.
Out in the chilly streets, not far from the stately mansion of which I have written, another child, as young and fair and innocent as the first, sat shivering with cold, and trembling with hunger. What was to be his fate? who could tell? This was the offspring of poor, respectable parents; the father had passed to the spirit world, the mother had earned her bread by hard labor, until an attack of acute bronchial trouble threatened her life, and she had been taken to the hospital for treatment, where she still lingered, battling with disease; while her little boy, uncared for and alone, sat in the street, or roamed about, picking up a bit here and there as best he could, returning at night to the humble room he had always called home, to throw himself upon his lowly bed and weep himself to sleep.