The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
Ye must be born again.
GRANDMA BURTON'S face was very grave and sweet. "Yes," she said, "I remember that third verse about as well as anything that I ever learned; and it is queer how the second one fits in with it. That finishes the story; and I have had to wait more than sixty years to think of it."
Marion and Ralph exchanged happy smiles.
"Then we two will have the story, Grandma," said Marion, "those are Ralph's and mine. But I don't see how they fit."
"I do, child, they fit perfectly. It was the summer I was eleven years old; we were boarding in the country; I remember everything about that summer, because I had some of the nicest times, and some of the narrowest escapes of my life.
"One day I went a-fishing, all by myself; I wasn't what you might call a venturesome child, so I was trusted in many places where careless children could not have been." Grandma did not even glance Ralph's way while she spoke; so of course she could have meant no hint to him! "I had some sandwiches in my bag left of the lunch we had taken the day before. I forgot to empty the bag; so when I was half-way down the hill from our house I found them in the way. It was a neat little bag, lined with oilcloth; I could carry all sorts of things in it, then turn it inside out, and wash it, and it would come out as good as new. So I meant to fill the bag with little fishes, and here were these sandwiches in the way! Just as I turned the corner by Mr. Willard's place, I heard a low growl, and there stood Bose eying me in a way to make my heart beat fast. I was dreadfully afraid of Bose, and with good reason; he had the name of being a very fierce dog; they kept him chained all day. I saw the chain around his neck, then, but still I was afraid. I was hurrying by, when it occurred to me that here was a good chance for getting rid of my sandwiches; if I could only muster up courage to give them to Bose! I turned back, and going as near to the fence as I could, threw with all my strength, and landed a piece of bread and meat at his feet. He gave a low growl and eyed me so fiercely that all the blood in my body seemed to go to my head; but he smelled around the meat for a minute, then took it in at one mouthful, and I tried again, and again, until my bag was empty. He did not growl at me any more, but I thought he looked crosser than any dog ought to, who had been so kindly treated.
"Presently, however, I forgot all about him; some people would be surprised over what I was thinking; they imagine that little girls never think about sober things. But it was that very verse which was in my mind: 'This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.' Papa had read it at family worship that morning, and he and mamma and brother Mott had talked a little about it, and set me to thinking. It didn't seem at all strange to me that his disciples believed on him; I thought if I could have a miracle worked for me, I would find it easy, after that, to believe anything. I remember exactly how I felt as I sat on the bank with my feet hanging over, and held in my hand a little fish about five inches long; I was sorry for him and meant to throw him back into the water, after I had examined him; I thought he was too little to be caught; as I sat holding him, I thought, 'If this fish should turn into a beautiful little bird, just now, and speak to me, then I would know that God had done it, and I could believe in him, without any trouble. I don't see why he doesn't do such things now; it wouldn't be any stranger than making wine out of water; and if it helped people then, why shouldn't it now?' So I sat holding that poor wriggling fish, and wishing he would turn into a miracle before my eyes; but he didn't, and presently I threw him back with a sigh, and wound up my fish line, and went around to the other side of the lake, still so busy with my thoughts that I could not seem to settle to anything. I don't know to this day, how I came to do the next thing. I suppose I must have gone a great deal nearer the edge than I thought I was, and they said it was wet and slippery there; anyway, I slipped and fell, and trying to regain my balance I stepped on my dress, and fell again, and rolled over into the lake in less time than it takes me to tell it.
"I don't wonder you shiver," said Grandma after a moment's pause, drawing Marion closer to her. "It was a skittish place; the lake was pretty deep in that part, and the banks were high and slippery. It was not a time of day when people were bathing, and there was nobody in sight. I lost all knowledge of what was going on after I sank the second time. When they found me, where do you think I was? Dragged high and dry from the lake, around to where the ocean began, and that great Bose stood beside me keeping guard and looking about him right and left for help! He kept up such a fierce barking that the boatmaster heard him at last, and came to see what was the matter.
"The very first sentence that I fully understood, of all the talk around me, was Mr. Willard saying in a low tone: 'I declare, this seems to me just like a miracle! I never knew Bose to break his chain before; and I did not know he would spring into the water for anybody; in fact, I should have been afraid to send him, for fear he would bite the child.'
"You can't imagine what a thrill it gave me! 'A miracle!' I said to myself; 'then He heard me wishing for one, and promising I would believe him fully, if He would only perform a miracle for me; and He did it! It seemed just like that to me then; and I'm not so sure but it seems so yet. If the dear Lord was a mind to humor your silly Grandma's unbelief and send her a sign to strengthen her, why couldn't he do it? Anyhow, nobody knows to this day, how Bose got loose from his chain. It was found to be not broken, only slipped in some way—and no one knows who told him to bound down to the lake and spring into the water just in time to save me. He wasn't what is commonly called a water dog; and he was very fierce to children generally. Some folks think such things just happen; but I've lived a great many years, and the longer I live the surer I am that there isn't much 'happening' of any kind about our lives. There wasn't any need for me having a miracle, children; the Lord had done enough for me long before, but he is sometimes real patient with silly people. I know I began that very day to try to serve him, and I've always been glad I did."