Part 26 (1/2)
”Mamma,” she said one day, ”I am going to die. Oh, how sad it will be to leave this beautiful world, and papa, and you, my mamma, and Eddie, and Allie! But,” she added, ”I am going to the beautiful home of which I was dreaming, to be with Jesus, who loves little children. And then in a little while you and papa will come, and we will live in one of the 'many mansions' which Jesus has gone to prepare. I shall not be long with you here, mamma; but you will come to be with me. Eddie and Allie will be coming too, some day, when G.o.d calls them, and we will all be home together.”
Her mother was deeply moved, but endeavored to conceal her emotion from her little daughter.
”My darling must not talk of leaving us; we could not spare our little Mamie. No doubt, dear, but you will get better, now the spring is coming, and soon you will be out with the flowers.”
Mrs. Ashton had to endure the agony that an intelligent, loving mother must always experience when an almost idolized child, that she could press to her heart forever, is fading from her. She could see her dear, loving, bright little daughter--who was very precocious, talking more like a girl of ten than one of only five-- slowly, almost imperceptibly, failing every day, and every day becoming more bright and beautiful; but it was the beauty of the flower that was to bloom but for a few hours, and then whither and die away.
One day in the spring, as she was looking at her mother, who was working among her flowers, she began coughing violently; Allie, who had been attending to her household duties, now joining them, stooped down to help her, but as she did so she saw her face was of deathlike pallor, and that the blood was slowly oozing from her mouth, staining her pale lips with its crimson tide.
”Mother! come quickly,” she said, as she lifted Mamie in her arms and ran with her into the house. She gently laid her on the sofa, and then wiped the blood from her lips.
Mrs. Ashton, when she reached the sofa, found her heart beating violently; but she resolutely forced back her emotion, so that she might not agitate Mamie. As she took her eldest daughter's place, she whispered: ”Go to the garden, dear, and tell your father to run for the doctor. He must make haste, for I am afraid Mamie is dying.”
Allie ran for her father, but, though he was there a short time before, he could not now be found. The fact is, the wretched man, who had been working in the vegetable-garden, had been watching all morning for an opportunity to steal away and get a drink.
Finding the coast clear, when Mrs. Ashton and Allie had gone in with Mamie, he, like a truant child stealing away from its parents, glided out on to the sidewalk, and hastily made his way to the nearest groggery.
Allie told her mother her father had disappeared, when the latter requested her to hasten and tell the doctor to come immediately, as the case was very urgent.
The doctor, when he arrived, endeavored to quiet Mrs. Ashton's fears by a.s.suring her there was no immediate danger; ”but,” he gently continued, ”she will not long be with you--two or three days at the longest, and she may not linger that long.”
When Eddie came home he went for his father, and found him in Flannigan's groggery with several others who were unfortunates like himself. At the voice of his son, he straightened himself up as well as he could in his intoxicated condition, looking at him with a sort of dazed, stupid stare; but as Eddie went over to him, saying, ”Come, father, we want you at home,” he took his arm and walked quietly away.
When they arrived at the house, Eddie took him round the back way so as not to disturb the dying child, and after requesting him to be as quiet as possible, as Mamie was seriously ill, he then went in and told his mother his father was safe at home.
Eddie and Allie wished their mother to rest for a time, as they thought if she did not do so the fatigue and worry might result disastrously to her. But she was firm in her resolve not to leave the bedside of her dying child, so that all their solicitations were in vain.
Mrs. Gurney came to remain all night with them, so Eddie and Allie retired. Mrs. Ashton was very grateful for this practical expression of sympathy for this n.o.ble Christian woman. Mamie pa.s.sed the night quietly--not suffering excessive pain, but they concluded she was growing weaker, the end being not far off.
She was peacefully sleeping about five o'clock, and Allie having awakened joined the watchers; she, with the a.s.sistance of Mrs.
Gurney, finally prevailed upon her mother to lie down, and, if possible, s.n.a.t.c.h a little sleep. About six o'clock Mrs. Gurney noticed there was a change for the worse in the little slumberer, and she had just remarked it to Allie, when Mamie languidly opened her large blue eyes--which now shone as if they reflected the light of the heavenly land--”Mamma! Mamma!” she called in a low but very distinct voice.
Allie bent over her and asked, ”What is it darling? Mamma has gone to lie down for a little while.”
Mamie closed her eyes for a moment, and then opening them, said, ”Call her, and call papa and Eddie, for I think I am dying.”
Allie quietly left her side to call her mother. Eddie having just arrived glided silently into the room, and then went to call his father. He experienced difficulty in awakening him, who, though he appeared to be in a stupor, no sooner heard that Mamie had asked for him, and that she said she was dying, than he, having dressed, made haste to go to her. When he arrived in the room he eagerly asked his wife, ”Is Mamie worse? You had better make haste, Eddie, and run for the doctor.”
Mamie looked up as she heard her father's voice. ”My own dear papa!” she murmured; and then she continued, ”don't go, Eddie; if you do I shall never see you again, for I shall have gone home before you return.”
”Papa, Mamma,” she said, ”each of you give me a hand.” Her father taking her right hand and her mother her left, she continued, ”Papa, I want you to promise me you will never drink again. I am going to be with Jesus, and when I look down from heaven I want to see my papa good, and not doing anything to make my mamma grieve so, because then I shall grieve too. I know I shall feel so sorry when I am in heaven, if my darling papa is out with the naughty men drinking; for my mamma will come some day to meet me, but the Bible says no drunkard can enter there; so if my papa dies a drunkard I shall never see him again. Oh papa! shall I meet only my mamma there, and will not my papa come too? Shall I look and look for papa, and never find him?”
She paused for breath, looking inquiringly at her father. The effort had evidently taken from her most of her rapidly failing strength, and every individual in the room was sobbing before she had finished speaking.
”G.o.d bless you, my darling!” replied her father, ”I will promise never to drink again, and G.o.d helping me, I will keep my promise.”
”Kiss me, papa, mamma, all.” They each lovingly kissed her, she murmured ”thank you for--” but she could say no more, her eyes speaking the grat.i.tude her failing voice could not utter. Her eyes closed for a moment, and then slowly opening, she, turning them upon all, faintly whispered, ”Good-bye,” and then they closed never to open again to the light of this life. She lingered on as if sleeping quietly with a sweet smile of peace irradiating her face, and sank gently to rest, so gently they could not tell the exact moment of her departure.