Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES r' ^ " On every side the groand broke into a lovely mmsriing of biil and valloy." STORIES or YINEGAR HILL. BT THE AUTHOK OS "STJOT)AY ALL THE WEEK," "LITTLE JACK'S FOUE LESSONS," "ELLEN MONTGOilEKY'S EOOKSHELE," ETO A "^■hc^ %t^txtt1) ^^ousanli. LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET. MDCCCLXXXII. BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON I CONTENTS. PAca I. TliE OLD CHURCH DOOR, ..... 1 II. THE FOWLS OP THE AIR, 57 IIL GOLDEX THORNS,. ...... 117 IV. PLANTS WITHOUT ROOT, 171 V. AN HUNDREDFOLD, 229 VL SPRING WORK, ....... 297 THE OLD CHURCH DOOR. THE OLD CHURCH DOOR. CHAPTER I. " Behold a sower went forth to sow." "I HARDLY know whether I ought to say I am most sorry or glad, that I must decline your obliging offer, ma'am," said the superintendent of the little Long Meadow Sunday- school. " Fact is, Ave have rather more than enough teachers already." " So few children in the place ? " said Mrs Kensett. " Ah, I don't know about that ! " said the superintendent, laughing; "sometimes I think there's more than enough children, too. Not in the school, however : oar classes are hardly so large as the teachers would fancy. Seems a sort of waste of time, you know, to come, week after week, for only three or four children." " Oh, I want no larger class than that," said the lady. " I think five is almost too large." " Think so ? " said Mr Morton ; " most people don't. They like more of a show." " But the show — if there is any— should be in the work done," said Mrs Kensett. " True," said Mr Morton ; " exactly so. Are you settling in Long Meadow, ma'am 1 " " Only for the summer, for change of air." '•There is no better air in the country," said Mr Morton, 4 STORIES OF VINEGAR HILL. wiili emphasis. " But that would make the arrangement of a chiss still more difficult. Such matters for a short time always are. The new teacher brings new ways, and the other classes are unsettled. Else I am sure we should be most happy. If indeed we had more children. But it 's a small place — a very small place. And as you are au invalid, per- hajis rest will be better than work.'' " I rest better with some work," said Mrs Kensett. " But I never thought of disturbing your settled classes. Do all the village children come to your school, sir? " " 11' ally," said ]\tr Morton, "1 hardly know ! Yes — upon reflection, I think they do,— about all. There are the tavei'u /cliililren — some half dozen — of course do not come; and one or two more that I think of." " Are there any families living quite outside the village V said Mrs Kensett. " There are some," said Mr Morton, " how many I can't say — speaking of those that do not belong in any way to the society. A poor scattering set, for the most part, hid away among the bushes on Vinegar Hill. I believe the bell is warning us all to our places, Mrs Kensett, — shall I have the |ileasure of giving you a seat 1 " And up the white church steps went Mr Morton, bland and benign ; while Mrs Kensett followed him softly along the little aisle, pondering his words — " Hid away among the bushes on Vinegar Ilill !" In every pause of the service they came back to her, with some such refrain as this : — " He came to seek and to save/ " Go ye into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in." And then she pictured to herself the motley crowd thus gathered, and the servants returning with their glad answer: 'Lord, it is done as Thou hast commanded, and yet there is room." Room? — she looked round the little church- even there, in God's house on earth, there was room enough and to spare. Where were the j)eople that should l:ave filled those empty seats 1 — and again her heart echoed back the words : " Hid away among the bushes on Vinegar Hill." THE OLD CllUr.CII DOOR. 5 " Tliprc's room within the Church, redcom'il ■\Vitli blood of Christ divine ; ■Room iu the white-rohcd throng convened Por that dear soul of thine. " There 's room in heaven among the clioir, And harps, and crowns of gold, And glorious pnlms of victory there, And joys that ne'er were told." The service was over, tlie people dismissed to tlieir homes; and iu the clear liglit of the summer afternoou they weut singly or in little clusters along the green village roads. Some few wheeled off in open waggons to homes a linlf dozen miles back iu the country ; a yet smaller number v>ere the happy owners and users of a close carriage, and saw as little as possible of the clover blossoms on their way home. Uudistilled clover fragrance was, after all, rather a common thing ; and even new-mown hay nmst be bottled and labelled before they could find out its sweetness. r>nt clearly none of all these passers-by came from Vinegar Hill — not one of all that whole congregation had ever been an outcast "hid away among the bushes." Mrs Kensctt lingered in her walk, gazing wistfully over the green land- scape. On every side the ground broke into a lovely mingling of hill and valley, with here a dark spot of lake, set in the woods, and there the foaming thread of a tumbling brook ; the white church itself standing midway on one long slope ; and clustering below it, more or less near, the village houses led down to the broad green valley which gave the place its name of Long Meadow. All fair, all glowing with June light. " Can you tell me, sir, which is Vinegar Hill 1 " inquired !Mrs Kensctt, as a belated farmer came plodding by. lie stopped and looked at her. " Vinegar Hill ? AVhy !— Beaut agoing there, be you 1" "Not to-night." "Well, I wouldn't, 'cause it 's an ugly place. Worst hole in the township. I wouldn't take evidence from Vinegar G STORIES OF VINEOAR HILL, Hill, i!ow," said the farmer, striking the heel of his boot against a stone with great emphasis, " not as to which way my cow'd gone. Might be sure I'd find lier in just t'other direction." " Jjut in what dii'ection is the hill itself ? " " Vinegar Hill ? wh}', it 's there, back o' the church. Slid ofTfrom the hack door, sometime, likely, and went a good wny afore it stopped." ""What, that low green hill that seems all bushes?" said I\Irs Kensett. "Ay, but it ain't all bushes, more's the pity," said tlie fanner, shading his eyes with his hand as he looked. "Theie's houses enough there — too many; and rascals to fill one jail, and some to spare. Yes, that 's Vinegar Hill, and a sour spot it is. Take more'n one church to sweeten it." "And how many church members — if they worked faith- full j-, with God's blessing ?" asked Mrs Kensett, with one of her winning smiles. Tiie farmer stared, then broke into a puzzled laugh. "Well, I couldn't rightly say," he answered ; "fact is, 1 ain't much in that line o' business, but it 's an ugly spot. So, as I said, I wouldn't go nigh there. Good-night to ye !" and he strode on. It was early yet ; the proud summer day bent its head but slightly, glancing over meadow and hill ; and the long sun- beams held the ground against all claims of the white-faced moon, waiting so patiently to take her place. Mrs Kensett sat down on a gray stone by the wayside, to look and think. The whole scene was Avondrously peaceful, with something of that sweet, calm hush, which seems to have lingered about this seventh portion of time, ever since " God blessed tlie seventh daj', and hallowed it." Hardly a sound stirred the air, though every green swell of land was dotted with houses and full of life, with windows gleaming in the sunshine, or even — in some deep woodland nook — glimmering and twink- ling with an early candle : the Sabbath rest Avas upon alL Only as ]\Irs Kensett turned towards Vinegar Hill, she felt the difference. It looked peaceful enough with its close green THE OLD CHURCH DOOR. 7 covering that was neither forest nor undergi'owth, but a scrub of thickset bushes : and a, tinkle of cowbells moving slowly along from point to point, and a light hazy smoke that floated over the tops of the bushes, were the only signs of life. But as the sunbeams withdrew to higher groimd, and twilight filled the valleys, there came up from Vinegar Hill a confused murmur— not sportive, not rejoicing, not even like the wholesome hum of business — but wild, lawless, and harsh- Mrs Kensett rose quickly and walked away. At first towards home— then turned, and began slowly to mount the church hill once more ; saying softly to herself-" to seek and to save." And as she went, a half dozen children came stealing up on the other side, from out the thickets of Vine- gar Hill, and began with great spirit to play ball against the side of the church, and marbles on its old steps. So busy were they with tbeir games, so intent upon the ball and the marbles, that not one of them saw a little lady cross the stile of the church fence and come towards them. Not one knew she was near, until they heard a sweet voice asking — " Which of you little ones has been here before to-day ? " They all stopped and looked at her. " Hi ! " said one of the boys expressively, giving his ball a toss straight up in the air, and catching it again with great exactness. " Come all the way up a purpose to ask ! " said anothei mockingly; "and nobody don't know nothin't all about it no more 'n she don't ! — Oh dear ! " Gently ^Mrs Kensett repeated her question — " How many of you have been here before to-day?" " Well, I haven't, for one," said a little boy. " Can't see whose business it is, nother," said he with the ball, playing one hand against the other with most impartial skill. " Might know we hadn't none en us been here," said a third boy. " Can't play ball agin a meetin' house full o' people. Guess there 'd be a precious row if we did." 8 STOKIES OF VINEGAH HILL. " We always does wait till they 's all gone," said the little boy. " Do none of you come when the church is open, and go in with the people ? " asked Mrs Kensett. " Not us !" said the big boy, Sam Dodd by name. "Guess we know some better 'n that." " 'Tain't for us, you know," said little Jemmy Lucas ; " we 's too poor." " Poor ! " echoed the otlier ; "yes, Jemmy he 's poor enough, for most things. My father ain't." "What are you all going to do when you go home to- night 1 " said Mrs Kensett. " Get supper." "Is that all?" " Enough, too," said Peter Limp, " when it 's a good one. Jemmy Lucas '11 like enough get a poundin' — but the rest of us don't care about that, ye see. It varies the performances, but it ain't interestiu'." " Do none of you say your prayers before you go to bed ?" asked Mrs Kensett. But nobody answered. " Come," she said, " sit down here on the steps with me, and I '11 tell you a story." " A real story 1 " said Jemmy Lucas. " A real, true story. But tell me first, where do you all live?" With one voice they answered — " On Vinegar Hill." " What, all of you r * " Every one." " What sort of a place is Vinegar Hill ? I can see nothing but bushes." "There's lots of other things there, you may depend," eaid Peter Limp, nodding his head. " More 'n ever you see, I guess" " Is it a nice place ? " " That 's according as people thinks," said Sam Dodd, with a short laugh. " Suits me well enough." " Mother says she didn't use to bear it," said Jemmy Lucas. THE OLD CHUECII DOOR. 9 "Well, let's hoar the story anyway," said Peter Linii\ curling himself down ou tlie steps. "Kobody needn't to worry over Vinegar Hill. / say, let 's liave the storj%" And down they all sat, grouping themselves around the stranger lady in various attitudes of carelessness or attention ; ready to get all the fun and do all the mischief they possibly could. CHAPTEPt II. " Mt story," began Mrs Kensett, " is about the great King over all the earth." " I say ! " broke in Sam Dodd, " guess that 's a mistake. One king don't have it all." " There 's lots o' kings," said Peter Limp. A little hollow cough sounded so near j\Ir3 Kensett, that she started and looked round, but there was nothing to be seen except the boys, and she went on. " Yes, there are many kings. I suppose you can all tell me what a king is ? " " He 's an awful rich man, that wears a gold crown," said Jemmy Lucas. "And has horses and servants and things, don't he?" said Peter Limp, "and don't never do nothin' he ain't a mind to, and cats goodies just all the time." "And makes other folks stand round," said Sam Dodd ; " and cuts their heads off if they don't mind." " And he sits 'way up on a throne too," said little Jemmy liUcas ] " a great high place, all over di'monds." " True," said Mrs Kensett ; " there are kings who do almost all these things. But why do they wear a crown, and sit on a throne % " "^Yhy, to show how grand they are," said Sam Dodd; " and to let folks see they 'd better look out." " Then a king rules over peoi^le ? " 10 STORIES OF VINEGAR HILL. *' Yes, ma'am." " Over everybody ? — or only a part of the world ?" " Can't be everybody," said Sam Dodd, musing, "'cause tliere 's none of 'em here. And besides, if there was a lot o' kinfjs tryin' to rule over everybody, some on 'em would get to fightin'." " Yes," said the lady, " and so each king that is in the world has a certain place or part of it, called his kingdom, where he rules ; and all the people that dwell there, are called his subjects. These 'are the kingdoms of this world." Again the cougli sounded, and Mrs Kensett looked round. "Who is that coughing ? " she said. " Nothing but ]\Iolly," said Peter Limp. " And who is Molly '\ " "Molly? — that's one of our girls to home, Molly Limp, — you can tell her noise 'nlost anywhere. She's hidin' round here some place, for the story." " But why don't she come and sit on the steps with the rest 1" said Mrs Kensett. " Guess likely she 's afeard," said Peter. " She does be as skeary as a woodchuck, mostly. I '11 start her home ! " "No, no!" said Mrs Kensett; " don't send her home. Bring her here." " Well," said Peter, " I can do that too, if that '11 suit." And forthwith he darted round the corner of the church, and having captured the small sun-bonnet that was hiding there, brought it back — all limp and frightened — to the stei)3 at Mrs Kensett's feet. " Here she is ! " he said,—" about as poor a sample of a girl as they often got down to the museum. Now, you !Moll ! you just take your finger out o' your mouth, and look at the lady. And as you ain't got to look at nothin' else, you won't care about that 'ere old sun-bonnet, I don't think. Here goes ! " — And away sped the bonnet up into the tangled branches of an old oak tree, that threw its flickering shadow across the steps. THE OLD CnURCII DOOn. li Poor little Molly, thus robbed of all her defences, sat frigliteiiet], trembling, and ready to cry, looking at anything but the lady. A wan, elfish child, with long, matted hair encumbering her face, and dark, shining ej-es, that gleamed out as from a thicket. Her frock was soiled, and fringed with tatters, her little hands and feet were covered with grimy dust. Mrs Kensett watched her silently at first, then laid her own soft white hand upon the little begrimmed ones that lay trembling in Molly's lap. The child started, glanced up at the lady — glanced again, — and then, with a bit of a stray smile breaking over her face, Molly clasped her fingers tight round the stranger's hand, and prepared to listen ; her attention only disturbed, now and then, by that racking cough. " Tlie kingdoms of this world," said Mrs Kensett, " have each their king. But high over all thess reigns One alone, — far greater in power, far grander in glory ; ' the King of the wliole earth shall He be called.' He rules by His power for ever, even over the greatest of other kings ; He puts one on the throne, and piilLs down another. He makes one poor and another rich ; He kills and He makes alive." " Must be awful strong," said Peter Limp. " Yes, He is mightier than all the people in all the world. Now, other rulers often ill-treat their subjects, but this great King loves every one of His. He wants them to be good. He wants them to be hajipy. He wants to give them great riches, and to put on them a most glorious dress ; and He has sent every one of them an invitation to a great feast, that He will give one day in His kingdom." " I guess I wish He ruled over me," said little Jemmy Lucas. " He wouldn't have to ask twice, I can tell Him." " I s'pose they 're all goiu' ? " said Peter Limp. " You may bet that," said Sam Dodd ; " folks ain't such fools." " Some of them are going," said Mrs Kensett ; " and some have refused, and some have not got their invitation. I think you have never got yours, you children,— for the King has asked every cue of you to His feast, too." 1 i STOKi: R OF VINEGAE HILL. "Well, I sIkhiI I say that was a story as is commonly called liy :x sliortor iianif ," said Sam Dodd. "I don't wonder you think so, at first," said Mrs Kensett, " but it is quite true. I came here to-day to tell you about it." " Be civil, Sam, can't ye ? " said Peter Limp. " None o' your sarce, now. I wants to bear what she '11 say." "Say on," answered Sam, tossing bis ball up and down. " It '11 be a cur'ous one, anyhow." "Oh, it's a book story!" cried Jemmy Lucas, as Mrs Kensett took a small volume from her pocket. " Yes, it is a book story ; but every word of this book in perfectly true. So now listen. ' The kingilom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.' Every king on earth, as I told you, has a certain place or part of the world where he rules ; he is lord over all the people that dwell there. But our story tells of another kingdom, — what is that I" " The kingdom of heaven," said little Molly, speaking up f(ir the first time. "Yoii hush," said Peter Limp. "Who wants you to be talkin', young one? Shut up, and behave." " I want her to talk," said Mrs Kensett, with a kind look at little Molly, " I want you all to ask questions and answer mine; and Molly has answered right. The kingdom of heaven, — who rules over that?" "I don't know— nor don't care," said Sam Dodd, tossing his balk " Kings ain't much count, anyhow." "The kings who reign over a country or a single city,' said Mrs Kensett, " need not be much thought of Dy tlie people who live elsewhere ; t'ney have little to do with each other. But the kingdom of heaven belongs to a Sovereign who rules over the whole earth too, the glorious One I told you of just now. He is King of kings, and Lord of lords. Wliat is Ilis name ? do you know ?" " Well, I don't," ?aid Sam Dodd. " Guess all this here 's a big part o' the stor}', ain't it 1 " " It is a ime part," said the lady, gently. " But do none THE OLD CIIUECH DOOR. 1 3 of you know even tlie name of the great King of heaven and earth V " Guess not," said Jemmy Lucas, shaking his head ;— "you see there ain't much as we does know." " I am afraid you hear His name so uf ten, that yuu f urget Avhat it means," said ]\Irs Kensett. " I am afraid you speak it carelessly a great many times every daj^ Tliiuk." "Do you mean God, ma'am?" said little Mully, in hor husky voice. " Yes, I mean God," said Mrs Kensett ; " ' God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is,' — that great King who dwells in a brightness of glory, that is * as tbe sun shining in His strength.'" " Never heard Hini called a King afore," said Sam Dodd, carelessly. " Heard His name often enough — you 're about right there." " Well, whenever you hear it again," said Mrs Kensett, " remember that He is far, far greater than all other kings. He has full power over every king and every subject — ovlt every man, woman, and child — in the whole world. He n;ade them all, — you, and me, and all the rest; and He CDidd take away our lives in a moment, if He chose. He made the world, and can destroy it again. Take care how you ever speak His name lightly, for He is 'a great Lord, a mighty and a terrible.' " '•Then don't He like to have 'cm speak His name sol" said little Molly. " Ko, my child, it displeases Him very much." " They do it all the time down to father's," said the little gill, thoughtfully. " 'Taiu't none o' your business if they do," said Sam Dodd, sharply. " If there was such ugly little pitchers round our house, I 'd cut their ears off, straight ! " " I can hardly begin to tell you how great God is," said Mrs Kensett, holding little Molly's fingers closer in her own. " Other kings reign for a few years, and then die, but the Lord is ' King for ever and ever.' He is the King of glory, and His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom." H STORIES OF VINEGAK HILL. " What sort of a throne docs He have ? " asked Jemmy Lucas. "The Bible says that it is *a glorious high throne,' — 'high and lifted up : ' it tells of ' a rainbow round the throne/ of a light that would blind our eyes to look upon. Fur ' the Lord has prepared His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rulcth over all : ' He is crowned with glory and honour." "That sounds mighty fine," said Peter Limp. "Never Leerd a \vord on it before." " Is it all very true, ma'am 1 " said little Mary, timidly. " You ain't got much to do with it, if it is," said Sam Dodd ; " kings don't bother their heads along o' such con- cerns as i/ou." The child broke into one of her heavy coughs, then turned her eyes towards her friend, and waited for an answer. Mrs Kensett folded the thin hands in hers, clasping them softly, " It is true, every word of it," she repeateJ. " But what j'ou say, Sam, is a complete mistake. The kings of this world do not always think much about their subjects, but the great King of heaven and earth never forgets for a moment even the least and poorest of His. He sees everything you do ; He hears everytlnng you say ; He knows everything you think." "I say, I don't like that," said Peter Limp, doubtfully ; "I guess I ain't agoin' to believe it, nother." " It is so, whether you like it or not," said Mrs Kensett, " because He is God. The Bible says that His eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Even the darkness hideth not from Him." " I should like it if He 'd take care of me in the dark," said Molly. " But I guess He don't see down in our woods, does He ?" said Jemmy Lucas. " The bushes is real thick." " That makes no difference with God," said Mrs Kensett. " He can see through the bushes as easily as you can through a window, and you cannot whisper so low that He will not hear. ' Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall THE OLD CHUECII DOOE. 15 not see him ? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth 1 saith the Lord.' This is -what I ^Yant you to re- member, that God is everywhere. Think of this, Molly, when you are in the dark, and ask God to take care of you. Think of it, boys, wheu you are hid away in the bushes, and ask Him to keep you from displeasing Him in any way. For when God sees people do wrong, it offends Him very much. Xow let us kneel down here together, and ask Him to bless us and help us, that we may never offend Him any more." In wondering curiosity the little outcasts looked on, as the strange lady knelt there in the old porch and spoke such woiiderful words. Words of entreaty that God would bless these children ; that He would make them all His own ; that He would make their little dark hearts all clean and new in the blood of the Lord Jesus— not one of the children had ever heard anything like it before. Even Sam Dodd stood silent and still by her side when she rose up. The night vas falling fast now. " I must go," said Mrs Kensett, " I have a long walk home. When shall we go on with our Bible story about the great Kingl" " We does play ball here, most nights," suggested Jemmy Lucas. " Do you ? then I wiil try and come ' most nights' too. Good-bye !" And down the winding path the little lady wont in the gathering twilight, while all the children scampered back to •Vinegar HilL CHAPTER in. So when the next afternoon began to stretch long shadows across the valleys, and to light up the hills with that special glory that comes towards the close of the day, Mrs Kensett set out again for the chosen meeting-olace at the old rhurch 16 STOEIES OF VJXEGAR HILL. door. It looked .all deserted as yet, and for a while she sat there quite alone — then one by one her little troop came iu sight. It was a sorrowful thing to watch the motions of these Vinegar Hill children, to see how in everything they acted and looked like little outcasts. They did not walk boldly up to the church as the village children would have done ; following the path, and delighting in the sunshine, and stop- ping to pick daisies by the way ; but came stealing up like wild rabbits, taking the cover of every bush, and seeming to dodge those golden rays that filled the world with glory. Mrs Kensett watched them from the corner of the church, but quick as her eye was, it could not always tell how thuy got from one point to another. A wild looking little head would peer out of one clump of bushes, as if on the alert for enemies, and then, in some mysterious way, it was suddenly transferred to a bush still nearer the church, showing itself there ; so making approaches by zigzag degrees. Only little Molly was not strong enough, or not wild enough for such antics, and crept slowly and steadily np to the church. Mrs Kensett looked, and tried to keei") track of the youngsters, "but for a while — except Molly — she could not see one, and then with a rush they were all npon her, their brown faces gleaming with lawless fun. Then her start of surprise called forth such a whoop and halloo and outburst of delight, that Mrs Kensett felt half stunned, and had to steady her nerves with a thought of the next words of her story : "He sent forth His servants to call them that were bidden." Bidden to the feast as well as she. Oh, to persuade them to come ! "So here you are," she said, holding out her hand to Molly; "I wonder who can tell me what we talked about yesterday'?" " About the king," said Molly. "It wasn't, either, said Jemmy LiTcas. "It was about God's being a king. I told my mother, and she said she 'd heard that once herself, a great while ago." "Our story," said ]\Irs Kensett, "begins, you remember, THE OLD CHURCH BOOK. 17 in this way : 'The kingdom of Iicaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son.'" "The folks had one here a spell ago," said Peter Limp. " My ! how they did go on !'' " They was all dressed up, you know, more'n common," said Jemmy Lucas ; "and then they went back to the house, and the uay the dishes chinked beat all." "Well, when there is a marriage in a king's liouse," said ]\rrs Kensett, "they prepare more splendid things than lean tell you. There is a great feast got ready, with every good thing you can think of ; and many of the dishes are of gold and silver. And there is the sweetest music that men can make ; and throngs of people are invited; and they come dressed in the richest and gayest way, because it is a very great occasion." "I guess tiie folks feel great that go," said Jemmy Lucas. "I suppose they do," said Mrs Kensett; "whoever goes to the king's house at such a time, will see many splendid things. But God, the great King of all, has prepared things which are so glorious that they would make you forget these others in a minute ; and He has told us of a time and a place where they may be seen. You see He tells us this story to show how He feels towards us, and what He will do for us ; and also how a great many of us feel towards Him ; for just as earthly kings make a feast, and invite guests, so does God invite us to the wonders and glories which He has prepared in His kingdom." " Guess likely most folks don't hear Him," said Sam Dodd. " How does He tell 'em, ma'am V said little Molly. " Why, in the same sort of way that other kings tell their wishes to their subjects," said Mrs Kensett ; " He sends word by Ilis particular servants." " What sort of a place is it, anyhow 1" asked Peter Limp, "A more glorious and wonderful place than anybody can ever imagine," said Mrs Kensett. " An earthly king may have gold dishes on his table, and wear pearls on his dress ; but the very streets of the heavenly city are paved with gold, ajid the foundations are laid in precious stones of all colours. 18 STOrJES OP VINEGAR HILL. and every gate is of one pearl. And the brilliancy that shinea there is so great, that the city has no need of the sun ; for 'the glory of God doth lighten it.' " " I 'd like to see it for once," said Jemmy L\icas. " How would you like to live there V said Mrs Kens'ett. Sam Dodd laughed scornfully. " Why don't you ask him how he 'd like to live in Squire Townsend's big house and garden 1" he said. "And the cherry orchard," said Peter Limp. " Why, there would be very little sense in such a question,' said Mrs Kensett ; "for Squire Townscnd is only a man, and would never think of sharing his fine house with any one else. Even if he let you come there for a little while and take supper with him, he would send you away again. V>nt all who accept the Lord's invitation to His heavenly king- dom, may dwell and rejoice there for ever." "Well," said Jemmy Lucas, " I guess it ain't civil to say I don't believe it, but it sounds pretty queer." " Do you know," said ]Mrs Kensett, " at first I could not' believe it either ; I could not think such glorious news could be true. But then I found that it was written in the Bible, which is the word of God, and not one of His words ever makes the least mistake. " Now this earthly king of whom our story tells, made ready his feast ; and when everything was done he ' sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding.'" " That 's plain enough," said Sam Dodd ; " but who does t'other one send, I should like to know?'' " His servants. Just as the king did in the story." " Well, none of 'em ever came in m^j way," said Sam Dodd, " that 's pretty plain." " Yes," said Mrs Kensett, " one of them conies to you now ; I am His servant." " But you ain't a servant," said little l\Iolly, wonderingly. " You 'se a lady." " The servants of God, my dear," said Mrs Kensett, " may be called among men by a great many different names, TJiey THE OLD CHUECH DOOE. 19 may be kings themselves, or they may be poor unknown ser- vants, or little children like you. Anybody can be a servant of God." " What do they have to do, ma'am V said Jemmy Lucas. "Whatever the Lord tells them," answered the lady. " Sometimes it is one thing, sometimes another. But always, every day, %Yhatever their other work may be, He bids them tell the truth, and to speak no bad words, and to help and comfort other people, and to do nothing to other people which they would not like those same people to do to them." "Ain't many of 'em down our way, then," said Peter Limp, with a low whistle. " I say, that ain't much like our sort o' folks, Sam V . " Who cares ]" answered Sam Dodd, scornfully ; " what '3 the use V "Why," said Mrs Kensett, "the use is that if we are the true servants of God, He will make us happy every day here, and will take care of us, and bring us to live in His glorious kingdom for ever when we die." " That would do for me then," said little Molly. " They does all say I 'm goiu' to die." " Do for you !" said Sam Dodd, giving the child an impa- tient push. " You 'd look well, stuck up in anybody's king- dom, you would ! Guess you 'd get turned out faster'n you 'd sneaked in." " Listen," said j\lrs Kensett, with a kind smile at the bright, anxious eyes that sought an answer to every question in her face : " God loves you all, every one ; and He wants you every one to be His servants. There is no one too small, or too poor, or too weak, to serve Him. Ask Him to help you, ask Him to teach you how, for the sake of the Lord Jesus, and He will surely hear." She knelt down again, with the children round her, in the porch of the old church ; but when the prayer was ended, it might be seen that Sam Dodd had silently crept away. 20 STORIES OF VINEGAR HILL. CHAPTER IV. What strange things there are in this world of ours ! what strange contrasts and combinations ! to which we are yet so used, that we half the time forget their strangeness. So here, on this June evening, a little handful of waifs and strays came trooping into the old porch, to hear how the great King had invited every one of them to His kingdom and glory. " Lord, I will praise Thy name, for Thou hast done won- derful things !" "You remember, children," so Mrs Kensett began, "that the king had made a marriage for his son. A great enter- tainment, with everything that was beautiful, and plea- sant, and grand, which the king's wealth and power could furnish." " I know !" said Jemmy Lucas. " I 've seen 'em get mar- ried, here in this very church — the rich folks ; and it does seem as if the whole church couldn't but just hold 'em, they 's so grand. They flings flowers down on tlie steps, and they walks along right over 'em. And they 's all white and coloured, like it 'most puts your eyes out, only to look at 'em." "And tlien they goes home, you know," said Peter Limp, 'and eats as if they hadn't never had anythin' to eat afore, and didn't expect to again. Guess I haven't been outside and heard the dishes ! And such singin' and dancin' !" " Wei]," said Mrs Kensett, " a king's feast is much greater even than these ; but v hat the great King has prepared, and what the glory of that day will be, — ' When all the saints get home,' no one can even think. " It says in our story, that the king sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding. I suppose they had had a sort of general invitation before, and now the servants Avent to remind them ; but they would not come. THE OLD CHUKCU DOOE. 21 And the king was so kind and patient witli them, that he sent other servatits, who could give his message better, maybe— saying, 'Behold, I have prepared my dinner ; my oxen and my f atlings are ready ; come mito the marriage.' " " And then I s'pose they all hurried off, right away," said Jemmy Lucas. " No," said the lady, " ' they made light of it,' treated the whole matter as if it were a jest ; ' and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise.' The whole matter was too much of a trifle to interrupt their business, even for an hour." "After the king sent to them, and all!" said Peter Limp. "Yes, after all that. So some of them did. 'And the remnant' — the others — 'took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.' " " The good king's servants ! " cried Molly. " I 'd think they durstn't do it," said Peter Limp. " Don't you know that bad men will dare do almost any- thing ]" said Mrs Kensett. " And perhaps they thought the king's palace was so far away, that he would never know wliat they had done. Eut he knew everything." "And didn't they want to go to the feast, ma'am?" said Jemmy Luca:^. " That part of the story don't sound true." "They were wicked people," said Mrs Kensett, "and the king wa,'^ very good ; and so they did not care for his favour. And to go to his feast, they must wash their hands, and change their dress, and give up all their bad ways; so they would not come. Some would have liked it well enough, but they had a great deal of business on hand, and so they * went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his mer- chandise;' while the others killed the king's servants for only bringing them his gracious invitation." "And they didn't really want to go and see the king?" said little Molly, with her wondering look. " They did not want to go in the king's waj', and at the king s bidding," said Mrs Kensett ; " it must be when they were ready— not when he was. When all their business was 22 STORIES OF VINEGAE HILL, finished up, and they could find nothing pleasant to do, then maybe they would think of the king's invitation." " That wasn't very respectful," said Jemmy Lucas, " IS'o indeed. But some hated the king himself : ' the remnant took his servants ' (that is, those who brought the message), 'and spitefully entreated them.' These were some who knew that they had displeased the king, and never meant to obey him at all. And this is just the way with the invitation which God, the great King of all, gives to the people in this world. He invites them, He sends word by His servants that all things are ready ; He entreats —yes, commands them to come. 'J^here are glorious dwell- ings prepared in heaven, there is a wonderful feast laid there ; but some people say they are too busy to think of it, and others are angry with those who bring the invitation. Many a servant of the Lord has been killed by wicked men, for just delivering his Master's message." " Ma'am," said little Molly, " didn't amjhodj/ go ?" " When the king knew how his servants had been treated," said Mrs Kensett, " he was very angry ; ' and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.' And then he sent out his servants once more, bidding them go everywhere to bring back guests to the ivedding. Into the poor, tumble-down houses, and along the wild lanes and the crowded streets they went, and gathered in ' the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind ' — all sorts, ' both bad and good.' But in that great king- dom, and at that great feast, there was ' room enough and to spare.' And one of. the servants came to the king, saying : ' Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.' " " Why, there must have been room for everybody, I should think ! " said Jemmy Lucas. " Just so," said Mrs Kensett ; " there was room for every- body." " It was such a great feast ! " said little Molly, folding her hands, with a sigh. " And such a good king," said Mrs Kensett. " So when THE OLD CHUECn BOOK, 23 the servant said tliis, he answered : ' Go out into the high- ways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.' Even the commonest beggar might come; and those who had been overlooked before; and those who lay starving by the wayside, having no home. And ' go quickly,' he had told his servants, — lose no time ; fur some of these people were old, and some were hungry, and many might die and not even know that the king had hivited them." "T'other people was just the biggest fools !" said Peter Limp. "Well, they didn't need to go, if they wasn't a mind to," said Sam Dodd, roughly. " No," said Mrs Kensett, " not if they did not choose. If people do not wish to have God for their Friend, to have Bim to love them and take care of them ; if they have no wish to live for ever in His glorious kingdom, they need not." "The king was wonderful good, no mistake," said Jemmy Lucas ; " and of course the people had oughter go, when he sent for them ; but I don't guess they liked it much, neither." " Why not ? " said ]Mrs Kensett. " 'Tain't so pleasant as you'd think, ma'am, to go 'niong folks Avhen you he's all pieces and patches," said Jemmy Lucas, glancing down at his own trousers, though, to say truth, patches w^ere not the worst thing there, " Lady," said little Moll}', " did they go just as they was ? " " Ah," said ]\Irs Kensett, her eyes glittering Avith tlie bright drops that flushed up into them, " tlie gracious king took care of that ! He knew how these poor beggars would feel. He knew how their rags would look at his shining court. He knew how their soiled and weary feet would stumble and trip, and never be able to tread his golden pavement. So he opened for them a fountain where they might wash the stains away ; and as each one came, there was given to him a new robe, ' white and clean,' — 'a raiment of needlework,' w'itli the kin.g's own glory wrought tliereon, which the king himself had prepared for every one," 2i STOEIES OF YlNEGAIi HILL. Little Molly Limp had been looking up and listening with the intensest eagerness ; but now her head di-opped, and she broke into a passion of quiet sobbing, weeping sucli tears of longing, and need, and hopelessness, as were inexpressibly touching. But Peter was roused to much indignation. "There!" he said, "guess that ^nst comes o' bringiu' young ones Avhere they ain't got no manner o' business. Hot water enough to drown a cat as has got its eyes open ! You, Moll ! shut up ! 'Tain't none o' your concern what kings and folks does." " Such a muss ! " said Sam Dodd, contemptuously. But Mrs Kensett got hold of the little hand, and stroked it softlj'. "Why, Molly," she said, "it is all true; and you should not cry about it, unless for joy. For all this — ah, and much more — will God do for you and for me and for every one of us, if we will let Him. He has invited us to come ; He has commanded us to come; and now we must beg Him to bring us and lead us, because He is strong and we are very weak." Sam Dodd whistled and snapped his fingers, and turned away ; but the rest knelt down with their teacher, while she prayed the Good Shepherd of the sheep to gather with His arm all these little stray ones, so lost, so forlorn ; and then, bidding the children never forget the King's invitation, even for an hour, she said good-night, and went her way. CHAPTER V. The next afternoon was rainy, and the next, but when yet another had come softly round, the sun shone out bright and strong, and the birds sang with all their hearts. The children, too, played with all theirs, down in the village ; w herever there was a dry step fur marbles, or a bit of green grass for somersets and dairies, or an extra-sized mud- THE OLD CHURCH DOOR. 25 puddle for sailing botits. Dulls ^vellt dry-shod over the muddy roads ; and kittens shook their soft paws disapprov- ingly, at the touch ; and little girls held up their short frocks, already two feet above danger. As for the boys and the dogs, they careered hither and thither, despising trifles^ and came home to tea " a sight." But it was not tea-time yet, and the Vinegar Hill children had come stealing up as usual to their favourite plaj'ground, and were playing ball with great zeal and spirit, looking round the while for " the lady." But she did not come. " Guess she's got tired likely," said Peter Limp ; "sort o' tired of us, you know." "I'd like to hear all the rest o' the story, though," said Jemmy Lucas. And little Molly crept down to the stile, and sat there to wait and watch with tearful eyes. Then presently caine running back in great haste and glee. "She's a-coiuin' ! she's a-comiu' ! 'way down there at the foot of the hill." " What if she is ?" said Sam Dudd, roughly. " She 's a sj)oil-sport, that's what she is, and I just wish she wab further." " Whj', don't you want to hear about the king ] " said Jemmy Lucas. "No! and I don't mean to, neither," said Sam Dodd. " What does she know about kings 1 I s;iy, 1 'm otf." " But it ain't her, after all," said Peter Limp, coming down from a branch of the oak tree to which he had swung him- .'^eif up fur a better view. " It ain't her, but another woman. What 's she after, I wonder ?" The children all stojiped their play to look, as the woman came on, across the stile and up to the steps. A neat, plea- sant-faced person, and rather old. " Be you the little folks from Vinegar Hill ? " she asked, catching her breath a little after the long ascent. " I rather suspect we are," said Sam D^ xld. " If that 's all you've gut on your mind, you can go to bed easy." " Thank you, it 's not all," said the woman, her face look- ing just as pleasant as ever. "I've got two or three things 2G STOKIES OF VIXEOAPv HILL. more. My mistress, —that's Mrs Kcnsett, cliilJreii ; she tliat 's been teachin' of j'ou here, — she 's not well to-day, and couldn't venture out. And maybe it won't do for her to- morrow, just the same. So she wants you all to come down to her house to tea, and she can talk to you there, better and safer than in this atmospheric place." "Why, I'm Avilling she should keep sick all the time, if that 's the game," said Peter Limp. " Hoorah ! — goin' out to tea and biscuits ! " " Does she want me too ? " said little Molly, touching her shy fingers to the woman's shawl. "No, she don't," said Peter. "Babies not invited, nor chickens, nor garden stuff gen'rally." "Are you Molly 1 " said the woman, bending her pleasant eyes upon the child. "Then you're invited first of all. ' jNIolIy must be sure to come,' Mrs Kensett said, ' because she 's sick and weak.' " The child gave a little bound in her gladness of heart, and Jemmy Lucas went head over heels "down the steps, and heels over head up again, in a way that was quite miracu- lous. Sam Dodd alone looked sullen and sour. " Well," he said, " got through 1 'Cause we ain't, — and we 're in a hurry." " She 's got one thing more to say, you know," said Jemmy Lucas. "And if your time's so very valu'ble, Sam, don't wait," said Peter Limp. " IIow they go on ! " said the Avoman, speaking to herself, but quite out loud, and looking round upon the wild little group as if she had been in a menagerie of strange creatures. "What sort of a road do you suppose, now, such intellectuals travel ] Well, I shan't take much of anybody's time, little boy, though there is one thing more I had to say." " Why don't you say it, then ? " asked Sam Dodd, gruffly. " Nobody ain't a hinderin' of you." "It's not so easy for anybody to do that — when I've made up my mind to speak," said the woman, nodding her head with a good-natured smile. " But this is the thing. THE OLD CIIUECH DOOU. 27 T'other day -when my mistress was here, talking to you cliildren, slie dropped her pencil,— has any of you seen it?" " What sort of a pencil 1 " said Sam Dodd, lounging round one of the whit* pillars of the porch. " Loads of folks has pencils, — and loses 'em." " Oh, Avas it the beautiful one that sparkled at the end ] " cried Jemmy Lucas. "Sam !" exclaimed little Molly, "I said it was like that ! — don't you know ? And you said it wasn't ! " But Molly, as the last eager Avords were spoken, turned pale, and cowered where she stood. The woman saw this, and turned quick about ; yet saw only Sam Dodd lounging round his pillar as before. " We'll all look, ma'am," said Peter Limp, " but we hasn't none of us seen it." "Except in the lady's hand,"'correctcd Jemmy Lucas. And forthwith, and with evident goodwill, the little waifs began the search — in every crack and cranny of the old porch, and down the path, and among the thick grass. Even Sam Dodd left his pillar, and pushed the grass right and left with his foot, and turned aside the tufts of clover. Only Molly, of all the group, stood still ; her eyes following Sam's every motion, her face white and troubled. Of all this the woman took good note. " Poor little one," she said, patting Molly kindly on the shoulder, " what are you shivering about, this June weather ? This world's a kind o' hard place for such as you. Come here, boys ; I'll read to you a bit before I go, and then you can look as much as you want to." " Oh, she's got a book in her pocket, too ! " said Jemmy Lucas. The woman smiled and nodded at him, then opened her book and read— " And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away ; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ; and the books were opened ; and another book was opened, which is the book 28 STORIES OF VINEGAli lllLL. of life ; and tlie dead were judged out of those things which were written in the boolvs, according to their works." " "W^hat was in those books, ma'am l " asked Jemmy Lucas. "All the things that you, and I, and everybody else in the world has done," said the woman. . " And you see, maybe my mistress won't ever know now, for a while, what's be- come of her pencil ; but thoi she'll know, for it 's all down in the books." " Ma'am," said little Molly, in almost a whisper, " who'll sit on the white throne 1" And the woman answered : " The great King of heaven and earth." "And will the heaven and earth run away because thejf are afraid 1 " asked Jemmy Lucas. "Yes," said the woman, "but they can't go far. Good- bye !" and with that she rose up and went steadily down the little path, and was soon out of sight. The children watched her, then went down on hands and knees again in the grass ; and Molly stole softly away through the bushes towards Vinegar Hill. But as she went, Sam Uodd came behind her with a bound. " You Molly Limp ! " he said, laying a firm grip on the child's shoulder, "if you don't quit lookin' at me, and mind your own business, I '11 put you where you '11 have enough to see and plenty of time to see it. I '11 fling you up into tlie sky so high you won't never come down. D'ye bear ? There you '11 hangj and the stars '11 come rollin' round you to burn you up." And giving the frightened child a fierce push which took her quite off her feet and sent her headlong down the hill, Sam Dodd put his hands in his pockets, and dived in among the bushes out of sight. THE OLD CHURCH DOOR. 20 CHAPTER VL It was rather a strange-looking little group that found its way next day to Mrs Kensett's door ; and the village people looked and wondered. Not that such children were a par- ticularly uncommon sight in the village. Sam Dodd and liis compeers were much in the habit of surveying by day the apple-trees and melon patches which they meant to visit by night ; while a travelling show of any kind was pretty sure to call out the Vinegar Hill population in force. But to see a little knot of the young outcasts together, walking quietly along the broad village street, that was a wonder. They looked like themselves still,— out at elbows and out at toes, and somewhat brimless in the matter of hats ; but upon some of the faces and some of the hands were strange tokens that the boys had broken caste, and made an attempt at least to show what colour they were by nature. "Bad sign ! " as the worthy farmer remarked to himself, — he to whom Mrs Kensett had applied for directions that first Sunday, — "those young vagabonds are plotting some- thin' a little above the extra." But an inquiry as to "what was on foot now? " brought no more satisfaction than an extremely irreverent — "Hullo! old plough-tail, guess 'tain't none o' ^/owr busi- ness," — and the good farmer went his way, resolving to put an extra lock on his garden before the sun should set. Otherwise, if not spoken to, the children went on quietly enough, — even a little shyly for them, — until they came to the little white fence and gate, with its enclosure of sweet flowers, where Mrs Kensett lived. There the shyness reached its full development ; and they hung about the gate, and peeped through the fence, and did everything but go in, until the lady herself saw them from the window, and came out to fetch them. Were you ever in possession of some new pleasure which seemed (as we say) "too good to be true?" So that the very sweetness of it made the whole thing seem quite fabu- 80- STORIES OP VINEGAR HILL. lous and like a dream ? Just in such fashion felt the little waifs from Vinegar Hill, as they entered Mrs Kensett's parlour. For the rough words and scowling looks in the village street they were ready enough ; all that was part of their daily life, and gave them no manner of concern. Eut the lady's bright smile and khid tones of welcome ; the clean room with its white matting and curtains ; the pictures on the wall, the books on the table, the roses pressing their sweet faces in at the open w^indow, — all these were utterly bewildering. Peter Limp hung back, and stood on one foot, and twisted his old hat into what was a neAV shape even for it. Jemmy Luca^ got no further than to open eyes and mouth to their most wondering extent ; and little Molly's face settled into an expression of rapt happiness and de- light. " But where are the rest 1 " inquired Mrs Kensctt, as she watched the three wdio had come. " Oh, they 's went about other business," explained Jemmy Lucas. " Jem Crook said he'd a sight rather go a-shootin'. He could get supper enough at home, he said." " And Tim Wiggins was a-cuttin' of the bushes down in the holler," said Peter Limp. "They's going to try for a garding." " And where is Sam ?" Little Molly started and flushed. " I didn't hear him say nothin' about it, ma'am," she said, trembling. " I did hear him say consid'rable," remarked Peter Limp. " But guess likely the lady wouldn't care about hearin' of it over. Rather tall talkin', it was, to tell liei"." " Sam Dodd 's as gi-owly as an old cat ! " said Jemmy Lucas. " He just swore at me, up and down, for only askin' him if he wasn't a-comin'." " He's no great loss, anyhow," said Peter Limp. " Guess most of us can live through the want of him, if the lady can." "Ah," said ]\Irs Kensett, sadly, "I'm afraid I know why Sam would not come ! I think I do not need to be told." THE OLD CHUECII DOOR, 81 " O lady ! " cried out little ^Molly ; and then she stopped and looked frightened. " Never mind Sam, now," said her friend, kindly. " Pat your hats down out in the hall, and then come and sit by me, all of you, and we will have a talk before tea." Down on the soft carpet, on the little foot cushions, or on the edge of a chair, so sat the children ; twisted, curled, hanging about, like the knotty growth of a perverse apple- tree, but without its quiet repose. More restless than the smallest twig or the flightiest leaf on the tree, they went from seat to seat, and from one position to another. But the eyes were bright and the faces eager, waiting for the promised talk. " ' And who is sufficient for these things ? ' " IMrs Kensett thought, as she looked at them ; then remembered, " Ye are complete in Him." " You see how it was, children," she began ; "just as with those boys whom I asked to come to tea, so with the people that were bidden to the king's feast. ' They went their ways — one to his farm, another to his merchandise,' — each one choosing something else instead of the invitation, and going oft" to seek his own pleasure or business in other ways. And others still hated the king, and were angry with those who even mentioned his name. " Did all the other iolks. come, ma'am 1 " said Molly ■: " the poor folks, out o' the hedges 1 " " The servants," said INIrs Kensett, " followed exactly their master's command ; not seeking first the great or the wise, or the rich people, but telling everybody they met the king's message of grace. If they met a rich man, they told him ; but if it was a beggar, they told him too, no matter how ragged or sick or ugly he might be. ' They gathered as many as they found.' " " Well, I sliould ha' thought the beggars would be afraid to go," said Peter Limp ; " afraid o' bein' ti-apped, like, and ashamed o' what they didn't have on. That's how I should feel. And I ain't so ragged nother, but I ain't so fine." " Is that how you do feel ? " said Mrs Kensett. " For the 32 STORIES OF YIXEGAPt HILL. great King invites you to-day, to come