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Jessica's First Prayer and Jessica's Mother (Dramatic reading) - Hesba Stretton · Anne's House of Dreams - Dramatic Reading

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  Speaker 1: Chapter one of Jessica's First Prayer by Hesba Stretton. This
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  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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  Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. Narrator read by Delapinirois Jessica read by Estebensammonatis.
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  Speaker 2: Miter, Daniel Sandwing we.
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  Speaker 3: Winnie read by Reislin.
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  Speaker 4: Jane read by Beth Thomas.
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  Speaker 5: Minister read by Adrians Trott.
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  Speaker 6: Jessica's Mother read by Rachel.
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  Speaker 1: Physician read by Eddie Sherman Brooks read by Rupert Holliday.
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  Speaker 7: Daniel's Conscience read by David Purdy God read by David Purdy.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter one. The coffee stall and its keeper In a
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  Speaker 1: screened and secluded corner of one of the many railway
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  Speaker 1: bridges which span the streets of London, there could be
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  Speaker 1: a few years ago from five o'clock every morning until
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  Speaker 1: half past eight, a tidily set out coffee stall, consisting
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  Speaker 1: of a trestle and board, upon which stood two large
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  Speaker 1: tin cans, with a small fire of charcoal burning under each,
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  Speaker 1: so as to keep the coffee boiling. During the early
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  Speaker 1: hours of the morning, when the work people were thronging
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  Speaker 1: into the city on their way to their daily toil.
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  Speaker 1: The coffee stall was a favorite one, for besides being
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  Speaker 1: under shelter, which was of great consequence upon rainy mornings,
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  Speaker 1: it was also in so private a niche that the
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  Speaker 1: customers taking their out of door breakfast were not too
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  Speaker 1: much exposed to notice. And moreover, the coffee stall keeper
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  Speaker 1: was a quiet man who cared only to serve the
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  Speaker 1: busy workmen without hindering them by any gossip. He was
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  Speaker 1: a tall, spare, elderly man, with a singularly solemn face
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  Speaker 1: and a manner which was grave in secret. Nobody knew
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  Speaker 1: either his name or a dwelling place, unless it might
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  Speaker 1: be the policeman who strode past the coffee stall every
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  Speaker 1: half hour and added familiarly to the solemn man behind it.
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  Speaker 1: There were very few who cared to make any inquiries
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  Speaker 1: about him, but those who did could only discover that
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  Speaker 1: he kept the furniture of his doll at a neighboring
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  Speaker 1: coffee house, whither he wheeled his trestle and board and
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  Speaker 1: crockery every day not later than half past eight in
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  Speaker 1: the morning, after which he was wont to glide away
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  Speaker 1: with the soft footsteps and a mysterious and fugitive air,
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  Speaker 1: with many backward and sidelong glances, as if he dreaded observation,
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  Speaker 1: until he was lost among the crowds which thronged the streets.
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  Speaker 1: No one had ever had the persevering curiosity to track
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  Speaker 1: him all the way to his house, or to find
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  Speaker 1: out his other means of gaining a livelihood. But in
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  Speaker 1: general his doll was surrounded by customers, whom he served
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  Speaker 1: with silent seriousness, and who did not grudge to pay
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  Speaker 1: him his charge for the refreshing coffee he supplied to them.
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  Speaker 1: For several years, the crowd of workpeople had paused by
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  Speaker 1: the coffee stall under the railway arch, when one morning,
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  Speaker 1: in a partial lull of his business, the owner became
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  Speaker 1: suddenly aware of a pair of very bright, dark eyes
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  Speaker 1: being fastened upon him, and the slices of bread and
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  Speaker 1: butter on his bladd with a gaze as hungry as
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  Speaker 1: that of a mouse which has been driven by famin
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  Speaker 1: into a trap. A thin and meager face belonged to
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  Speaker 1: the eyes, which was half hidden by a mass of
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  Speaker 1: matted hair hanging over the forehead and down the neck.
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  Speaker 1: The only covering which the head or neck had for
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  Speaker 1: a tattered frock scarcely fastened together with broken strings, was
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  Speaker 1: slipping down over the shivering shoulders of a little girl.
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  Speaker 1: Stooping down to a basket behind his doll, he caught
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  Speaker 1: sight of two bare little feet curling up from the
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  Speaker 1: damp pavement, as the child lifted up first one and
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  Speaker 1: then the other, and laid them over one another to
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  Speaker 1: gain a momentary feeling of warmth. Whoever the wretched child was,
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  Speaker 1: she did not speak, only at every steaming cupful which
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  Speaker 1: he poured out of his can. Her dark eyes gleamed hungrily,
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  Speaker 1: and he could hear her smack her thin lips, as
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  Speaker 1: if in fancy she was tasting the warm and fragrant coffee.
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  Speaker 2: Oh come now, he said at last.
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  Speaker 1: When only one boy was left, taking his breakfast leisurely,
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  Speaker 1: and he leaned over his stall to speak in a
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  Speaker 1: low and quiet tone.
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  Speaker 2: Why don't you go away? Will go? Come? Come? You're
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  Speaker 2: staying too long.
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  Speaker 1: You know I'm just going, so, she answered, shrugging her
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  Speaker 1: small shoulders to draw her frock up her about her neck.
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  Speaker 1: Only it's running cats and dogs outside. My mother's been
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  Speaker 1: away all night, And to stick the key with her,
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  Speaker 1: and that's so nice to smell the coffee. And the
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  Speaker 1: police is left off with in me while I've been here, aythings,
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  Speaker 1: I'm accustomed taking my breakfast. Ha, And the child laughed
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  Speaker 1: a shrill laugh of mockery at herself and the policeman.
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  Speaker 2: You've had no botherst, I suppose, said.
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  Speaker 1: The coffee stock keeper, in the same low and confidential voice,
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  Speaker 1: and leaning over his stall till his face nearly touched
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  Speaker 1: the thin, sharp features of the child. No, she replied coolly,
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  Speaker 1: and I should want my dinner dreadful bead before I
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  Speaker 1: get it. I know you don't not feel dreadful hungry,
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  Speaker 1: do you, sir? I'm not gribe judge. You know before
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  Speaker 1: I chase my dinner it'll be pretty bad, I tell you, ah,
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  Speaker 1: very bad. Indeed, she turned away with a knowing nod,
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  Speaker 1: as much as to say she had one experience in
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  Speaker 1: life to which she was quite a stranger. But before
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  Speaker 1: she had gone half a dozen steps, she heard the
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  Speaker 1: quiet voice calling to her in rather louder tones, and
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  Speaker 1: in an instant she was back at the star sipping.
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  Speaker 8: Here, said the owner, with a cautious whisper.
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  Speaker 2: Here's a word of koree left, and a few crusts there.
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  Speaker 2: You must never come again. You know I'll never give
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  Speaker 2: to beggars, and if you to beg i'd have called
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  Speaker 2: the poise there. But your poor feet towards the fire. Now,
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  Speaker 2: aren't you comfortable?
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  Speaker 1: The child looked up with a face of intense satisfaction.
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  Speaker 1: She was seated upon an empty basket, with her feet
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  Speaker 1: near the pan of charcoal and a cup of steaming
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  Speaker 1: coffee on her lap. But her mouth was too full
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  Speaker 1: for her to reply, except a very deep nod, which
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  Speaker 1: expressed unbounded delight. The man was busy for a while
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  Speaker 1: packing up his crockery, but every now and then he
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  Speaker 1: stopped to look down upon her and to shake his head.
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  Speaker 2: What's her name?
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  Speaker 8: He asked at length.
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  Speaker 2: But there, never mind, I don't care why this is.
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  Speaker 2: What's the name to do with me? I wonder it's.
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  Speaker 8: Jessica, said the girl.
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  Speaker 1: But mother and everybody calls me jess you'd be tired
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  Speaker 1: of being called yet a few it's Jesse here and
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  Speaker 1: jessair and everybody want me to go errand and I
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  Speaker 1: think nothing can give me snacks and kicks and pinches.
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  Speaker 1: Look here, Whether her arms were black and blue from
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  Speaker 1: the cold or from ill usage, he could not tell,
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  Speaker 1: but he shook his head again seriously, and the child
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  Speaker 1: felt encouraged to go on. I wish I could stay
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  Speaker 1: here forever and ever, just as I am, she cried.
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  Speaker 1: But you're going away, I know, and I'm never to
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  Speaker 1: come again. You'll set the police on me, yes, said
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  Speaker 1: the coffee stock keeper, very softly, and looking round to
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  Speaker 1: see if there are any other ragged children within sight.
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  Speaker 2: If your poet's don't to come again for a whole week,
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  Speaker 2: and not to tell anybody else, he may come once more.
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  Speaker 2: I'll give you one off a treat, but you must
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  Speaker 2: be off now.
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  Speaker 1: I'm off, sir, she said sharply. But if you've an
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  Speaker 1: errand I could go and I do it all right.
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  Speaker 1: I would let me carry some of your things. No, no,
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  Speaker 1: cried the man.
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  Speaker 2: You went away like a good girl, and mind, I'm
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  Speaker 2: not to say you again for a whole week, all right.
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  Speaker 1: Answered jess So, getting off down the rainy street at
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  Speaker 1: a quick run, as if to show her willing agreement
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  Speaker 1: to the bargain, while the coffee stock keeper, with many
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  Speaker 1: a cautious glance around him, removed his stock in trade
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  Speaker 1: to the coffee house near at hand, and was seen
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  Speaker 1: no more for the rest of the day in the
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  Speaker 1: neighborhood of the railway bridge. End of chapter one, Chapter
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  Speaker 1: two of Jessica's First Prayer by Hesba Stretton. This is
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  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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  Speaker 1: Chapter two, Jessica's temptation her part of the bargain Jessica
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  Speaker 1: faithfully kept. And though the solemn and silent man under
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  Speaker 1: the dark shot of the bridge looked for her every
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  Speaker 1: morning as he served as customers, he caught no glimpse
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  Speaker 1: of her wan face and thin little frame. But when
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  Speaker 1: the appointed time was finished, and she presented herself at
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  Speaker 1: the stall, with her angry eyes fastened again on the
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  Speaker 1: piles of buns and bread and butter, which were fast
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  Speaker 1: disappearing before the demands of the buyers, the business was
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  Speaker 1: at it tight, and the famous child stood quietly on
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  Speaker 1: one side, waiting for the throng to melt away. But
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  Speaker 1: as soon as the nearest church clock had chimed eight,
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  Speaker 1: she drew a little nearer to the stall, and at
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  Speaker 1: a signal from its owner, and she slipped behind the
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  Speaker 1: trestles of its stand and took up her former position
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  Speaker 1: on the empty basket. To his eyes, she seemed even
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  Speaker 1: a little thinner and certainly more ragged than before, and
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  Speaker 1: he laid a whole bun, a stale one which was
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  Speaker 1: left from yesterday's stock, upon her lap as she lifted
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  Speaker 1: the cup of coffee.
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  Speaker 8: To her lips with both her benumbed hands.
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  Speaker 1: What's your name, she asked, looking up to him with
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  Speaker 1: her keen eyes. Why he answered, hesitatingly, as if he
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  Speaker 1: was reluctant to tell so much of himself.
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  Speaker 2: My Christian name is Daniel.
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  Speaker 1: Imagine the mister Dunn, she inquired. Oh come now, he exclaimed.
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  Speaker 2: If you're going to be important, you bear much off
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  Speaker 2: What business is it of yourswell live? I don't want
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  Speaker 2: to know where you live. I can tell you.
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  Speaker 1: I didn't mean no offense, said Jess humbly. Only I
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  Speaker 1: thought i'd like to know where a good man like
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  Speaker 1: you lived. You're a very good man, aren't you, mister Daniel,
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  Speaker 1: I don't know, he answered uneasily.
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  Speaker 2: I'm afraid I'm not.
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  Speaker 8: Oh, but you are, you know, continued Jess.
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  Speaker 1: You make good coffee, brime and buns too. And I've
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  Speaker 1: been watching you hundreds of time before you saw me.
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  Speaker 1: And the police leaves you alone and never tells you
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  Speaker 1: to move on. Oh, yes, you must be a very
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  Speaker 1: good man. Daniel sighed and fidgeted about his crockery with
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  Speaker 1: the grave and occupied air, as if he were pondering
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  Speaker 1: over the child's notion of goodness. He made good coffee
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  Speaker 1: and the police left him alone, it was quite true.
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  Speaker 1: Yet still, as he counted up the store of pens
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  Speaker 1: which had accumulated in his strawng canvas bag, he sighed again,
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  Speaker 1: still more heavily. He purposely let one of his pennies
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  Speaker 1: fall upon the muddy pavement and went on counting the
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  Speaker 1: rest busily, while he furtively watched the little girl sitting
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  Speaker 1: at his feet, without a shade of change upon her
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  Speaker 1: small face. She covered the penny with her foot and
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  Speaker 1: drew it in carefully towards her, while she continued to
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  Speaker 1: chatter fluently to him. For a moment, a feeling of
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  Speaker 1: pain shot through Daniel's heart, and then he congratulated himself
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  Speaker 1: on having entrapped the young thief. It was time to
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  Speaker 1: be leaving now, But before he went, he would make
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  Speaker 1: her move her bare foot and disclose the penny concealed
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  Speaker 1: beneath it, and then he would warn her never to
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  Speaker 1: enter near his doll again.
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  Speaker 8: This was her gratitude.
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  Speaker 1: He thought. He had given her to breakfasts in more
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  Speaker 1: kindness than he had shown to any feather creature for
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  Speaker 1: many a long year, And at the first chance, the
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  Speaker 1: young jade turned upon him and robbed him. He was
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  Speaker 1: brooding over it painfully in his mind when Jessica's uplifted
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  Speaker 1: face changed. Suddenly, a dark flush crept over her pale cheeks,
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  Speaker 1: and tears started to her eyes. She stooped down, and
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  Speaker 1: picking up the coin from among the mud, he rubbed
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  Speaker 1: it bright and clean upon her rags, and laid it
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  Speaker 1: upon the stall, close to his hand, without speaking a word.
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  Speaker 1: Daniel looked down upon her, solemnly and searchingly.
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  Speaker 8: What is this, he asked, please.
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  Speaker 1: Mister Dale. She answered, it dropped, and you did near.
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  Speaker 2: It, jess he said, sternly, tell me about it.
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  Speaker 1: Oh please, she sobbed. I never had a penny of
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  Speaker 1: my own but once, and it rolled close to my foot,
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  Speaker 1: and you didn't see it, and I hit it up
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  Speaker 1: shop and then I thought, out kind you'd been an
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  Speaker 1: out good the coffee and manta, and now you let
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  Speaker 1: me warm myself at your far. I'm pleased. I couldn't
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  Speaker 1: keep the penny any longer. No, never let me come again,
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  Speaker 1: I guess. Daniel turned away for a moment, busying himself
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  Speaker 1: with this, putting his cups and saucers into the basket,
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  Speaker 1: while Jessica stood by trembling with the large tears rowing
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  Speaker 1: slowly down her cheeks. The snug, darkened corner, with its
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  Speaker 1: warm fire of charcoal and its fragrant smell of coffee,
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  Speaker 1: had been a paradise to her for these two brief
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  Speaker 1: spans of times, but she had been guilty of the
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  Speaker 1: sin which would drive her from it all. Beyond the
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  Speaker 1: railway art, the street stretched away, cold and dreary, with
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  Speaker 1: no friendly face to meet hers, and no warm cups
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  Speaker 1: of coffee to refresh her. Yet she was only lingering
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  Speaker 1: sorrowfully to hear the words spoken which should forbid her
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  Speaker 1: to return to this pleasant spot. Mister Daniel turned round
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  Speaker 1: at last and met her cheerful gaits with a look
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  Speaker 1: of strange emotion upon his own solemn face.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, he said, I could never have died myself, But
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  Speaker 2: you may come here every Wednesday mon as this is
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  Speaker 2: a Wednesday, and there'll always be a cup of coy
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  Speaker 2: for you.
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  Speaker 1: She thought he meant that he could not have hidden
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  Speaker 1: the penny under his foot, and she went away a
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  Speaker 1: little saddened and subdued, notwithstanding her great delight in the
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  Speaker 1: expectation of such a treat every week. While Daniel, pondering
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  Speaker 1: over the struggle that must have passed through a childish mind,
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  Speaker 1: went on his way from time to time, shaking his head,
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  Speaker 1: muttering to himself.
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  Speaker 2: I couldn't have done it myself. I never could have
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  Speaker 2: done it myself.
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  Speaker 1: End of chapter two, Chapter three of Jessica's First Prayer
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  Speaker 1: by husband Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
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  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter three an
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  Speaker 1: old friend in a new dress. Week after week through
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  Speaker 1: the three last months of the year, ye, Jessica appeared
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  Speaker 1: every Wednesday at the coffee stall, and, after waiting patiently
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  Speaker 1: till the close of the breakfasting business, received her pittance
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  Speaker 1: from the charity of her new friend. After a while,
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  Speaker 1: Daniel allowed her to carry some of his load to the.
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  Speaker 8: Coffee house, but he never suffered her to follow him farther,
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  Speaker 8: and he was always.
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  Speaker 1: Particular to watch her out of sight before he turned
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  Speaker 1: off through the intricate mazes of the streets in the
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  Speaker 1: direction of his own home. Neither did he encourage her
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  Speaker 1: to ask him any more questions, and often but very
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  Speaker 1: few words passed between them during Jessica's breakfast time. As
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  Speaker 1: to Jessica's home, she made no secret of it, and
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  Speaker 1: Daniel might have followed her any time he pleased. It
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  Speaker 1: was a single room which had once been a hayloft
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  Speaker 1: over the stable of an old inn, now in use
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  Speaker 1: for two or three donkeys, the property of Costermonger's dwelling
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  Speaker 1: in the court about it. The mode of entrance was
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  Speaker 1: by a wooden ladder whose rungs were crazy and broken,
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  Speaker 1: and which led up through a trap door on the
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  Speaker 1: floor of the loft. The interior of the home was
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  Speaker 1: as desolate and comfortless as that of the stable below,
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  Speaker 1: with only a litter of straw for the bedding and
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  Speaker 1: a few bricks and boards for the furniture. Everything that
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  Speaker 1: could be ponnd had disappeared long ago, and Jessica's mother
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  Speaker 1: often lamented that she could not thus dispose of her child.
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  Speaker 1: Yet Jessica was hardly a burden to her. It was
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  Speaker 1: a long time since she had taken any care to
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  Speaker 1: provide her with food or clothing, and the girl had
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  Speaker 1: to earn or beg for herself the meat which kept
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  Speaker 1: a scanty life within her. Jess was the drudge and
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  Speaker 1: errand girl of the court, and what was being coughed
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  Speaker 1: and beaten by her mother, and overworked and ill used
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  Speaker 1: by her numerous employers. Her life was a hard one.
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  Speaker 1: But now there was always Wednesday morning to count upon
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  Speaker 1: and look forward to, and by and by a second
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  Speaker 1: scene of a mazed delight opened upon her. Jessica had
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  Speaker 1: wandered far away from home in the early darkness of
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  Speaker 1: a winter's evening, after a violent outbreak of her drunken mother,
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  Speaker 1: and she was still sobbing now and then, with long
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  Speaker 1: drawn sobs of pain and weariness, when she saw a
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  Speaker 1: little way before her the tall, well known figure of
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  Speaker 1: her friend mister Daniel. He was dressed in a suit
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  Speaker 1: of black with a white neckcloth, and he was pacing
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  Speaker 1: with brisk yet measured steps along the lighted streets. Jessica
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  Speaker 1: felt afraid of speaking to him, but she followed at
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  Speaker 1: a little distance, until presently he stopped before the iron
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  Speaker 1: gates of a large building, and, unlocking them, passed on
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  Speaker 1: to the arched doorway, and with the heavy key, opened
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  Speaker 1: the folding doors and entered in. The child stole after him,
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  Speaker 1: but paused for a few minutes, trembling upon the threshold,
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  Speaker 1: until a gleam of light lit up within tempted her
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  Speaker 1: to venture a few steps forward and to push a
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  Speaker 1: little way open an inner door covered with crimson baize,
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  Speaker 1: only so far as to enable her to peep through
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  Speaker 1: at the inside. Then, growing bolder by degrees, she crept
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  Speaker 1: through herself, drawing the door too, noiselessly behind her. The
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  Speaker 1: place was in partial gloom, but Daniel was kindling every
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  Speaker 1: gas light, and each minute laid it up in more
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  Speaker 1: striking grander. She stood in a carpeted aisle with high
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  Speaker 1: oaken pews on each side, almost as black as ebony.
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  Speaker 1: A gallery of the same dark old oak ran around
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  Speaker 1: the walls, resting upon massive pillars, behind one of which
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: she was partly concealed, gazing with eager eyes at Daniel
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: as he mounted the pulpit steps and kindled the lights there,
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: disclosing to her curious delight, the glittering pipes of an
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: organ behind it. Before long, the slow and soft footed
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: chapel keeper disappeared from a moment or two into a vestry,
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: and Jessica, availing herself of his short absence, stole silently
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: up under the shelter of the dark pews until she
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: reached the steps of the organ loft with its golden show.
• 16:27
  Speaker 1: But at this moment mister Daniel appeared again, arrayed in
• 16:30
  Speaker 1: a long gown of black surge. And as she stood
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: spellbound gazing at the strange appearance of her patron, his
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: eyes fell upon her, and he also was struck speechless
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: for a minute, with an air of amazement and dismay
• 16:40
  Speaker 1: upon his grave face. Come now, he exclaimed harshly, as
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: soon as he could recover his presence of mind.
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: He must take yourself out of this. This isn't any
• 16:50
  Speaker 2: place for such a sue. It's for ways and gentlemen.
• 16:53
  Speaker 2: So you must win the way shop before anybody comes.
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: How did you ever find your way here?
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: He had come very close to her and bent down
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: the whisper in her ear, looking nervously round to the
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: entrance all the time Jessica's eager tongue was loosed. Mother
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: beat me, she said, and turned me into the streets,
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: and I see you there, so I followed you up.
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: I'll run away this minute, mister Daniel. But it's a
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: nice place. What do the ladies and gentlemen do when
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: they come here? Tell me? And I'll be off shot.
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: They came here to pray.
• 17:19
  Speaker 8: Whispered Daniel. What is gray, asked Jessica.
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: Where's the child?
• 17:24
  Speaker 8: Cried Daniel in perplexity.
• 17:26
  Speaker 2: Why then n down the pews. Most of them sit
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: fow and the massa up in the pilpe tells Charles
• 17:33
  Speaker 2: what they want?
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: Jessica gazed into his face with such an air bewilderment
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: that a faint smile crept over the sedate features of
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: the pew opener.
• 17:41
  Speaker 6: What is a minister?
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: And God? She said? And the ladies and gentlemens want anything?
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: I thought they'd everything they wanted, mister Daniel, Oh, cried Daniel.
• 17:50
  Speaker 2: He must be off. You know they'll be coming in
• 17:53
  Speaker 2: the mid and they'd be shot to see a waggon
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: with the eff and workue. This is the pulpit where
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: the Messa stands and pressures to them, and they are
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: the pews, whether they sit to us, to them or
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: go to sweep baby, And that's the open to play
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: music that they're singing. I've told you everything, and you
• 18:11
  Speaker 2: must never come again.
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: Never, mister Daniel, said Jessica, I don't know nothing about it.
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: Isn't there a dark leather corner somewhere I could hide in? No, No,
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: interrupted Daniel impatiently.
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: We couldn't do if such were ephan with no shoes
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: or bowed on. Come now, it's not a call to
• 18:28
  Speaker 2: a time, and somebody will be in the.
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: Mid went away do Jessica retraced her steps slowly to
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: the Crimson door, casting many a longing look backwards, but
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: mister Daniel stood at the end of the aisle, frowning
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: upon her whenever she glanced behind. She gained the lobby
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: at last, but already someone was approaching the chapel door
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: and beneath the lamp at the gates of one of
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: her natural enemy, the policeman. Her heart beat fast, but
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: she was quick witted, and in another instant she spied
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: a place of concealment behind one of the doors, into
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: which she.
• 18:58
  Speaker 8: Crept for safety until the police and passed on his beat.
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: The congregation began to arrive quickly. She heard the rustling
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: of silk dresses, and she could see the gentlemen and
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: ladies pass by the niche between the door and the post.
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: Once she ventured to stretch out a thin little finger
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: and touch a velvet mante love a wearer as it
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: swept by, but no one caught her in the act
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: or suspected her presence. Behind the door. Mister Daniel, she
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: could see, was very busy ushering the people to their seats,
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: but there was a startled look lingering upon his face,
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: and every now and then he peered anxiously into the
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: outer gloom and darkness, and even once called to the
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: policeman to ask if he had seen a ragged child
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: hanging about. After a while, the organ began to sound,
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: and Jessica crouched down in her hiding place, listening in
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: chrance to the sweet music. She could not tell what
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: made her cry, but the tears came so rapidly that
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: it was of no use to rub the corners of
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: her eyes with her hard knuckles, so she lay down
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: upon the ground and buried her face in her hands
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: and wept without restraint. When the singing was over, she
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: could only catch a confused sound of a voice speaking.
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: The lobby was empty now and the crimson doors closed.
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: The policeman also had walked on. This was the moment
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: to escape. She raised herself from the ground with a
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: feeling of weariness and sorrow, and thinking sadly of the
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: light and warmth and music that were within the closed doors.
• 20:15
  Speaker 8: She stepped out into the cold.
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: And darkness of the streets and loitered homeward with a
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: heavy heart. End of chapter three. Chapter four of Jessica's
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: First Prayer by Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: four peeps into Fairyland. It was not the last time
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: that Jessica concealed herself behind the base covered door. She
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: could not overcome the urgent desire to enjoy again and
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: again the secret and perilous pleasure, and Sunday after Sunday,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: she watched in the dark streets for the moment when
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: she could sleep unseen. She soon learned the exact time
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: when Daniel would be occupied in lighting up before the
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: policeman would take up his station.
• 21:07
  Speaker 8: At the entrance, and again the very minute at which.
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: It would be wise and safe to take her departure.
• 21:13
  Speaker 1: Sometimes the child laughed noiselessly to herself until she shook
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: with suppressed merriment as she saw Daniel standing unconsciously in
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: the lobby with his solemn face and grave air, to
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: receive the congregation, much as he faced his customers in
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: the coffee stall. She learned to know the minister by sight,
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: the tall, thin, pale gentleman who passed through a side door,
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: this head bent as if in deep thought, while two
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: little girls about her own fage followed him with sedate
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: yet pleasant faces. Jessica took a great interest in the
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: minister's children. The younger one was fair, and the elder
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: was about as tall as herself, and had eyes and
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: hair as dark. But oh, how cared for, how plainly
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: waited on by tender hands. Sometimes when they had gone by,
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: she would close her eyes and wonder what they would
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: do in one of the high black pews inside, where
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: there was no place for a ragged, barefooted girl like her.
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: And now and then her wonderings almost ended in a
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: sob which she was compelled to stifle. It was an
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: untold relief to Daniel that Jessica did not ply him
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: with questions, as he had feared when she came for
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: breakfast every Wednesday morning. But she was too strewed and
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: cunning for that. She wished him to forget that she
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: had ever been there, and by and by her wish
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: was accomplished, and Daniel was no longer uneasy while he
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: was lighting the lamps with the dread of seeing the
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: child's wild face starting up before him. But the light
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: evenings of summer time were drawing near a pace, and
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: Jessica foresaw with dismay that her Sunday treats would soon
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: be over. The risk of discovery increased every week, for
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: the sun was later in setting, and there would be
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: no chance of creeping in and out unseen in the
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: broad daylight. Already it needed both watchfulness and alertness to
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: dart in at the right moment in the gray twilight.
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: But still she could not give it up, and if
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: it had not been for the fear offending mister Daniel,
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: she would have resolved upon going until she was found out.
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: They could not punish her very much for standing in
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: the lobby of a child. Jessica was found out, however,
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: before the dusky evenings were quite gone. It happened one
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: night that the minister's children, coming early to the chapel,
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: saw a small tattered figure, bare headed and barefooted, dart
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: swiftly up the steps before them and disappear within the lobby.
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: They paused and looked at one another, and then, hand
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: in hand, their hearts beating quickly and the color coming
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: and going on their faces, they followed this strange new
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: member of their father's congregation. The pew opener was nowhere
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: to be seen, but their quick eyes detected the prince
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: of the wet little feet which had trodden the clean
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: pavement before them, And in this instant they discovered Jessica
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: crouching behind the door.
• 23:39
  Speaker 3: Let us call danias standing.
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: Said Winnie, the younger child clinging to her sister. But
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: she had spoken aloud, and Jessica overheard her, and before
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: they could stir a step, she stood before them with
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: an earnest and imploring face. Oh don't I've may drive away,
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: she cried. I'm a very poor little girl, and it's
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: all the plage IV. I've seen you lots of times
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: with that, told gentleman as steeps, and I didn't think
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: you'd have me drive away. I didn't do any arm
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: behind the door, and mister Daniel finds me out, he
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: won't give me any more coffee, little girl, said the
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: elder child in a composed and demure voice.
• 24:11
  Speaker 4: WE don't mean to be unkind to you. But what
• 24:14
  Speaker 4: do you come here for? And why do you hide
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: yourself behind the door.
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: I like to hear the music, answered Jessica, and I
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: won't find out what pride is and the minister and go.
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: I know it's only for ladies and gentlemen and find
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: children like you, but I'd like to go inside just
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: for once and see what you do. You shall come
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: with us, chap, you, cried Winnie in an eager, impulsive tone.
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: But Jane laid her hand upon her as first arm.
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: With a glance at Jessica's ragged clothes and matted hair,
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: it was a question difficult enough to perplex him. The
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: little outcast was plainly too dirty and neglected for them
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: to invite her to sit side by side with him
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: in their crimson lined pew, and no poor people attended
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: the chapel with whom she could have a seat. But Winnie,
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: with flushed cheeks and indignant eyes, looked reproachfully at her
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: elder sister Jane, she said, opening her testimony and turning
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: over the leaves hurriedly.
• 25:01
  Speaker 3: This was Papa's text A little while again, For if
• 25:05
  Speaker 3: there come unto our assembly a man with a girl Jane,
• 25:11
  Speaker 3: and godly apparel, and there come in also a perman
• 25:15
  Speaker 3: and fire renant, and ye have respect to him that
• 25:20
  Speaker 3: we're with the gay clothing, and say unto him, sit
• 25:24
  Speaker 3: down here in a good place, and say to the poor,
• 25:28
  Speaker 3: stand now there, or sit under my foot stool. Are
• 25:32
  Speaker 3: you not then passion in yourselves? And are become judges
• 25:37
  Speaker 3: of evil thoughts? If we don't take this little girl
• 25:41
  Speaker 3: into our pew. We have the faith of the Lord
• 25:43
  Speaker 3: Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, with respect of persons.
• 25:49
  Speaker 4: I don't know what to.
• 25:50
  Speaker 8: Do, answered Jane, sighing.
• 25:52
  Speaker 4: The Bible seems plain, but I'm sure Papa would not
• 25:56
  Speaker 4: like it. Let us ask the chapel keeper.
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: Oh no, no, cried Jessica. Don't let mister Daniel catch me.
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: Ear I won't come again. Indeed, and I'll promise not
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: to try to find out about God and the Minister
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: if you'll only let me go. But little girl, said Jane,
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: in a sweet but grave manner.
• 26:13
  Speaker 4: We ought to teach you about God if you don't
• 26:15
  Speaker 4: know him. Our papa is the minister, and if you'll
• 26:18
  Speaker 4: come with us, we'll ask him what we must do.
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: Will mister Daniel see me, asked Jessica.
• 26:23
  Speaker 4: Nobody, But Papa is in the vestry, answered Jane, and
• 26:26
  Speaker 4: he'll tell us all you and us what he ought
• 26:29
  Speaker 4: to do. You'll not be afraid of him, will you.
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: No, said Jessica, cheerfully, following the minister's children as they
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: led her along the side of the chapel towards the vestry.
• 26:39
  Speaker 3: He's not such a terrible personage.
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: Said Winnie, looking round encouragingly, as Jane tapped softly at
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: the door, and they heard a voice saying come. In
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: end of chapter four, Chapter five of Jessica's First Prayer
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: by Hesba Stratton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter five, A
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: New World opens the minister was sitting in an easy
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: chair before a comfortable fire, with a hymn book in
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: his hand, which he closed as the three children appeared
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: in an open doorway. Jessica had seen his pale and
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: thoughtful face many a time from her hiding place, but
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: she had never met the keen, earnest, searching gaze of
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: his eyes, which seemed to pierce through all her wretchedness
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: and misery, and to read at once the whole story
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: of her desolate life. But before her eyelids could droop
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: or she could drop a reverential courtesy, the minister's face
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: kindled such a glow of pitying, tenderness and compassion as
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: fastened her eyes upon him, and gave her new heart
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: and courage. His children ran to him, leaving Jessica upon
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: the mat at the door, and with eager voices and
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: gesture which told him the difficulty.
• 27:55
  Speaker 8: They were in.
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: Come here, little girl, he said, and walked across the
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: carpeted floor till she stood right before him, with folded
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: hands and eyes that looked frankly into his What is
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: your name, my child, he asked, Jessica. She answered, Jessica,
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: he repeated with a smile.
• 28:14
  Speaker 5: That is a strange name.
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: Mother used to play Jessica at the Theta, sir, she said,
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: And I used to be a fairy in the pantomon
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: till I grew to you at all and ugly. If
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: I'm pretty when I grow up, Mother says, I shall
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: play too, But I have a long time to wait.
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: Are you a minister, sir, yes, he answered, smiling again.
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: What is a minister, she.
• 28:32
  Speaker 4: Inquired, A servant.
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: He replied, looking away thoughtfully into the red embers of
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: the fire. Papa cried Winnie and Jane in tones of astonishment,
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: but Jessica gazed steadily at the minister, who was now
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: looking back again into her bright eyes. Please, Ussia, are you.
• 28:50
  Speaker 5: She asked the servant of God and of men?
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: He answered solemnly, Jessica, I am your servant. The child
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: shook her head and laughed shrilly as she gazed around
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: the room at the handsome clothing of the minister's daughters,
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: while she drew her rags closer about her and shivered
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: a little, as if she felt a sting of the
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: east wind, which was blowing keenly through the streets. The
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: sound of her shrill, childless laugh made the minister's heartache.
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: Who is God? Asked the child. My mother's in a
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: good temper, some moms, She said, God, bless me. Do
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: you know I'm please, Minister. But before there was time
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: to answer, the door into the chapel was opened, and
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: Daniel stood upon the threshold. At first he stared blandly forward,
• 29:29
  Speaker 1: but then his grave face grew ghastly pale, and he
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: laid his hand upon the door to support himself until
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: he could recover his speech and senses. Jessica also looked
• 29:38
  Speaker 1: about her, scared and irresolute, as if anxious to run
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: away or hide herself.
• 29:42
  Speaker 8: The minister was the first to speak Jessica.
• 29:45
  Speaker 5: He said, there's a place close under my pulpit where
• 29:49
  Speaker 5: you shall sit and where I can see you all
• 29:52
  Speaker 5: the time. Be good girl, listen and you will hear
• 29:57
  Speaker 5: something about God. Standrew put this little one in front
• 30:01
  Speaker 5: of the pews by the pulpit.
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: Steps before she could believe it. For very gladdness. Jessica
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: found herself inside the chapel, facing the glittering organ, from
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: which a sweet strain of music was sounding. Not far
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: from her, Jane and Winnie were peeping over the front
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: of their pew, with friendly smiles and glances. It was
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: evident that the minister's elder daughter was anxious about her behavior,
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: and she made energetic sides to her when to stand
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: and went to kneel, But when he was content with
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: smiling at her whenever her head rose above the top
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: of the pew, Jessica was happy, but not in the
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: least abashed. The ladies and gentlemen were not at all
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: unlike those she had often seen when she was a
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: fairy at the theater, And very soon her attention was
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: engrossed by the minister, whose eyes often fell upon her
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: as she gazed eagerly with that uplifted face upon him.
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: She could scarcely understand a word of what he said,
• 30:47
  Speaker 1: but she liked the tones of his voice and the
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: tender pity of his face as he looked down upon her.
• 30:52
  Speaker 8: Daniel hovered about.
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: A good deal with an air of uneasiness and displeasure,
• 30:55
  Speaker 1: but she was unconscious of his presence. Jessica was intent
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: upon finding out what a minister and God were. End
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: of chapter five, Chapter six of Jessica's First Prayer by
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter six, the first prayer.
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: When the service was ended, the minister distended the pulpit
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: steps just as Daniel was about to hurry Jessica away,
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: and taking her by the hand, in the face of
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: all the congregation, he led her into the vestry, whither
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: Jane and Winnie quickly followed them. He was fatigued with
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: the services of the day, and his pale face was
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: paler than ever as he placed Jessica before his chair,
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: into which he threw himself with an Arab exhaustion. But
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: bowing his head upon his hands, he said, in a
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: low but clear tone.
• 31:53
  Speaker 5: Lord, these are the lambs of that flock. Help me
• 31:58
  Speaker 5: to feed by lambs, children.
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: He said, with a smile upon his weary face.
• 32:04
  Speaker 5: It is no easy thing to know God, but this
• 32:08
  Speaker 5: one thing we know that he is our father, my father,
• 32:13
  Speaker 5: and your father, Jessica. He loves you, and he cares
• 32:18
  Speaker 5: for you more than I do for my little girls.
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: Here he smiled at them, and they at him with
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: an expression which Jessica felt and understood that made her sad.
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: She trembled a little, and the minister's irequed the sound
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: of a faint though bitter sob I never had any father,
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: she said, sorrowfully.
• 32:35
  Speaker 5: God is your father.
• 32:37
  Speaker 8: He answered very gently.
• 32:39
  Speaker 5: He knows all about you, because he is present everywhere.
• 32:44
  Speaker 5: We cannot see him, but we have only to speak,
• 32:48
  Speaker 5: and he hears us, and we may ask him for
• 32:51
  Speaker 5: whatever we want.
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: Will you let me speak to him as well as
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: these my children that a clinton have got rice clothes,
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: asked Jessica, glancing ancient sla at her muddy feet in
• 33:01
  Speaker 1: her soiled and tattered frock. Yes, said the minister, smiling,
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: he is sighing at the same time.
• 33:07
  Speaker 5: You may ask him this moment for what do you want.
• 33:11
  Speaker 1: Jessica gazed round the room with wide open eyes, as
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: if she were seeking to see God. But then she
• 33:16
  Speaker 1: shot her eyelids tightly, and bending her head upon her hands,
• 33:19
  Speaker 1: as she had seen the minister do, she said, Oh, God,
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: I know about you. I'm please play mister dann off
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: all the woman's coffee. He's give me. Jane and Winnie
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: listened with faces of unutterable amazement. But the tears stood
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: in the minister's eyes, and he added, Ah, then to
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: Jessica's First Prayer end of chapter six. Chapter seven of
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: Jessica's First Prayer by Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For her
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: seven hard Questions. After waiting until the minister left the vestry,
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: Daniel found that Jesseha had gone away by the side entrance.
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: He had to wait therefore until Wednesday morning for an
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: opportunity to speak to her, and the sight of her
• 34:14
  Speaker 1: pinched little face was welcomed to him as he sat
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: looking wistfully over the coffee stall. Yet he had made
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: up his mind to forbid her to come again, and
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: to threaten her with the policeman if he ever caught
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: her at the chapel, where for the future he intended
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: to keep a sharper lookout. But before he could speak,
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: jess had slipped under the stall and taken her old
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: seat upon the upturned basket. Mister Daniel, she said, I's good,
• 34:35
  Speaker 1: pigey for my steps of coffee.
• 34:36
  Speaker 2: Yet paid, may he repeated, God?
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: No, well ewill she answered, nodding her head sagely don't
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: you be afraid for your money, mister Deaniel. I've asked
• 34:46
  Speaker 1: him the many times, and the minister says he should
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: a do it. Jess said Daniel sternly.
• 34:53
  Speaker 2: If you've paint and told him mister about my coffee stall.
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: No, she answered with a beaming smile. But I've told
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: you God lots and lots of time since Sunday I
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: needs chodapin in a day or two. Yes, continue Daniel
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: more gently.
• 35:07
  Speaker 2: You're a shop with a girl, I see, And now mind,
• 35:10
  Speaker 2: I'm going to trust you you never to say a
• 35:13
  Speaker 2: word about me or my CoA style. Because the first
• 35:16
  Speaker 2: adele chapel are very grand, and my finger it whoe
• 35:20
  Speaker 2: and may have made to keep a cory stole very likely.
• 35:23
  Speaker 2: They say I mustn't be chubble keeper any longer, and
• 35:27
  Speaker 2: I should twoot the deal of Bunny.
• 35:29
  Speaker 1: Why do you keep the stoll, then asked Jessica.
• 35:32
  Speaker 2: Don't you see what in many pains I get every morning?
• 35:36
  Speaker 8: He said, shaking his canvas bag.
• 35:38
  Speaker 2: I get a good deal of buy that way in
• 35:40
  Speaker 2: a year.
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: What do you want such a deal of money for?
• 35:43
  Speaker 8: She inquired?
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: Do you give it to God? Daniel did not answer,
• 35:46
  Speaker 1: but The question went to his heart like a sword thrust.
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: What did he want so much money for? He thought
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: of his bare and solitary room where he lodged alone,
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: a good way from the railway bridge, with very few
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: comforts in it, but containing a desk, strong securely fastened,
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: which were his savings, bank book, his receipts for money,
• 36:02
  Speaker 1: put out an interest in a bag of sovereigns for
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: which he had been toiling and slaving both on Sunday
• 36:06
  Speaker 1: and week days. He could not remember giving anything away
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: except the dregs of the coffee and the steel buns
• 36:12
  Speaker 1: for which Jessica was asking God to pay him. He
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: coughed and cleared his throat, and rubbed his eyes, and then,
• 36:19
  Speaker 1: with nervous and hesitating fingers, he took a penny from
• 36:21
  Speaker 1: his bag and slipped it into Jessica's hand. No, no,
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: mister Daniel, she said, I don't mean you to give
• 36:27
  Speaker 1: me any of your pennies. I want God to pay you.
• 36:30
  Speaker 1: I he'll pay me, muttered Daniel.
• 36:33
  Speaker 2: There'll be a day of threatening by and bye.
• 36:35
  Speaker 6: Is good?
• 36:36
  Speaker 1: A frickening days, asked Jessica. I sly reckoning days when
• 36:40
  Speaker 1: I was a fairy.
• 36:41
  Speaker 2: Aye aye, he answered, but there's few folks like God's
• 36:45
  Speaker 2: threckening days.
• 36:47
  Speaker 1: But you'll be glad, won't you, she said. Daniel bade
• 36:50
  Speaker 1: her get on with her breakfast, and then he turned
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: over in his mind the thoughts which her questions had awakened.
• 36:55
  Speaker 1: Conscience told him he would not be glad to meet
• 36:57
  Speaker 1: God's reckoning day, Mister Daniel, said Jessica when they were
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: about to separate, and he would not take back his
• 37:03
  Speaker 1: gift of a penny if you wouldn't mourn. I'd like
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: you to come in buy a cup of coffee tomorrow
• 37:08
  Speaker 1: like a customer, you know, and I won't let out
• 37:10
  Speaker 1: a word about the stalls in the minister next Sunday,
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: don't she be afraid? She tied the penny carefully into
• 37:16
  Speaker 1: a corner of her rags, and with a cheerful smile
• 37:18
  Speaker 1: upon her thin face, she glided from under the shadow
• 37:20
  Speaker 1: of the bridge and was soon lost to Daniel's sight.
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: End of chapter seven, Chapter eight of Jessica's First Prayer
• 37:34
  Speaker 1: by Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 37:42
  Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot Org, Chapter eight, An
• 37:47
  Speaker 1: unexpected visitor. When Jessica came into the street into which
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: the court where she lived opened, she saw an unusual
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: degree of excitement among the inhabitants, a group of whom
• 37:59
  Speaker 1: were gathered about a tall gentleman whom she recognized in
• 38:01
  Speaker 1: an instant to be the minister. She elbowed her way
• 38:04
  Speaker 1: through the midst of them, and the minister's face brightened
• 38:06
  Speaker 1: as she presented herself before him. He followed her up
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: the low entry, across the squalid court, through the stable
• 38:13
  Speaker 1: empty of the donkeys, just then up the creaking rounds
• 38:16
  Speaker 1: of the ladder and into the miserable loft, where the
• 38:18
  Speaker 1: toils were falling in and the broken window panes were
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: stuffed with rags and paper. Near to the old rusty stove,
• 38:24
  Speaker 1: which served as a grate when there was any fire,
• 38:26
  Speaker 1: there was a short board lay across the bricks, and
• 38:28
  Speaker 1: upon this the minister took his seat, while Jessica sat
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: on the floor before him.
• 38:33
  Speaker 5: Jessica, he said, sadly, is this way you live?
• 38:37
  Speaker 3: Yes?
• 38:38
  Speaker 1: She answered, oh we had a nicer than this when
• 38:40
  Speaker 1: I was a fairy. My mother played the seed it.
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: We shall be better off when I'm grown up, if
• 38:45
  Speaker 1: I'm pretty enough to play like her, my child, he said.
• 38:49
  Speaker 5: I'm come to ask your mother to let you go
• 38:52
  Speaker 5: to school in a pleasant place down on the country.
• 38:56
  Speaker 5: Will she let you go?
• 38:58
  Speaker 1: No, answered Jessica. The cis'll never let me learn to
• 39:01
  Speaker 1: rea to go to church. She says, it would make
• 39:03
  Speaker 1: me good for nothing. But please, she doesn't know anything
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: about your church. It's such a long way off, and
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: she hasn't found me out yet. She always gets very
• 39:10
  Speaker 1: drunk of a sunday. The child spoke simply, and as
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: if all she said was a matter of course. But
• 39:15
  Speaker 1: the minister shuddered, and he looked through the broken window
• 39:18
  Speaker 1: to the little patch of gloomy sky overhead. What's too,
• 39:23
  Speaker 1: he cried mournfully, as though speaking to himself. Nothing, please, sir,
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: said Jessica. Only let me come to ear you of
• 39:29
  Speaker 1: a sunday and told me about good And he was
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: to give me a fine clothes like ye little girl's
• 39:34
  Speaker 1: mother only'd pull them forgid. You can't do anything more
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: for me. Where is he mother, he asked, I honestlye
• 39:42
  Speaker 1: said Jessica. She brought me on for a day or two.
• 39:45
  Speaker 1: She did not kin to you, sir, as the missioner came,
• 39:47
  Speaker 1: and she pushed none latta till he was nearly killed.
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: They used to call mother the vixen at the theater,
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: and now he dared say a word to her. The
• 39:56
  Speaker 1: minister was silent for some minutes, thinking painful thoughts for
• 39:59
  Speaker 1: his The eyes seemed to darken as he looked round
• 40:01
  Speaker 1: at the miserable room, and his face wore an air
• 40:03
  Speaker 1: of sorrow and disappointment. At last he spoke again.
• 40:07
  Speaker 5: Who is mister Daniel Jessica.
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: He inquired, Oh, she said cunningly, it's only a friend
• 40:13
  Speaker 1: of mine has given me SEPs of coffee. You don't
• 40:16
  Speaker 1: know the folks in London, sir, no, he answered, smiling, But.
• 40:21
  Speaker 5: Does he keep a coffee stall?
• 40:23
  Speaker 1: Jessica nodded her head, but did not trust herself to speak.
• 40:27
  Speaker 5: How much does a cup of coffee cost, asked.
• 40:30
  Speaker 1: The minister, A full cups of penny?
• 40:33
  Speaker 8: She answered promptly.
• 40:34
  Speaker 1: But you can have af a cup and then have
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: penny and penny buns.
• 40:38
  Speaker 5: Good coffee and buns.
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: He said, with another smile, Prime replied Jessica, smacking her lips. Well,
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: continued the minister.
• 40:48
  Speaker 5: Tell your friend to give you a full cup of
• 40:50
  Speaker 5: coffee and a penny bun every morning, and I'll pay
• 40:53
  Speaker 5: for them as often as he chooses to come to
• 40:56
  Speaker 5: me for the money.
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: Jessica's face beamed with delight, but an instant it clouded over.
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: She recollected Daniel's secret, and her lips quivered as she
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: spoke her disappointed reply. Please, sir, she said, I'm sure
• 41:08
  Speaker 1: I couldn't come. Oh, we couldn't. It's such a long way,
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: and mister Daniel's plenty of customers. No, you never would
• 41:15
  Speaker 1: come to you for money, Jessica, he answered.
• 41:18
  Speaker 5: I will tell you what I will do. I will
• 41:21
  Speaker 5: trust you with a shilling every Sunday if you'll promise
• 41:24
  Speaker 5: to give it to your friend the very first time
• 41:26
  Speaker 5: you see him. I shall be sure to know if
• 41:29
  Speaker 5: you cheat me.
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: And the keen, piercing eyes of the minister looked down
• 41:32
  Speaker 1: into Jessica's and once more the tender and pettying smile
• 41:35
  Speaker 1: returned to his face.
• 41:37
  Speaker 5: I can do nothing else for.
• 41:39
  Speaker 1: You, he said, in a tone of mingled sorrow and questioning. No.
• 41:43
  Speaker 1: Minister answered, Jessica, will they tell me about God?
• 41:47
  Speaker 5: I will tell you one thing about him now, he replied.
• 41:51
  Speaker 5: If I took you to live in my house with
• 41:53
  Speaker 5: my little daughter's, you would have to be washed and
• 41:57
  Speaker 5: clothed in new clothing to make you fit for it.
• 42:01
  Speaker 5: God wanted us to go and live at home with
• 42:04
  Speaker 5: him in heaven, but we were so sinful that we
• 42:08
  Speaker 5: could never have been fit for it. So he sent
• 42:12
  Speaker 5: us his own son to live amongst us and die
• 42:15
  Speaker 5: for us, to wash us from our sins, and to
• 42:18
  Speaker 5: give us new clothing, and to make us ready to
• 42:21
  Speaker 5: live in God's house. When you ask God for anything,
• 42:26
  Speaker 5: you must say for Jesus Christ's sake, Jesus Christ is
• 42:32
  Speaker 5: the Son of God.
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: After these words, the minister carefully descended the latter, followed
• 42:37
  Speaker 1: by Jessica's bare nimble feet, and she led him by
• 42:40
  Speaker 1: the nearest way into one of the great thoroughfares of
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: the city, where he said goodbye to her, adding.
• 42:45
  Speaker 5: God bless you, my child.
• 42:48
  Speaker 1: In a tone which sank into Jessica's heart. He had
• 42:51
  Speaker 1: put a silver sixpence into her hand to provide for
• 42:53
  Speaker 1: her breakfast the next three mornings, and with a feeling
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: of being very rich, she returned to her miserable home.
• 42:59
  Speaker 1: The next morning, Jessica presented herself proudly as a customer
• 43:02
  Speaker 1: at Daniel Stall, and paid over the six pens in advance.
• 43:06
  Speaker 1: He felt a little troubled as he heard her story,
• 43:08
  Speaker 1: lest the minister should endeavor to find him out, but
• 43:10
  Speaker 1: he could not refuse to let the child come daily
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: for her comfortable breakfast. If he was detected, he would
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: promise to give up the coffee stall rather than offend
• 43:18
  Speaker 1: the great people of the chapel. But unless he was,
• 43:20
  Speaker 1: it would be foolish of him to lose the money
• 43:22
  Speaker 1: it brought in week after week end of chapter eight.
• 43:32
  Speaker 1: Chapter nine of Jessica's First Prayer by Hesba Stretton. This
• 43:36
  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
• 43:39
  Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
• 43:44
  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. Chapter nine, Jessica's First Prayer answered. Every
• 43:52
  Speaker 1: Sunday evening, the barefooted and bare headed child might be
• 43:54
  Speaker 1: seen advancing confidently up to the chapel, where rich and
• 43:57
  Speaker 1: fashionable people worship God. But before or taking her place,
• 44:00
  Speaker 1: she arrayed herself in a little cloak and bonnet which
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: had once belonged to the minister's elder daughter, and which
• 44:06
  Speaker 1: was kept with Daniel's surge gown, so that she presented
• 44:09
  Speaker 1: a somewhat more respectable appearance in the eyes of the congregation.
• 44:12
  Speaker 1: The minister had no listener more attentive, and he would
• 44:15
  Speaker 1: have missed the pinched, earnest little face if it were
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: not to be seen in the seat just under the pulpit.
• 44:20
  Speaker 1: At the close of each service, he spoke to her
• 44:22
  Speaker 1: for a minute or two in his vestry, often saying
• 44:24
  Speaker 1: no more than a single sentence, for the day's labor
• 44:27
  Speaker 1: had wearied him. The shilling, which was always lying on
• 44:30
  Speaker 1: the chimney piece placed there by Jane and Winnie in turns,
• 44:33
  Speaker 1: was immediately handed over, according to promise to Daniel as
• 44:37
  Speaker 1: she left the chapel, and so Jessica's breakfast was provided
• 44:40
  Speaker 1: for her week after week. But at last there came
• 44:44
  Speaker 1: a Sunday evening when the minister, going up into his pulpit,
• 44:47
  Speaker 1: did miss the hungry, wistful face, and the shilling lay
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: unclaimed upon the vestry chimney piece. Daniel looked out for
• 44:54
  Speaker 1: her anxiously every morning, but no Jessica glided into his
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: secluded corner to sit beside him with her breakfast, time,
• 45:00
  Speaker 1: her lap and a number of strange questions to ask.
• 45:03
  Speaker 1: He felt her absence more keenly than he could have expected.
• 45:07
  Speaker 1: The child was nothing to him, he kept saying to himself,
• 45:10
  Speaker 1: And yet he felt that she was something, and that
• 45:12
  Speaker 1: he could not help being uneasy and anxious about her.
• 45:15
  Speaker 1: Why had he never inquired where she lived? The minister knew,
• 45:19
  Speaker 1: and for a minute Daniel thought he would go and
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: ask him, But that might awaken suspicion. How could he
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: account for so much anxiety when he was supposed only
• 45:26
  Speaker 1: to know of her absence from chapel one Sunday evening.
• 45:29
  Speaker 1: It would be running a risk, and after all, Jessica
• 45:31
  Speaker 1: was nothing to him. So he went home and looked
• 45:34
  Speaker 1: over his savings bank book and counted his money, and
• 45:37
  Speaker 1: he found, to his satisfaction that he had gathered together
• 45:39
  Speaker 1: nearly four hundred pounds, that he was adding more every week.
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: But when upon the next Sunday Jessica's seat was again empty,
• 45:48
  Speaker 1: the anxiety of the solemn chapel keeper overcame his prudence
• 45:52
  Speaker 1: and his fears. The minister had retired to his vestry
• 45:54
  Speaker 1: and was standing with his arm resting upon the chimney piece,
• 45:57
  Speaker 1: and his eyes fixed upon the unclaimed shilling, which when
• 46:00
  Speaker 1: he had placed there before the service. When there came
• 46:03
  Speaker 1: a tap at the door, and Daniel entered with a
• 46:05
  Speaker 1: respectful but hesitating.
• 46:06
  Speaker 5: Air well standring, said.
• 46:09
  Speaker 8: The minister questioningly, Sir.
• 46:11
  Speaker 2: He said, I'm uncomfortable about that little girl, and I
• 46:15
  Speaker 2: know you've been once to see utterwer she told me about,
• 46:20
  Speaker 2: and so I made bold to ask you where she lives,
• 46:23
  Speaker 2: and i'll see what's become a fair.
• 46:25
  Speaker 1: Right standrew, answered the minister.
• 46:28
  Speaker 5: I'm troubled about the child, and so are my little girls.
• 46:33
  Speaker 5: I thought of going myself, but my time is very
• 46:36
  Speaker 5: much occupied.
• 46:37
  Speaker 1: Just now I'll go, sir, replied Daniel promptly, and after
• 46:42
  Speaker 1: receiving the necessary information about Jessica's home, he put out
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: the lights, locked the door, and turned towards his lonely lodgings.
• 46:50
  Speaker 1: But though it was getting laid upon Sunday, evening in
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: Jessica's home was a long way distant. Daniel found that
• 46:55
  Speaker 1: his anxiety would not suffer him to return to his
• 46:57
  Speaker 1: solitary room. It was of no use to reason with
• 47:00
  Speaker 1: himself as he stood at the corner of the street,
• 47:02
  Speaker 1: feeling perplexed and troubled, and promising his conscience that he
• 47:05
  Speaker 1: would go the very first thing in the morning, after
• 47:07
  Speaker 1: he shut up his coffee stall. In the dim, dusky
• 47:10
  Speaker 1: light as the summer evening drew to a close, he
• 47:12
  Speaker 1: fancied he could see Jessica's thin figure and wan face
• 47:15
  Speaker 1: gliding on before him and turning around from time to
• 47:18
  Speaker 1: time to receive if he were following. It was only fancy,
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: and he laughed a little at himself, but the laugh
• 47:23
  Speaker 1: was husky, and there was a choking sensation in his throat.
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: So he buttoned his Sunday coast over his breast, where
• 47:28
  Speaker 1: a silver watched and chained hun temptingly, and started off
• 47:31
  Speaker 1: at a rapid pace for the center of the city.
• 47:35
  Speaker 1: It was not quite dark when he reached the court
• 47:38
  Speaker 1: and stumbled up the narrow entry leading to it, but
• 47:41
  Speaker 1: Daniell did hesitate when he opened the stable door and
• 47:44
  Speaker 1: looked into a blank, blank space in which he could
• 47:46
  Speaker 1: discern nothing. He thought he had better retreat, and while
• 47:49
  Speaker 1: he could do so safely, but still he stood with
• 47:52
  Speaker 1: his hand upon the rusty latch. He heard a faint,
• 47:55
  Speaker 1: small voice through the necks of the unsealed boarding above
• 47:57
  Speaker 1: his head. Oh, father, said the little please discern somebody
• 48:02
  Speaker 1: to me for Jesus Christ's sake, Amen Hobbyhes, cried Daniel,
• 48:06
  Speaker 1: with a sudden bound of his heart, such as he
• 48:08
  Speaker 1: had not felt for years, and which almost took away
• 48:10
  Speaker 1: his breath as he peered into the darkness, until at
• 48:12
  Speaker 1: last he discerned dimly the ladder which led up into
• 48:15
  Speaker 1: the loft. Very cautiously, with an eagerness that surprised even himself,
• 48:21
  Speaker 1: he climbed up the creaking rounds of the ladder and
• 48:23
  Speaker 1: entered the dismal room where the child was lying in
• 48:25
  Speaker 1: desolate darkness. Fortunately he had a box of matches in
• 48:29
  Speaker 1: his pocket, and the end of a wax candle with
• 48:31
  Speaker 1: which he kindled the lamps, and in another minute the
• 48:34
  Speaker 1: gleam of light shone upon Jessica's white features. She was
• 48:38
  Speaker 1: stretched upon a scanty litter of straw into the slanting roof,
• 48:41
  Speaker 1: where the toiwels had not fallen off, with her poor
• 48:43
  Speaker 1: rags for her only covering. But as her eyes looked
• 48:46
  Speaker 1: up into Daniel's face bending over her, a bright smile
• 48:48
  Speaker 1: of joy sparkled in them. Oh, she cried gladly, but
• 48:53
  Speaker 1: in a feeble voice. It's mister, Daniel, has God told
• 48:56
  Speaker 1: you to come here, mister Daniel. Yes, said Daniel, beside her,
• 49:01
  Speaker 1: taking her waisted hand in hands and patting the matted
• 49:03
  Speaker 1: hair upon her damp forehead. What did he say to you,
• 49:06
  Speaker 1: asked Jessica.
• 49:08
  Speaker 2: He told me I was a great.
• 49:09
  Speaker 1: Sinner, replied Daniel.
• 49:11
  Speaker 2: He told me I loved the little bit of dirty
• 49:13
  Speaker 2: money better than a boy friend with our child, whom
• 49:16
  Speaker 2: he had sent to me to see if I were
• 49:19
  Speaker 2: to do a widow good for his sake. He looked
• 49:22
  Speaker 2: at me or the messa did fou and through, and
• 49:25
  Speaker 2: he said, felt full this night five soul shall be
• 49:28
  Speaker 2: required a fee? Then whose shall those things be? Which
• 49:33
  Speaker 2: fell provided? And I could answer him nothing, Chess. He
• 49:38
  Speaker 2: had come to a reconing with me, and I could
• 49:42
  Speaker 2: not say a word to him.
• 49:43
  Speaker 1: Aren't you a good man, mister Daniel, whispered Jessica.
• 49:47
  Speaker 2: No, I'm a wicked sinner.
• 49:49
  Speaker 1: He cried, well. The tears rolled down his solemn face.
• 49:52
  Speaker 2: I've been concerned at God's health, but I need to
• 49:54
  Speaker 2: get money. I've been steady and industrious, but I need
• 49:59
  Speaker 2: to get money. And now God looks at me and
• 50:02
  Speaker 2: he says, felt fool, Oh, ches chess, you're more fear
• 50:06
  Speaker 2: for ever than I ever was in my life.
• 50:09
  Speaker 1: Why don't you ask him to make you good? For
• 50:10
  Speaker 1: this's Christ's sake, asked the child.
• 50:13
  Speaker 2: I can't, he said. I've been knowing down Sunday after
• 50:16
  Speaker 2: Sunday when the mess has been praying, But all the
• 50:19
  Speaker 2: time I was thinking out which some of the courage
• 50:22
  Speaker 2: people were. I've been loving my and worshiping mine all along,
• 50:26
  Speaker 2: and I've knew it what you die rather than wonder
• 50:28
  Speaker 2: risk of losing private earnings. I'm a very sinful man.
• 50:33
  Speaker 1: But you know what the minister orphin says, murmured Jessica
• 50:37
  Speaker 1: ire in his love, not that we love God, but
• 50:39
  Speaker 1: that he loved us, and said his son to me
• 50:42
  Speaker 1: in appreciation for us.
• 50:43
  Speaker 2: Since I felt so often that I don't feel it,
• 50:46
  Speaker 2: said Daniel. I used to like to hear the Messer
• 50:49
  Speaker 2: say it, but now it goes in at one ear
• 50:51
  Speaker 2: and of the other. My heart is fair out Jessica.
• 50:54
  Speaker 1: By the feeble glimmer of the candle, Daniel saw Jessica's
• 50:57
  Speaker 1: wistful eyes fixed upon him with a sad and loving glance.
• 51:00
  Speaker 1: And then she lifted up her weakend to her face
• 51:02
  Speaker 1: and laid it over her closed eyelids, and her feverish
• 51:05
  Speaker 1: lips moved slowly. Good she said, what is to make
• 51:09
  Speaker 1: mister Daniel's hot soft for Jesus Christ's sake? Amen. She
• 51:14
  Speaker 1: did not speak again, nor Daniel for some time. He
• 51:17
  Speaker 1: took off his Sunday coat and laid it over the tiny,
• 51:20
  Speaker 1: shivering frame, which was shaking with cold even in the
• 51:23
  Speaker 1: summer evening. And as he did so, he remembered the
• 51:26
  Speaker 1: words what the Lord says, he will pronounce the last
• 51:28
  Speaker 1: day of reckoning.
• 51:29
  Speaker 2: For as buchis ye have done it unto one of
• 51:32
  Speaker 2: the last of theys, my bfwen, ye have done it
• 51:35
  Speaker 2: unto me.
• 51:36
  Speaker 1: Daniel standring, felt his heart turning with love to the Savior,
• 51:40
  Speaker 1: and he bowed his head upon his hands and cried
• 51:42
  Speaker 1: in the depths of his contrite spirit, God.
• 51:44
  Speaker 2: To be miciful to me a sinna.
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: End of chapter nine, Chapter ten of Jessica's First Prayer
• 51:56
  Speaker 1: by Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 52:01
  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 52:04
  Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter ten, the
• 52:09
  Speaker 1: Shadow of Death. There was no coffee stall opened under
• 52:13
  Speaker 1: the railway arch. The following morning, and Daniel's regular customer
• 52:16
  Speaker 1: stood amazed as they drew near the empty corner where
• 52:18
  Speaker 1: they were accustomed to get their early breakfast. It would
• 52:21
  Speaker 1: have astonished them still more if they could have seen
• 52:23
  Speaker 1: how he was occupied in the miserable loft. He had
• 52:26
  Speaker 1: entrusted a friendly woman out of the court to buy
• 52:28
  Speaker 1: food and fuel, and all night long he had watched
• 52:31
  Speaker 1: beside Jessica, who was light headed and delirious, but in
• 52:35
  Speaker 1: the wanderings of her thoughts and words, often spoke to
• 52:37
  Speaker 1: God and prayed for her. Mister Daniel. The neighbor informed
• 52:40
  Speaker 1: him that the child's mother had gone off some days before,
• 52:43
  Speaker 1: fearing that she was ill of some infectious fever, and
• 52:46
  Speaker 1: that she alone had taken a little care of her
• 52:47
  Speaker 1: from time to time. As soon as the morning came,
• 52:50
  Speaker 1: he sent for a doctor, and after receiving permission from him,
• 52:53
  Speaker 1: he wrapped the poor, deserted Jessica in his coat, and,
• 52:56
  Speaker 1: bearing her tenderly in his arms, down the ladder, he
• 52:58
  Speaker 1: carried her to a cab, which the neighbor brought to
• 53:01
  Speaker 1: the entrance of the court. It was to no other
• 53:04
  Speaker 1: than his own solitary home that he resolved to take her,
• 53:07
  Speaker 1: And when the mistress of the lodging stood at her
• 53:09
  Speaker 1: door with her arms at kimbo to forbid the admission
• 53:12
  Speaker 1: of the wretched and neglected child, her tongue was silenced
• 53:14
  Speaker 1: by the gleam of a half sovereign, which Daniel slipped
• 53:16
  Speaker 1: into the palm of her hand. By that afternoon's post
• 53:20
  Speaker 1: the minister received the following letter wef win.
• 53:23
  Speaker 2: Sir, if you condescends to under antibio umble woof, you
• 53:28
  Speaker 2: will have the pressure of seeing little Jessica, who is
• 53:31
  Speaker 2: at the point of death and Wess scott inispercy was stalled.
• 53:34
  Speaker 2: Sir open you will excuse this liberty as to God,
• 53:38
  Speaker 2: leave the child. I remain with duty your spirto servant
• 53:42
  Speaker 2: d sand Wing p s. Just curt disass perslovignty to
• 53:47
  Speaker 2: his chain Winnie.
• 53:49
  Speaker 1: The minister laid aside the book he was reading, and
• 53:51
  Speaker 1: without any delay started off for his chapel keeper's dwelling.
• 53:54
  Speaker 1: There was Jessica lying restfully upon Daniel's bed, but the
• 53:58
  Speaker 1: pinched features were deadly pale, and the sunken eyes shone
• 54:00
  Speaker 1: with a leaning light. She was too feeble to turn
• 54:03
  Speaker 1: her head when the door opened, and he paused for
• 54:06
  Speaker 1: a moment, looking at her and at Daniel, who seated
• 54:08
  Speaker 1: at the head of the bed, was turning over the
• 54:10
  Speaker 1: papers on his desk and rackinging up once more the
• 54:13
  Speaker 1: savings of his lifetime. But when the Minister advanced into
• 54:16
  Speaker 1: the middle of the room, Jessica's white cheeks flushed into
• 54:19
  Speaker 1: a deep red. Oh, minister, she cried, God has given
• 54:23
  Speaker 1: me everything I wanted, except paying mister Daniel for the
• 54:25
  Speaker 1: coffee he used to give me.
• 54:27
  Speaker 2: Ah, but godless pay me o for and ho for again.
• 54:31
  Speaker 8: Said Daniel, rising to receive the minister.
• 54:33
  Speaker 2: He's given me my own sole inn exchange for it.
• 54:36
  Speaker 2: Let me make bold to stay to you this one, sir.
• 54:40
  Speaker 2: You're a fairy learned man and a great preacher. He
• 54:43
  Speaker 2: may pay a flock to hear you till I'm heart
• 54:46
  Speaker 2: put to it to find seats for them at times,
• 54:49
  Speaker 2: but all the while argening to you if he wessed Sabbath,
• 54:53
  Speaker 2: I'll souson my soul. And you never once said to me,
• 54:57
  Speaker 2: foh you saw me scores and scoos times stand wing.
• 55:01
  Speaker 2: Are you saved?
• 55:02
  Speaker 5: Many?
• 55:03
  Speaker 1: Said the minister, in a tone of great distress and regret.
• 55:07
  Speaker 5: I always took it for granted that you were a Christian.
• 55:10
  Speaker 8: Ah, continued Daniel thoughtfully.
• 55:13
  Speaker 2: But God one some way to ask me that question,
• 55:16
  Speaker 2: and they didn't find anybody in the congregation. So he
• 55:19
  Speaker 2: sends this poor will last to me. Well, I don't
• 55:22
  Speaker 2: mind telling you if I've loosed the place. But for
• 55:25
  Speaker 2: a long time, nine a part ten years, I've kept
• 55:28
  Speaker 2: the covere Storre on weekdays in the city, and could
• 55:32
  Speaker 2: one week with another about ten shillings. But I was
• 55:35
  Speaker 2: afraid the chapel ones wouldn't approved of the coffee business
• 55:39
  Speaker 2: as low. So I cut the crow's secret, and I
• 55:42
  Speaker 2: always show it earlier the morning it's made. That's solt,
• 55:45
  Speaker 2: just a cup of coffee which you pay for. Sir.
• 55:48
  Speaker 5: There is no.
• 55:49
  Speaker 1: Harm in it, my good fellow, said the minister kindly.
• 55:52
  Speaker 5: You need make no secret of it.
• 55:55
  Speaker 2: Well, resumed Daniel, the questions this poor will, the creature,
• 55:59
  Speaker 2: as I've gone quicker and deeper down to my conscious
• 56:03
  Speaker 2: and all your servants, if it may make so free
• 56:06
  Speaker 2: as to say it, she's kept often and often other
• 56:09
  Speaker 2: morning and looked into my face with those queer eyes
• 56:13
  Speaker 2: of hers, and said, don't you love Jesus Christ, mister Daniel,
• 56:17
  Speaker 2: doesn't make you fair great, it goes to your father,
• 56:20
  Speaker 2: mister Daniel. I again, they will heaven every day, mister Daniel,
• 56:25
  Speaker 2: And one day says she, are you going to give
• 56:28
  Speaker 2: all your mind to God, mister Daniel. Ah, that question
• 56:32
  Speaker 2: made me think, indeed, and it's never been answered to
• 56:35
  Speaker 2: this day. Well, I've been sitting beside the bed here,
• 56:40
  Speaker 2: I've kind out all my savings, three hundred and ninety
• 56:43
  Speaker 2: seven pounds eighteen shillings it is, and I've said, Lord,
• 56:46
  Speaker 2: it's a fine, and I'd give every part off gold
• 56:50
  Speaker 2: and lose the child if it be five blessed will
• 56:53
  Speaker 2: to spare her life.
• 56:55
  Speaker 1: Daniel's voice quavered at the last words, and his face
• 56:57
  Speaker 1: ink upon the pillow where Jessica's feeble and motionless head lay.
• 57:01
  Speaker 1: There was a very sweet, yet surprised smile upon her face,
• 57:04
  Speaker 1: and she lift at her wasted fingers to rest upon
• 57:06
  Speaker 1: the bowed head beside her, while she shut her eyes
• 57:09
  Speaker 1: and shaded them with her other weak hand. Oh, Father,
• 57:13
  Speaker 1: she said, in a faint whisper which still reached the
• 57:15
  Speaker 1: ears of the minister and the beadle. I asked you
• 57:17
  Speaker 1: to let me come home to heaven, But mister Daniel
• 57:20
  Speaker 1: wants me please to let me stay a little long
• 57:22
  Speaker 1: for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. For some minutes after Jessica's prayer,
• 57:27
  Speaker 1: there was a deep and unbroken silence in the room,
• 57:30
  Speaker 1: Daniel still hiding his face upon the pillow, and the
• 57:33
  Speaker 1: minister standing beside them with bowed head and closed eyes,
• 57:36
  Speaker 1: as if he also were praying. When he looked up
• 57:39
  Speaker 1: again at the forsaken and desolate child, he saw that
• 57:41
  Speaker 1: her feeble hand had fallen from her face, which looked
• 57:44
  Speaker 1: full of rest and peace, while her breath came faintly
• 57:47
  Speaker 1: but regularly.
• 57:47
  Speaker 8: Through her parted lips.
• 57:50
  Speaker 1: He took her little hand into his own with a
• 57:52
  Speaker 1: pang of fear and grief, but instead of the mortal
• 57:54
  Speaker 1: chillness of death, he felt the pleasant warmth and moisture
• 57:57
  Speaker 1: of life. He touched Daniel's shoulder, and as he lifted
• 58:00
  Speaker 1: up his head and sund alarm, he whispered to him, the.
• 58:03
  Speaker 5: Child is not dead, but is only asleep.
• 58:08
  Speaker 1: Before Jessica was fully recovered, Daniel rented a little house
• 58:11
  Speaker 1: for himself and his adopted daughter to dwell in. He
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: made many inquiries after her mother, but she never appeared
• 58:17
  Speaker 1: again in her old haunts, and he was well pleased.
• 58:19
  Speaker 1: There was nobody to interfere with his charge of Jessica.
• 58:22
  Speaker 1: When Jessica grew strong enough, many a cheerful walk had
• 58:25
  Speaker 1: lay together in the early mornings as they wended their
• 58:28
  Speaker 1: way to the railway bridge, where the little girl took
• 58:30
  Speaker 1: her place behind the stall and soon learned to serve
• 58:32
  Speaker 1: the daily customers. And many a happy day was spent
• 58:35
  Speaker 1: in helping to sweep and dust the chapel into which
• 58:38
  Speaker 1: he had crept so secretly at first, her great delight
• 58:41
  Speaker 1: being to attend to the pulpit and the vestry and
• 58:43
  Speaker 1: the pew were the minister's children sat, while Daniel and
• 58:46
  Speaker 1: the woman he employed cleaned the rest of the building.
• 58:49
  Speaker 1: Many a sunday also, the minister in his pulpit, and
• 58:51
  Speaker 1: his little daughters in their pew, and Daniel treading softly
• 58:54
  Speaker 1: about the aisles as their glance fell upon Jessica's eager, earnest,
• 58:58
  Speaker 1: happy face, thought of the first time they saw her
• 59:01
  Speaker 1: sitting among the congregation, and of Jessica's first prayer end
• 59:06
  Speaker 1: of Chapter ten. End of Jessica's First Prayer by Hesbestretton.
• 59:17
  Speaker 1: Chapter one of Jessica's Mother by Hesba Stretton This is
• 59:21
  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 59:26
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 59:31
  Speaker 1: Chapter one Great Plans. It was a gloomy Sunday, in
• 59:35
  Speaker 1: the gloomiest part of the year, when the fog hung
• 59:38
  Speaker 1: over London day and night, only lifting itself off a
• 59:41
  Speaker 1: little for two or three hours about noontime. The bells
• 59:44
  Speaker 1: which rang from the church towers might have been chiming
• 59:46
  Speaker 1: from some region above the clouds, so distant they sounded,
• 59:49
  Speaker 1: and so hidden with the belfries in which they hung.
• 59:52
  Speaker 1: In the early part of the day, the congregations went
• 59:54
  Speaker 1: to and fro from their various places of worship, with
• 59:57
  Speaker 1: a feeling of somber oppression at the long.
• 59:59
  Speaker 8: Continent nuance of the gloom.
• 1:00:01
  Speaker 1: But after nightfall the darkness was only natural, and though
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 1: the lamps gave but little light and shone merely like
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 1: yellow balls in the fog, the passengers in the street
• 1:00:09
  Speaker 1: moved more briskly and talked more cheerfully than in the morning.
• 1:00:13
  Speaker 1: Here and there the brightly illuminated windows of some church
• 1:00:16
  Speaker 1: or chapel cast a pleasant gleam upon the pavement, and
• 1:00:19
  Speaker 1: the open doors seemed to invite any cold or weary
• 1:00:21
  Speaker 1: passerby to enter into its light and warmth. But as
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 1: if these buildings the temples of God were designed only
• 1:00:28
  Speaker 1: for the rich and for those who had comfort enough
• 1:00:30
  Speaker 1: in their own dwellings, it was noticeable that but a
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 1: very scanty sprinkling of worshippers dressed in vile raiment were
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 1: to be seen among the congregations, though there was no
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 1: lack of those who were goodly apparel in gay clothing.
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 1: The fashionable chapel of which Daniel's standing was the chapel keeper,
• 1:00:46
  Speaker 1: was no exception to the general rule, for there were
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 1: no poor to be found in it. There was within
• 1:00:51
  Speaker 1: it every appliance of comfort and style such as could
• 1:00:54
  Speaker 1: give satisfaction to a wealthy congregation. The oak pews were
• 1:00:57
  Speaker 1: high enough for the head of an occasional slumberer to
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 1: repose in his quiet indulgence, and they were well lined
• 1:01:03
  Speaker 1: and carpeted and cushioned. The shades for the lamp toned
• 1:01:07
  Speaker 1: down their light to a clear yet soft luster, and
• 1:01:09
  Speaker 1: the apparatus for heeding the building was of the most
• 1:01:11
  Speaker 1: efficient kind. The crowds who flocked to hear the minister
• 1:01:15
  Speaker 1: were increasing every Sunday, and Daniel Standring had, with some reluctance,
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 1: yielded to the necessity of sharing his office of pew
• 1:01:21
  Speaker 1: opener with a colleague, a man, however, of less dignity
• 1:01:25
  Speaker 1: and solemnity of deportment than himself, and who was quite
• 1:01:27
  Speaker 1: willing to look up to him as superior. Moreover, the
• 1:01:30
  Speaker 1: old members of the church, the carriage people especially, recognized
• 1:01:34
  Speaker 1: him only as their chapel keeper, and entrusted any message
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 1: or any commission to him alone. And he also rechanged
• 1:01:40
  Speaker 1: the charge of attending upon the vestry. The other man
• 1:01:43
  Speaker 1: was no more than a subordinate, and after a while
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 1: he was reconciled to this division of the office. There
• 1:01:49
  Speaker 1: had been two things much talked about among the people
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 1: for some time fast, the first that the Minister himself
• 1:01:55
  Speaker 1: should have a colleague found for him, and the second
• 1:01:57
  Speaker 1: that a large and still more fashionable chapel should be built.
• 1:02:01
  Speaker 1: As to the colleague, there were several difficulties in the way,
• 1:02:04
  Speaker 1: the chief one being to find such a preacher as
• 1:02:06
  Speaker 1: would attract the same congregations as those which came in
• 1:02:09
  Speaker 1: crowds to listen to the minister. For it was found
• 1:02:11
  Speaker 1: that Whenever it was known that he would be absent
• 1:02:13
  Speaker 1: from his pulpit, the numbers dwindled away, until during his
• 1:02:16
  Speaker 1: yearly holiday the chapel would seem almost empty compared to
• 1:02:19
  Speaker 1: the throng, curious and eager listeners who hung upon his words,
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 1: and scarcely dared to sigh over his representations of their
• 1:02:26
  Speaker 1: misery and peril, lest they should miss hearing a single
• 1:02:28
  Speaker 1: syllable of the eloquence which described it. Still, every member
• 1:02:34
  Speaker 1: of the congregation said it was essential that colleagues should
• 1:02:36
  Speaker 1: be found for their beloved pastor before he had quite
• 1:02:39
  Speaker 1: worn himself out, and great blame was thrown back upon
• 1:02:42
  Speaker 1: the small provincial church which five and twenty years ago
• 1:02:45
  Speaker 1: had thrust him a mere youth of twenty, upon the
• 1:02:48
  Speaker 1: exhausting duties of the ministry. As for the second subject,
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 1: it was settled without much difficulty, for only money, not
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 1: a man was wanted, and upon the vestry table there
• 1:02:59
  Speaker 1: was a subscription lists already promising some thousands of pounds,
• 1:03:02
  Speaker 1: and besides it lay the plans for the new chapel,
• 1:03:05
  Speaker 1: drawn up by an eminent architect. The chapel doors had
• 1:03:08
  Speaker 1: been opened by Daniel, and the gas turned down to
• 1:03:11
  Speaker 1: precisely the brilliance and softness with the congregation loved, especially
• 1:03:15
  Speaker 1: the lamps on each out of the pulpit, which shed
• 1:03:17
  Speaker 1: revealing light upon the minister's thoughtful face and upon his
• 1:03:20
  Speaker 1: dark hair just tinged with gray. In the vestry. Jessica
• 1:03:25
  Speaker 1: had just given a final and delicate stroke of dusting,
• 1:03:27
  Speaker 1: and was wiping the large pulpit Bible and hymn book
• 1:03:30
  Speaker 1: with her clean pocket handkerchief, ready for daniel to carry
• 1:03:33
  Speaker 1: up into the pulpit, while the organist was playing the
• 1:03:35
  Speaker 1: opening voluntary, which he did with so solemn and ministerial,
• 1:03:39
  Speaker 1: an aspect that a stranger not accustomed to the etiquette
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 1: of the place might be betrayed into the supposition that
• 1:03:45
  Speaker 1: he was the minister himself. Danielle was waiting now in
• 1:03:49
  Speaker 1: the porch like some faithful steward, ready to receive his
• 1:03:51
  Speaker 1: master's guest, and as carriage after carriage rolled up, almost
• 1:03:54
  Speaker 1: a smile of satisfaction softened his rigid features. The minister's
• 1:03:58
  Speaker 1: children had passed him with a smile and a hen,
• 1:04:00
  Speaker 1: and he had shut the door of their pew in
• 1:04:02
  Speaker 1: the corner, so he knew the minister was come, and
• 1:04:04
  Speaker 1: putting a little additional briskness in his manner. He looked
• 1:04:07
  Speaker 1: out for seats with the strangers who were filling the
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 1: aisles at the same time listening for the first notes
• 1:04:11
  Speaker 1: of the organ. The minister had entered the vestry just
• 1:04:15
  Speaker 1: as Jessica had finished wiping the imaginary dust off the
• 1:04:18
  Speaker 1: Bible in him book, and he drew his chair up
• 1:04:20
  Speaker 1: close to the fire, as if coming through the fog
• 1:04:22
  Speaker 1: had chilled him. He looked sad and downcast on his
• 1:04:25
  Speaker 1: head sank forward upon his breast. For a minute. Jessica
• 1:04:29
  Speaker 1: stood behind his chair in silence, and then she stretched
• 1:04:32
  Speaker 1: out her hand, a small, thin hand still, and laid
• 1:04:35
  Speaker 1: it timidly upon his arm. Jessica said the minister, covering
• 1:04:40
  Speaker 1: her small palm with his scarletly hands.
• 1:04:42
  Speaker 5: I am sorrowful to night, and I have great heaviness
• 1:04:46
  Speaker 5: of heart. Tell me, my child, do you understand what
• 1:04:51
  Speaker 5: I preach about in my pulpit?
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 1: Oh no, no, answered Jessica, shaking her head deprecatingly. Only
• 1:04:58
  Speaker 1: when you say good and Jesus Christen. Have I know
• 1:05:00
  Speaker 1: what you mean by them? Do you, the minister asked,
• 1:05:04
  Speaker 1: with a very tender smile.
• 1:05:06
  Speaker 5: And do I say them often?
• 1:05:08
  Speaker 1: Jessica sometimes I come over and over again, replied Jessica.
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 1: And then I feel very glad because I know what
• 1:05:14
  Speaker 1: you are preaching about. There is always God, yes, sermon,
• 1:05:17
  Speaker 1: but sometimes there is in Jesus Christ and Heaven.
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 5: And what do I mean by God and Jesus Christ
• 1:05:23
  Speaker 5: and Heaven.
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 1: He asked. I don't know anything but what you've taught me,
• 1:05:27
  Speaker 1: said Jessica, folding her brown hands meekly over one another.
• 1:05:31
  Speaker 1: You've told me that God is the father of our souls,
• 1:05:33
  Speaker 1: and Jesus Christ is our elder brother who came down
• 1:05:36
  Speaker 1: from heaven to save us. And evan is that I
• 1:05:38
  Speaker 1: am of God? But we shall all go if we
• 1:05:40
  Speaker 1: love and serve him. I don't know any more than that.
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 1: It is enough, said the minister, lifting up his head
• 1:05:46
  Speaker 1: with a brighter look.
• 1:05:48
  Speaker 5: One soul has learned the truth from me. God bless you, Jessica,
• 1:05:53
  Speaker 5: and keep you in his fear and love for evermore.
• 1:05:58
  Speaker 1: As he spoke, the deep tones of the old again
• 1:06:00
  Speaker 1: fell upon their ears, and the vestry door was opened
• 1:06:02
  Speaker 1: by Daniel, coming for the pulpit books. There was an
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 1: air of solemn pride upon his face, and he bowed
• 1:06:08
  Speaker 1: lower than usual to his minister, there's.
• 1:06:11
  Speaker 2: A fast cush of paople tonight, sir, he said. The
• 1:06:14
  Speaker 2: isles and the galleys are all fool and there's many
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 2: standing and the door. Yet you have to go away,
• 1:06:20
  Speaker 2: for there's no womb.
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 1: The minister covered his face with his hands and shivered
• 1:06:24
  Speaker 1: with the cool no doubt, and Daniel and Jessica were
• 1:06:27
  Speaker 1: leaving the vestry when they were called back by his voice,
• 1:06:29
  Speaker 1: speaking in husky and agitated tones standry, he said.
• 1:06:34
  Speaker 5: I have something of importance to say to you after
• 1:06:37
  Speaker 5: the service this evening, so come back here as soon
• 1:06:40
  Speaker 5: as the congregation is gone, and Jessica, take care to
• 1:06:46
  Speaker 5: sit in your own place where I can see you,
• 1:06:50
  Speaker 5: for I will preach about Jesus Christ and Heaven tonight.
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 1: Jessica answered only by a little nod, and left the
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 1: vestry by a door which did not open into the child.
• 1:07:01
  Speaker 1: In a minute or two afterwards, she was making her
• 1:07:03
  Speaker 1: way up to the crowded aisles to her usual seat
• 1:07:05
  Speaker 1: at the foot of the pulpit steps, where, with her
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 1: head thrown back, her face lifted itself up to the
• 1:07:10
  Speaker 1: minister's gaze. She had just time to settle herself and
• 1:07:13
  Speaker 1: glance at the minister's children who were looking out for her.
• 1:07:16
  Speaker 1: When the last quiet notes of the organ ceased and
• 1:07:18
  Speaker 1: the vestry door opened, the minister mounted the stairs slowly
• 1:07:22
  Speaker 1: and with his head bent down. But as soon as
• 1:07:24
  Speaker 1: he was in the pulpit, he looked round upon the
• 1:07:25
  Speaker 1: faces whose eyes were all fastened upon him. Many of
• 1:07:29
  Speaker 1: the faces he knew and had seen thus upraised to
• 1:07:31
  Speaker 1: him for scores of sundays, And his eyes passed from
• 1:07:34
  Speaker 1: one to another swiftly, but with a distinguishing regard of
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 1: which he had never been conscious before, and their name
• 1:07:39
  Speaker 1: swept across his memory like sudden flashes of light. There
• 1:07:42
  Speaker 1: sat his own children, and his eyes rested fondly upon
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 1: them as they looked up to him, and he smiled
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 1: tenderly to himself. His glance caught the flushed and fervent
• 1:07:51
  Speaker 1: face of Jessica. The sermon he had prepared during the
• 1:07:55
  Speaker 1: week was one of great research and studied oratory, which
• 1:07:58
  Speaker 1: should hold his ears and strained and breathless attention. But
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 1: as he bowed down his head in silent supplication for
• 1:08:03
  Speaker 1: the blessing of God, he said to.
• 1:08:04
  Speaker 5: Himself, I will preach to this people from the saying
• 1:08:08
  Speaker 5: of Christ. He calleth his own sheep by name, and
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 5: leadeth them out.
• 1:08:16
  Speaker 1: End of chapter one, Chapter two of Jessica's Mother by
• 1:08:26
  Speaker 1: Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:08:30
  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:08:34
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter two, It's only a stroke.
• 1:08:40
  Speaker 1: The first part of the service passed by as usual,
• 1:08:43
  Speaker 1: disturbed only by the occasional ruffle of a silk dress
• 1:08:46
  Speaker 1: or the carefully hushed footstep up the aisles of some
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: late comer, and the moment for the prayer. Before the
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 1: sermon was come, every head was bent and a deep
• 1:08:55
  Speaker 1: stillness prevailed, which grew more and more profound as the
• 1:08:58
  Speaker 1: minister's voice still remained silent, as if he was waiting
• 1:09:01
  Speaker 1: until there was no stir or rustle or movement to
• 1:09:04
  Speaker 1: be heard throughout the congregation. There was something awful in
• 1:09:09
  Speaker 1: this solemn pause before his voice was lifted up to God,
• 1:09:12
  Speaker 1: And as it prolonged itself, a sigh it might have
• 1:09:16
  Speaker 1: been from the minister's inmost heart, was heard by those nearest.
• 1:09:19
  Speaker 8: To the pulpit.
• 1:09:21
  Speaker 1: One or two looked up and saw his head bow
• 1:09:23
  Speaker 1: down with the softened light of the lamps falling upon
• 1:09:26
  Speaker 1: the silvery streaks of his hair, and they dropped their
• 1:09:28
  Speaker 1: faces again upon their hands, waiting. Then there ran a
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 1: thrill and a shiver through all the congregation, and here
• 1:09:36
  Speaker 1: and there a sob, which could no longer be repressed,
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 1: broke the laboring silence. After that there were whispers and murmurs,
• 1:09:43
  Speaker 1: and faces lifted up with a vague dread upon them,
• 1:09:46
  Speaker 1: And still the minister did not raise his face from
• 1:09:48
  Speaker 1: the crimson cushion, that his voice might allay the growing agitation.
• 1:09:53
  Speaker 1: His children were looking up at last, and Jessica had
• 1:09:55
  Speaker 1: risen from her knees and was gazing up with eager
• 1:09:58
  Speaker 1: eyes to his drooping head. There was a sir now,
• 1:10:01
  Speaker 1: and the spell of silence was broken, while Jessica, forgetful
• 1:10:05
  Speaker 1: of everything but her deep love for him, ran swiftly
• 1:10:08
  Speaker 1: up the steps and touched him timidly with her hand.
• 1:10:10
  Speaker 1: The minister neither spoke nor moved. The great congregation was
• 1:10:15
  Speaker 1: in tumult, instantly standing up, talking and crying out with
• 1:10:18
  Speaker 1: hysterical sobs, and pushing out of their pews and thronging
• 1:10:21
  Speaker 1: towards the pulpit. In a few minutes, the minister was
• 1:10:24
  Speaker 1: carried down into the vestry, and the congregation gathered about
• 1:10:27
  Speaker 1: the door of it. Some of the chief men belonging
• 1:10:30
  Speaker 1: to the chapel urged the congregation to disperse and return
• 1:10:32
  Speaker 1: to their homes, but they were too much excited to
• 1:10:35
  Speaker 1: leave before it was known what had befallen the minister.
• 1:10:39
  Speaker 1: Jessica pushed her way, being small and nimble and used
• 1:10:42
  Speaker 1: to crowds, through the very door of the vestry, where
• 1:10:45
  Speaker 1: Daniel stood to guard it from being invaded by too
• 1:10:47
  Speaker 1: many strangers. And she waited there beside him till the
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 1: door was opened by a hand bred and a physician
• 1:10:52
  Speaker 1: whispered from within, it is not dead, but a stroke.
• 1:10:55
  Speaker 1: More quickly than the words could be carried from lip
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 1: to lip among the crowd, Jessica glided through the midst
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 1: of the pew, where the minister's children were kneeling with
• 1:11:03
  Speaker 1: arms about one another, sobbing out in articulate prayers to God.
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 1: She stood for a moment beside them, scarcely knowing what
• 1:11:09
  Speaker 1: to say. And as she fell down on her knees
• 1:11:11
  Speaker 1: by Winnie and put her lips close to her ear,
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 1: Miss Whinney, she said, with a trembling voice. The doctor says,
• 1:11:17
  Speaker 1: it's nothing but a stroke. He hasn't taken at us,
• 1:11:19
  Speaker 1: Miss Jane. It's only a stroke. The children started up
• 1:11:23
  Speaker 1: eagerly and cut Jessica's hands, clinging to her as someone
• 1:11:26
  Speaker 1: older and wiser than themselves. They had had no bitter
• 1:11:29
  Speaker 1: taste of life's troubles before this, for their mother had
• 1:11:31
  Speaker 1: been taken from them before they were old enough to
• 1:11:33
  Speaker 1: understand their loss, and their lives had been tenderly, smooth
• 1:11:36
  Speaker 1: and cared for. That Jessica should bring them some intelligence
• 1:11:39
  Speaker 1: and consolation, and their sudden panic of dread invested her
• 1:11:42
  Speaker 1: with a kind of superiority, so now they looked to
• 1:11:45
  Speaker 1: her as one who could help and counsel them.
• 1:11:47
  Speaker 4: What is a stroke, Jessica.
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 1: Asked Jane, looking imploringly towards her with her white face.
• 1:11:53
  Speaker 1: I don't hardly know, answered Jessica. I know it strikes
• 1:11:56
  Speaker 1: used to be when I lived with mother, But this
• 1:11:57
  Speaker 1: is different, Miss Jane. This stroke comes from God, and
• 1:12:00
  Speaker 1: it cannot be very bad. The children were all three
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 1: of them silent after Jessica had spoken, but each one
• 1:12:06
  Speaker 1: of them was gathering comfort and strength from her words.
• 1:12:09
  Speaker 1: Was a stroke which had come from God and therefore
• 1:12:11
  Speaker 1: it could not be very bad. No one had seen
• 1:12:13
  Speaker 1: it fall. No one had known that the father's hand
• 1:12:16
  Speaker 1: was lifted up to strike, and that it had come
• 1:12:18
  Speaker 1: down softly and gently, only hushing the voice and shutting
• 1:12:21
  Speaker 1: up the gateway of the senses. Now that it was known,
• 1:12:24
  Speaker 1: the chapel was gradually emptying as the congregation ran away,
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 1: and Jane and Winnie, feeling calmed and strengthened, were ready
• 1:12:31
  Speaker 1: to listen to their nurse, who was now anxious to
• 1:12:33
  Speaker 1: take them home.
• 1:12:33
  Speaker 3: Diy, Jessica, come home with us, nurse.
• 1:12:36
  Speaker 1: Said Winnie, who still held Jessica's hand between both her own.
• 1:12:40
  Speaker 1: The nurse consented willingly. In a few minutes, they were
• 1:12:43
  Speaker 1: walking homewards, one on each side of Jessica. They felt
• 1:12:46
  Speaker 1: strangely bewildered still, but Jessica was like a guide to them,
• 1:12:50
  Speaker 1: leading them through the fog and over the slimy crossings
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 1: with familiar confidence, until they reached the door of the
• 1:12:55
  Speaker 1: minister's house, where she hung back shyly, as if not
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: meaning to go in with them.
• 1:13:00
  Speaker 3: You mustn't leave us yet.
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 1: Cried Winnie impetuously.
• 1:13:03
  Speaker 3: Papa is not come home, and I'm a little bit
• 1:13:06
  Speaker 3: afraid aren't you afraid, Jessica.
• 1:13:10
  Speaker 1: No, answered Jessica cheerfully. It can't be anything dreadful bad.
• 1:13:13
  Speaker 4: You must come in and stay with us.
• 1:13:16
  Speaker 1: Said Jane, the colmsdateness of her manner, a little shaken
• 1:13:19
  Speaker 1: by her fears.
• 1:13:20
  Speaker 4: Nurse, we will take Jessica into Papa's study till he
• 1:13:23
  Speaker 4: comes home.
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 1: The children went quietly upstairs to the study and sat
• 1:13:27
  Speaker 1: down by the fire, which was burning brightly, as if
• 1:13:30
  Speaker 1: waiting to welcome the minister's return. After the labors of
• 1:13:33
  Speaker 1: the day. The minister had gathered about him many books,
• 1:13:37
  Speaker 1: so that every part of the large room was filled
• 1:13:38
  Speaker 1: with them. On the table lay those which he had
• 1:13:42
  Speaker 1: been studying during the week while he was preparing his
• 1:13:44
  Speaker 1: elaborate sermon, which was to have astonished and electrified even
• 1:13:47
  Speaker 1: his accustomed hearers. And upon the desk there were scattered
• 1:13:50
  Speaker 1: about the slips of paper upon which he had jotted
• 1:13:52
  Speaker 1: down some of the profound thoughts which only a few
• 1:13:54
  Speaker 1: of his people could comprehend. But upon the chimney piece
• 1:13:58
  Speaker 1: at the end where his easy chair was placed, and
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 1: close to his hand, lay a small pocket bible so
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 1: worn with munch reading that there was no book in
• 1:14:06
  Speaker 1: his study like it. The troubled children sitting on the
• 1:14:10
  Speaker 1: hearth knew nothing of the profound and scholarly volumes on
• 1:14:12
  Speaker 1: the table, but they were familiar with the Little Bible,
• 1:14:15
  Speaker 1: and Winnie, taking in her hand, lifted it to her
• 1:14:18
  Speaker 1: lips and kissed it fondly.
• 1:14:20
  Speaker 3: Papa always used to read and talk to us on
• 1:14:22
  Speaker 3: Sunday night after we had come home, she said, sorrowfully,
• 1:14:26
  Speaker 3: speaking already as if the custom was one long past
• 1:14:29
  Speaker 3: which could never be resumed.
• 1:14:31
  Speaker 4: Does a stroke last long, Jessica.
• 1:14:34
  Speaker 1: Inquired Jane, with a look of deep anxiety. I'm not sure,
• 1:14:38
  Speaker 1: answered Jessica. Mother's strokes were sharp and soon over, but
• 1:14:42
  Speaker 1: the smart lasted a long while. Maybe the stroke is
• 1:14:44
  Speaker 1: not over, but perhaps the smart will last a little while.
• 1:14:48
  Speaker 1: God knows, yes, said Jane, the tears standing in her eyes.
• 1:14:53
  Speaker 4: And God knows what is best for Papa and us.
• 1:14:56
  Speaker 4: We've known that for a long time, but now we
• 1:14:59
  Speaker 4: must believe it with our hearts.
• 1:15:01
  Speaker 3: Believing is a deal, how to their knowing.
• 1:15:03
  Speaker 1: Remarked Winnie with a look wonderfully like her father's, and
• 1:15:07
  Speaker 1: the three children were silent again, their minds full of thought,
• 1:15:10
  Speaker 1: while they listened for the minister's returned to his home.
• 1:15:14
  Speaker 1: End of chapter two. Chapter three of Jessica's First Prayer
• 1:15:23
  Speaker 1: by Hesbe Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 1:15:28
  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 1:15:32
  Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter three, Jessica's Mother.
• 1:15:41
  Speaker 1: They were heavy steps which the listening children heard at
• 1:15:43
  Speaker 1: last in the hall below, and upon the staircase the
• 1:15:46
  Speaker 1: sounds of carrying a helpless burden up the stairs, and
• 1:15:49
  Speaker 1: Jane and Winnie pressed closer to Jessica, who looked from
• 1:15:52
  Speaker 1: one to the other with an air of tender encouragement.
• 1:15:55
  Speaker 1: As the sounds drew nearer, they crept by one impulse
• 1:15:58
  Speaker 1: to the door and opening it a little way, and
• 1:16:00
  Speaker 1: they saw their father's face as he was carried past them,
• 1:16:02
  Speaker 1: pale but peaceful, with the eyelids closed, as if you
• 1:16:05
  Speaker 1: were in a deep sleep. Jessica's quick eyes detected Daniel
• 1:16:09
  Speaker 1: standing in the darkness at the end of the passage,
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 1: and as soon as the sad possession had passed into
• 1:16:13
  Speaker 1: the minister's chamber and the door was shut, she darted
• 1:16:16
  Speaker 1: out and led him eagerly to the study. Oh standing
• 1:16:19
  Speaker 1: cried Jane and Winnie in one breath, tell.
• 1:16:21
  Speaker 4: Us anything about Papa.
• 1:16:24
  Speaker 2: Come come, he needing to be fined by the.
• 1:16:27
  Speaker 1: Ways, answered Daniel soothingly.
• 1:16:30
  Speaker 2: Please God, your papa will be all white again in
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 2: a weeg or two, didn't say. He's been studying too
• 1:16:36
  Speaker 2: much to make his grand sermons, and he hasn't given
• 1:16:39
  Speaker 2: his brain west enough. But they'll come all wide again
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 2: by and by. Oh, I don't know whatever will become
• 1:16:46
  Speaker 2: of the chapel.
• 1:16:47
  Speaker 1: He won't die, murmured Jane.
• 1:16:50
  Speaker 8: With quivering lips.
• 1:16:51
  Speaker 2: Die.
• 1:16:52
  Speaker 8: Oh no, said Daniel.
• 1:16:54
  Speaker 2: Why, my dear, you're all of a tremble. It would
• 1:16:58
  Speaker 2: be the best for you to go to bed, for
• 1:17:01
  Speaker 2: you can't do any good sitting up.
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 1: Dandging, said Winnie.
• 1:17:05
  Speaker 3: I wish she'd let Jessica stay all night with us.
• 1:17:08
  Speaker 3: She could sleep at the nurse and our room is
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 3: inside nurses and if we leave the door abin, we
• 1:17:15
  Speaker 3: could talk to one another.
• 1:17:17
  Speaker 2: She may stay in welcome if nursikes.
• 1:17:19
  Speaker 1: Miss Whinnie, answered Daniel, And as the nurse was anxious
• 1:17:22
  Speaker 1: for her children to feel their new sorrow as lightly
• 1:17:24
  Speaker 1: as possible, she was glad to grant their request. So
• 1:17:28
  Speaker 1: after a while it happened that Daniel was wending his
• 1:17:31
  Speaker 1: way alone through the fog and the damp of the
• 1:17:33
  Speaker 1: streets towards the little house in a quiet and respectable
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 1: sort of court, where for the last three years he
• 1:17:38
  Speaker 1: had dwelt with his adopted child. His mind had been
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 1: fully occupied with the strange events of the night and
• 1:17:44
  Speaker 1: the paralysis of his stricken master. But now that he
• 1:17:46
  Speaker 1: was alone and his thoughts were free to return to
• 1:17:48
  Speaker 1: his own affairs, they suddenly recalled to him the minister's
• 1:17:51
  Speaker 1: last words to himself. What could it be of such
• 1:17:55
  Speaker 1: importance that he had to say to him when the
• 1:17:57
  Speaker 1: evening service was finished. His brain had been busy with guesses,
• 1:18:02
  Speaker 1: in spite of his conscience, during the singing of the hymns,
• 1:18:05
  Speaker 1: and even during the first prayer, when he stood at
• 1:18:07
  Speaker 1: the chapel door to arrest the entrance of any latecomer
• 1:18:10
  Speaker 1: until it should be ended. Something of importance, And now
• 1:18:13
  Speaker 1: the Minister could not reveal it to him. He knew
• 1:18:17
  Speaker 1: that at a private committee meeting during the week, a
• 1:18:19
  Speaker 1: plan had been proposed for erecting a small residence close
• 1:18:21
  Speaker 1: to the new chapel and school rooms, where the chapel
• 1:18:24
  Speaker 1: keeper might dwell, And it had been suggested that his
• 1:18:27
  Speaker 1: salary should be raised to such a sum as would
• 1:18:29
  Speaker 1: free him from the necessity of seeking any other employment.
• 1:18:33
  Speaker 1: In fact, the care of the chapel would be work enough,
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 1: for it was to be very large and magnificent, and
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 1: already his duties filled up four clear days of the week.
• 1:18:42
  Speaker 1: Could it be to speak about this? His minister had
• 1:18:45
  Speaker 1: desired him to come into his vestry immediately after the
• 1:18:47
  Speaker 1: congregation had departed, But it was not so much the
• 1:18:51
  Speaker 1: minister's business as that of the chief men belonging to
• 1:18:53
  Speaker 1: the church. Could it be anything about Jessica? It did
• 1:18:57
  Speaker 1: not seem very likely. Yet the minister was very partial
• 1:19:00
  Speaker 1: to Jessica, had always seemed pleased to see her about
• 1:19:02
  Speaker 1: the vestry, and he was talking to her very kindly.
• 1:19:05
  Speaker 1: When Daniel went to fetch the pulpit books. It was
• 1:19:08
  Speaker 1: a hard thing to pacify his awaking curiosity, and he
• 1:19:11
  Speaker 1: supposed nobody could satisfy it but the minister himself. How
• 1:19:14
  Speaker 1: long was the stroke? Like little last? Daniel was asking
• 1:19:18
  Speaker 1: himself this question, which neither he nor any one else
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 1: could answer. Just as he reached the door of his dwelling,
• 1:19:25
  Speaker 1: there was a dim light from a lamp at the
• 1:19:27
  Speaker 1: entrance of the court, and there was the red gleam
• 1:19:29
  Speaker 1: of his own fire shining upon the white window blind within,
• 1:19:33
  Speaker 1: so that he could distinguish pretty plainly the figure of
• 1:19:35
  Speaker 1: a person which looked more like a heap of rags,
• 1:19:37
  Speaker 1: crouching upon his door. Still a tattered coat was tied
• 1:19:41
  Speaker 1: round the neck by the sleeves, and an old brimless
• 1:19:43
  Speaker 1: hat was drawn over the back of the head. But
• 1:19:45
  Speaker 1: the tangled hair which hung in ragged locks over the
• 1:19:48
  Speaker 1: face was too long for a man's, and as he
• 1:19:50
  Speaker 1: stooped down to look more closely, it was certainly a
• 1:19:52
  Speaker 1: woman's face which was turned towards him.
• 1:19:54
  Speaker 2: Come come, he said. You've no business here, he though,
• 1:20:00
  Speaker 2: so you'd better get up and go home. You don't
• 1:20:02
  Speaker 2: belong to this place, and you've made a mistake going here.
• 1:20:06
  Speaker 2: This is my house.
• 1:20:08
  Speaker 1: He had his key in his hand, ready to let
• 1:20:10
  Speaker 1: himself in, where the comfortable fire was waiting for him,
• 1:20:13
  Speaker 1: but he could not open the door until the miserable
• 1:20:15
  Speaker 1: creature had moved, And though she raised herself a little,
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 1: she did not get up on her feet.
• 1:20:19
  Speaker 6: I don't belong to any place.
• 1:20:21
  Speaker 1: She answered, suddenly, yet fiercely.
• 1:20:23
  Speaker 6: And I haven't made mistake in coming here. You're Daniel standring,
• 1:20:26
  Speaker 6: and I'm Jessica's mother.
• 1:20:28
  Speaker 1: Daniel reeled Forernston as if he had been struck by
• 1:20:30
  Speaker 1: a very heavy blow. He had long ago ceased to
• 1:20:33
  Speaker 1: trouble himself about Jessica's mother or to dread her reappearance,
• 1:20:36
  Speaker 1: and the minister had assured him that if she should
• 1:20:39
  Speaker 1: ever return to reclaim her daughter, he would use all
• 1:20:41
  Speaker 1: his influence to prepare Jessica from her, as being an
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 1: unfit person at the training of a child. The woman
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 1: was standing up now, but leaning her back against his door,
• 1:20:50
  Speaker 1: snapping her fingers at him, with her face stretched out,
• 1:20:52
  Speaker 1: with a glare of angry defiance in her bright eyes,
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 1: which sparkled.
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 8: Through the gloom.
• 1:20:57
  Speaker 1: I nearly have the door down, she said, with a
• 1:20:59
  Speaker 1: horse laugh.
• 1:21:00
  Speaker 6: Till all your neighbors came out to see what was
• 1:21:02
  Speaker 6: the matter, and I scared them in again. The police
• 1:21:05
  Speaker 6: himself turned tail like a coward.
• 1:21:07
  Speaker 1: And she laughed again, so loud that the quiet court
• 1:21:10
  Speaker 1: seemed to ring with the sound, and a door two
• 1:21:12
  Speaker 1: was cautiously opened, and Daniel saw his neighbors peeping out,
• 1:21:16
  Speaker 1: all of them decent people who held him in respect
• 1:21:18
  Speaker 1: of the chapel keeper of so fashionable a chapel. I
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 1: want my daughter, she cried, and high shrill tones, My Jessica,
• 1:21:25
  Speaker 1: my daughter, where is she?
• 1:21:27
  Speaker 6: You scoundrel?
• 1:21:28
  Speaker 1: Come now, then answered Daniel, emboldened by the advance of
• 1:21:31
  Speaker 1: two or three of the men who came up to
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 1: form a flank of defense or resistance.
• 1:21:36
  Speaker 2: This bear, if you're want to do, Jessica isn't dear,
• 1:21:39
  Speaker 2: so you bears, take yourself off. I won't give it
• 1:21:42
  Speaker 2: out to you if she will see you. But she
• 1:21:45
  Speaker 2: isn't dear, and there's an end of it.
• 1:21:47
  Speaker 1: The woman seated herself once more upon the sill and
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 1: leaned her head against the doorpost. If you go in,
• 1:21:52
  Speaker 1: I go in, she said doggedly. And if I stay out,
• 1:21:55
  Speaker 1: you stay out. I want my Jessica. It was an
• 1:21:59
  Speaker 1: embarrassing position for Daniel. He did not like to resort
• 1:22:02
  Speaker 1: to force in order to enter his house for several reasons. First,
• 1:22:05
  Speaker 1: and chiefly, he was now too sincere a Christian to
• 1:22:08
  Speaker 1: choose any violent or ungentle measures. But besides this, the
• 1:22:11
  Speaker 1: person before him was a woman and the mother of Jessica,
• 1:22:15
  Speaker 1: and he himself was in a softened mood from the
• 1:22:17
  Speaker 1: excitement and sorrow of the evening. He stretched out his
• 1:22:20
  Speaker 1: arm and fitted the key into the lock. But before
• 1:22:22
  Speaker 1: he turned it, he looked as closely as he could
• 1:22:24
  Speaker 1: through the gloom, into the woman's face.
• 1:22:26
  Speaker 2: You're not chunk, are you, he said?
• 1:22:29
  Speaker 6: Neither something nor drop us passed my lips today, she.
• 1:22:32
  Speaker 1: Answered, with a groan of suffering.
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 2: Well, well, come in, said Daniel, and you too, mister books,
• 1:22:38
  Speaker 2: if he prays, I'm not myself at all tonight, and
• 1:22:42
  Speaker 2: is it on me to f somebody to pugby? Come in?
• 1:22:46
  Speaker 1: He opened the door into a neat and comfortable room,
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 1: where everything was arranged with scrupulous order, for he was
• 1:22:52
  Speaker 1: an orderly man by nature, and Jessica had already the
• 1:22:55
  Speaker 1: thrifty habits of the housekeeper. The bar had been well
• 1:22:58
  Speaker 1: raked over with small coals, for he and Jessica started
• 1:23:01
  Speaker 1: her chapel, and now it was a bank of glowing embers.
• 1:23:05
  Speaker 1: The woman and tottered across to the hearth and flung
• 1:23:07
  Speaker 1: herself into Daniel's armchair. They could see now how wan
• 1:23:10
  Speaker 1: and hollow her face was, with the cheeks fallen in
• 1:23:13
  Speaker 1: and the burning eyes sunk deep into the head, while
• 1:23:16
  Speaker 1: as she stretched out her thin and yellow hands over
• 1:23:18
  Speaker 1: the fire, the red bleams shone through them. The poor
• 1:23:22
  Speaker 1: tatter she wore were limp and dank with fog, and
• 1:23:24
  Speaker 1: the slippers into which her naked feet were thrust were
• 1:23:27
  Speaker 1: worn out of the toes so as to give free
• 1:23:29
  Speaker 1: inlet to the mud of the pavement. Daniel regarded her
• 1:23:32
  Speaker 1: in silence for a minute or two. Then he passed
• 1:23:35
  Speaker 1: on into a small kitchen at the back, and returned
• 1:23:36
  Speaker 1: quickly with some bread and cheese and some coffee, which
• 1:23:39
  Speaker 1: he warmed up in a little saucepan. She drank the
• 1:23:42
  Speaker 1: coffee eagerly, but she could not swallow more than a
• 1:23:44
  Speaker 1: mouthful or two of the bread.
• 1:23:46
  Speaker 6: Missus Jessica's home.
• 1:23:47
  Speaker 1: She said, when she was revived A little A very.
• 1:23:50
  Speaker 6: Comfortable home too. Eh. But I'm a lucky mother, and
• 1:23:54
  Speaker 6: she's a lucky girl. Will she be in tonight, mister Standring.
• 1:23:57
  Speaker 8: No, answered Daniel shortly.
• 1:24:00
  Speaker 6: Huell, I can make myself comfortable.
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 1: She said, with a laugh that made Daniel shiver.
• 1:24:06
  Speaker 6: I dare say her bed is softer than any I've
• 1:24:08
  Speaker 6: slept on of late last night I slipped under a
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 6: scaffolding on some shavings. Don't put yourself.
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 1: Out about me.
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 6: I can make myself comfortable.
• 1:24:15
  Speaker 2: But you cannot stay here whole night, replied.
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: Daniel decisively, And why not, she rejoined.
• 1:24:22
  Speaker 6: I suppose I'm as good as my daughter. Ah, she'll
• 1:24:25
  Speaker 6: never be the woman I've been. I rode in my
• 1:24:28
  Speaker 6: carriage once, man, I can tell you. And what should
• 1:24:31
  Speaker 6: hinder me staying at night or a week or a
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 6: month in your paltry little house. No, no, you'll not
• 1:24:35
  Speaker 6: see my back to night. I promise you.
• 1:24:38
  Speaker 2: I won't give you a nice watching for five shillings,
• 1:24:40
  Speaker 2: said Daniel hastily.
• 1:24:42
  Speaker 6: I'm not going to give you five falkings for.
• 1:24:44
  Speaker 1: It, said the woman, southing herself in his armchair with
• 1:24:47
  Speaker 1: an arab impudent defiance.
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 6: Jessica's home is my home. If you turn me out out,
• 1:24:51
  Speaker 6: she goes with me.
• 1:24:53
  Speaker 1: Daniel drew his neighbor aside into the kitchen, where he
• 1:24:55
  Speaker 1: consulted with him in whispers while he kept his eye
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 1: upon his terrible visitor through the open door.
• 1:25:00
  Speaker 2: What am I to do.
• 1:25:01
  Speaker 1: With her, he asked.
• 1:25:02
  Speaker 2: I won't have her stop here for anything. Chess Ga
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 2: is staying all nights with the Messus children, but she'll
• 1:25:08
  Speaker 2: come back tomorrow whatever I'm to do.
• 1:25:12
  Speaker 1: Give her some money to go away, answered Brooks, and
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 1: after a little heavy hearted hesitation, Daniel resolved to act
• 1:25:20
  Speaker 1: upon his advice. He returned into his comfortable little parlor,
• 1:25:24
  Speaker 1: which in some way had never looked, even to himself,
• 1:25:26
  Speaker 1: so comfortable and pleasant, and he addressed his visitor with
• 1:25:29
  Speaker 1: a determined and resolute aspect.
• 1:25:32
  Speaker 2: Now he said, if it won't go away peaceable, I'll
• 1:25:36
  Speaker 2: send for a Poysmand as short as I'm the chuble
• 1:25:39
  Speaker 2: keyboard Saint John's chubbel, I don't want to be found
• 1:25:42
  Speaker 2: with you. Find a Christian man, but I don't know
• 1:25:45
  Speaker 2: what a chrishiman is bound to give you a watching
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 2: in his own house as your wife. I think it wasn't.
• 1:25:51
  Speaker 2: But if you will go away quite it was shame
• 1:25:53
  Speaker 2: to pray for being bursels this ill can do? Or say?
• 1:25:57
  Speaker 2: Is that or the police?
• 1:25:59
  Speaker 1: The woman deliberated for a few minutes, looking hard into
• 1:26:02
  Speaker 1: Daniel's face, but there was no sign of irresolution or
• 1:26:05
  Speaker 1: relenting upon his grave features. And at last she raised
• 1:26:08
  Speaker 1: herself slowly and wearily from the chair and dragged her
• 1:26:12
  Speaker 1: slipshod feet across the floor towards him. She took the
• 1:26:15
  Speaker 1: shillings sullenly from his hand, and without a word, passed
• 1:26:18
  Speaker 1: into the cold and damp of the streets, while Daniel
• 1:26:21
  Speaker 1: watched her unsteady steps down the court with a feeling
• 1:26:23
  Speaker 1: of relief. But when Brooks was gone and the door
• 1:26:27
  Speaker 1: was locked for the night, and the agreeable warmth of
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 1: the fire wrapped round him, he could not keep his
• 1:26:32
  Speaker 1: thoughts from wondering where the wretched woman had found a shelter.
• 1:26:35
  Speaker 1: His mind also looked onwards with misgiving, to the future
• 1:26:37
  Speaker 1: which lay immediately before him and Jessica. And again he
• 1:26:42
  Speaker 1: lamented on his own account that he could not go
• 1:26:43
  Speaker 1: for counsel to Jessica's other friend. The minister had been
• 1:26:46
  Speaker 1: stricken into silence and unconsciousness, even concerning interest deal nearer
• 1:26:50
  Speaker 1: and dearer to his heart. End of chapter three four
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 1: of Jessica's Mother by Hesb's Stretton. This is the LibriVox recording.
• 1:27:05
  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 1:27:08
  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter
• 1:27:13
  Speaker 1: four Jessica's Choice. Early the next morning, Daniel went to
• 1:27:19
  Speaker 1: the Minister's house, half hoping that he should hear that
• 1:27:22
  Speaker 1: the malady of the night before had been only a
• 1:27:24
  Speaker 1: temporary insensibility from which he had recovered. But the Minister
• 1:27:29
  Speaker 1: lay in the same state of unconsciousness and showed no
• 1:27:31
  Speaker 1: sign of returning life. The nurse told him that a
• 1:27:34
  Speaker 1: ragged and miserable woman who called herself Jessica's mother, had
• 1:27:37
  Speaker 1: seen him during the Sunday afternoon, held a long conversation
• 1:27:40
  Speaker 1: with him, after which he had ordered some food to
• 1:27:43
  Speaker 1: be given her in the kitchen. This, then, no doubt,
• 1:27:46
  Speaker 1: was the subject upon which the Minister whished to speak
• 1:27:48
  Speaker 1: to Daniel, and the latter felt more than ever lost
• 1:27:50
  Speaker 1: in doubt as to what he ought to do, as
• 1:27:52
  Speaker 1: it was now impossible to hear the advice which his
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 1: master had intended to give him. He walked thoughtfully towards
• 1:27:59
  Speaker 1: the chapteral with Jessica beside him, scarcely knowing how to
• 1:28:02
  Speaker 1: break the news to her. He was a little sad
• 1:28:04
  Speaker 1: and less talkative than usual, and her small hand was
• 1:28:07
  Speaker 1: thrust lovingly into his own, as if she felt that
• 1:28:10
  Speaker 1: it was needful to assure herself that it could return
• 1:28:12
  Speaker 1: her warm grasp. When they opened the vestry door, and
• 1:28:17
  Speaker 1: going in saw all the confusion which bore testimony of
• 1:28:19
  Speaker 1: the last night's calamity. Daniel drew the child closer to
• 1:28:22
  Speaker 1: him with his arm, and, bending down, stiffly kissed her
• 1:28:25
  Speaker 1: uplifted face. He isn't going to die, said Jessica with
• 1:28:29
  Speaker 1: a trembling voice. He is only resting himself, the doctor says,
• 1:28:32
  Speaker 1: and then he will know us again and speak to us.
• 1:28:34
  Speaker 1: So to think, cried Daniel, in mournful amazement.
• 1:28:39
  Speaker 2: That he should have spoken fast and safas the word say.
• 1:28:42
  Speaker 2: Millions us guests give an air to him, though I'd
• 1:28:46
  Speaker 2: almost offer gone and game for every word he could
• 1:28:48
  Speaker 2: speak to me, Ah, Jessica, so that he spoke pretty
• 1:28:54
  Speaker 2: short and simple. I'd give a gain a word if
• 1:28:56
  Speaker 2: he could tell me what I ought to do.
• 1:28:59
  Speaker 1: Do you want? Do you say something particular?
• 1:29:01
  Speaker 8: Asked Jessica.
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 2: Aye, pay particular.
• 1:29:05
  Speaker 1: Answer, Daniel, couldn't you ask God, suggested Jessica. Well, he
• 1:29:10
  Speaker 1: answered doubtfully.
• 1:29:11
  Speaker 2: Of course I could. But then there's no direct answer
• 1:29:15
  Speaker 2: which I couldn't mistake. My aun't used to own the
• 1:29:18
  Speaker 2: Bible and take the first So she sell eyes on
• 1:29:20
  Speaker 2: for answer and fair quick answers they were. Sometimes I'm
• 1:29:24
  Speaker 2: not good enough yet to expect a fair quick answer
• 1:29:27
  Speaker 2: to my prayers.
• 1:29:28
  Speaker 1: Jessica made no answer, for Daniel's mode of reasoning was
• 1:29:31
  Speaker 1: a little secure to her, but she set to work
• 1:29:33
  Speaker 1: to put the scattered chairs in order, while Daniel looked
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 1: on with loving but troubled eyes.
• 1:29:39
  Speaker 2: Jessica, he said, the two I'd like to talk to
• 1:29:42
  Speaker 2: him about is that you momust come back again.
• 1:29:45
  Speaker 1: She started and looked at him with great, wide open
• 1:29:48
  Speaker 1: eyes of amazement and terror, while her face quivered and
• 1:29:51
  Speaker 1: she twitched her small shoulders a little, as if already
• 1:29:54
  Speaker 1: shrinking from a blow. But the expression of pain and
• 1:29:57
  Speaker 1: fear passed away quickly. I know her face was pale
• 1:30:00
  Speaker 1: at smile came upon. It doesn't God know that mothers
• 1:30:03
  Speaker 1: come back? She asked. There was no need for Daniel
• 1:30:06
  Speaker 1: to answer her question, but he turned it over and
• 1:30:09
  Speaker 1: over again in his own mind like something very much
• 1:30:11
  Speaker 1: like doubt. It seemed as if it would have been
• 1:30:14
  Speaker 1: so much better, especially at this crisis, for Jessica's mother
• 1:30:17
  Speaker 1: to remain absent. That it was as if God had
• 1:30:19
  Speaker 1: given up his particular providence over the affairs of insignificant
• 1:30:23
  Speaker 1: people like himself and Jessica. It would be no wonder
• 1:30:26
  Speaker 1: if amid all the affairs of the hosts of angels
• 1:30:28
  Speaker 1: and the myriads of worlds, of which she had a
• 1:30:30
  Speaker 1: vague idea that God should overlook a little matter like
• 1:30:33
  Speaker 1: the tramping to and fro of a drunken woman. It
• 1:30:36
  Speaker 1: was a saddening thought, but Daniel was in the mood
• 1:30:38
  Speaker 1: to cherish it. Do you know where my mother, raised,
• 1:30:41
  Speaker 1: asked Jessica.
• 1:30:42
  Speaker 8: No dearly answer, Daniel.
• 1:30:45
  Speaker 2: I gave her a showing what decided to pay for
• 1:30:47
  Speaker 2: watching in prefast. She told me she'd add nothing to
• 1:30:50
  Speaker 2: idle chring all day, But the nurse said she'd been
• 1:30:53
  Speaker 2: to see the man say yesterday and a good meal.
• 1:30:56
  Speaker 2: She's sure to come again.
• 1:30:58
  Speaker 1: She sure to come again, echoed Jessica, and so continued Daniel.
• 1:31:03
  Speaker 2: Listen me, ever, agreed, you'd better stay with the young
• 1:31:06
  Speaker 2: ways for a bit. Al do I like to I
• 1:31:09
  Speaker 2: can see how I can sail with your MafA. You'd
• 1:31:12
  Speaker 2: be good to stay with Jessie Winny. Jessica, yes, she.
• 1:31:16
  Speaker 1: Answered, her face quivering again as if she could scarcely
• 1:31:19
  Speaker 1: keep herself from crying.
• 1:31:20
  Speaker 2: But I like to see my mother see your MafA.
• 1:31:23
  Speaker 1: Repeated Daniel, with unfeigned astonishment.
• 1:31:26
  Speaker 2: What differ for Jessica.
• 1:31:28
  Speaker 1: She's my mother, replied Jessica, and the Lord Jesus Christ
• 1:31:31
  Speaker 1: had a mother. Oh, I'd like to see her again
• 1:31:34
  Speaker 1: and tell her about God and Jesus Christ in heaven.
• 1:31:37
  Speaker 1: Perhaps she'd become a good woman. She could control herself
• 1:31:40
  Speaker 1: no longer, And throwing herself on her knees before the
• 1:31:42
  Speaker 1: minister's chair, she hid her face in her hands, and
• 1:31:45
  Speaker 1: Daniel heard that amidst her sobs, she was murmuring some
• 1:31:48
  Speaker 1: prayer to God for her mother. This was a new
• 1:31:51
  Speaker 1: perplexity that Jessica should wish to see her cruel and
• 1:31:53
  Speaker 1: hard hearted mother. But there was something in it which
• 1:31:56
  Speaker 1: he could neither blame nor gainsay. He would rather have
• 1:31:59
  Speaker 1: kept Jessica in safety at the minister's house than have
• 1:32:01
  Speaker 1: exposed her to the frequent and violent visits of the
• 1:32:04
  Speaker 1: drunken woman to his own little dwelling. But if Jessica
• 1:32:06
  Speaker 1: decided otherwise, he would not oppose her. His house did
• 1:32:09
  Speaker 1: not seem the same place without her presence in it.
• 1:32:12
  Speaker 2: Jiss for yourself, dearly.
• 1:32:13
  Speaker 8: He said, very gently.
• 1:32:15
  Speaker 2: Come home with me, and one the chance of him
• 1:32:17
  Speaker 2: ever coming again. Soon, I'll go back to Bischaine. Whinnie,
• 1:32:21
  Speaker 2: who are so fond of you, who were every face fine,
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 2: and you'll be in such good code. Jist for yourself.
• 1:32:28
  Speaker 1: I'll go home with you, said Jessica, getting up from
• 1:32:31
  Speaker 1: her knees with a cheerful smile. I couldn't think this
• 1:32:33
  Speaker 1: morning he'd sweep the kitchen and get the breakfast. I'd
• 1:32:36
  Speaker 1: rather go home with you, if you please. It was
• 1:32:38
  Speaker 1: impossible for Daniel not to be gratified at Jessica's choice,
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 1: however troubled he might be with the idea of her
• 1:32:43
  Speaker 1: mother's disturbance of their peace, for home was not home
• 1:32:46
  Speaker 1: without her. They kept very near to one another all
• 1:32:49
  Speaker 1: day at their work, and it was late at night
• 1:32:51
  Speaker 1: before they returned home, for they found no one sitting
• 1:32:54
  Speaker 1: upon the doorsteps, as Daniel timorously expected, but their neighbor Brooks,
• 1:32:58
  Speaker 1: informed them that Jessica's mother had been sought and crying
• 1:33:00
  Speaker 1: for the closed door during a great part of the evening.
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 1: End of chapter four. Chapter five of Jessica's Mother by
• 1:33:14
  Speaker 1: Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:33:19
  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:33:23
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter five, how a Christian
• 1:33:28
  Speaker 1: ought to act. Daniel was very anxious that Jessica should
• 1:33:32
  Speaker 1: not be exposed to her mother's violence at any time
• 1:33:34
  Speaker 1: during his absence, when he would not be there to
• 1:33:36
  Speaker 1: protect her from any ill usage, and as he was
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 1: almost constantly engaged with chapel affairs for the next two
• 1:33:42
  Speaker 1: or three days, he and Jessica were never at home
• 1:33:45
  Speaker 1: until late in the evening. But upon Thursday night, as
• 1:33:48
  Speaker 1: they turned into the court, Jessica's quick eye caught a
• 1:33:51
  Speaker 1: woman's figure leaning against the doorpost of their house. She
• 1:33:54
  Speaker 1: stood still for an instant, clasping Daniel's hand with close
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 1: and timid grasp, and then quitting him to She ran
• 1:34:00
  Speaker 1: forward and stretching out both her hands, almost as if
• 1:34:02
  Speaker 1: she wished to throw herself into her mother's arms. She cried, Mother, Mother.
• 1:34:06
  Speaker 1: The woman laughed loudly and shrilly, and flung her shriveled
• 1:34:09
  Speaker 1: arms about Jessica, fondling her with a maudlin fondness. Jessica
• 1:34:13
  Speaker 1: drew back sorrowfully and lifted herself on tiptoe to whisper
• 1:34:15
  Speaker 1: into Daniel's ear. She's a little drunk, you know, she said,
• 1:34:19
  Speaker 1: But she isn't very bad yet. She isn't furious? What
• 1:34:22
  Speaker 1: shall we do? It was precisely the question Daniel was
• 1:34:25
  Speaker 1: asking of himself, for he could not bear the idea
• 1:34:28
  Speaker 1: of taking a drunken woman into his respectable and orderly house,
• 1:34:31
  Speaker 1: And yet how could he turn out Jessica's mother before
• 1:34:33
  Speaker 1: Jessica's eyes. He paused for some minutes before unlocking the door,
• 1:34:37
  Speaker 1: while the woman continued to talk in a foolish strain
• 1:34:39
  Speaker 1: to her child. But at last he felt compelled to
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 1: open it, and.
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 8: She was the first to push her way in.
• 1:34:45
  Speaker 1: She took possession again of his arm chair and tossed
• 1:34:47
  Speaker 1: her old, tattered hat into a corner of the room,
• 1:34:49
  Speaker 1: while he looked on in helpless and deep dismay. Mother
• 1:34:53
  Speaker 1: said Jessica, speaking to her in gentle but steady tones,
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 1: This isn't your house at all, and you can't stay here,
• 1:34:59
  Speaker 1: it's mister Daniel. But I jessay you'll let me give
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 1: you some supper, and then you'd better go away and
• 1:35:03
  Speaker 1: come to see me again when you're quite yourself. The
• 1:35:06
  Speaker 1: woman fastened her red and sunken eyes upon Jessica, and
• 1:35:09
  Speaker 1: then burst into a fit of passionate lamenting while she
• 1:35:12
  Speaker 1: drew the child closer to her.
• 1:35:14
  Speaker 6: Oh, oh, I wish I was a better woman, she cried.
• 1:35:19
  Speaker 6: I've been driven to Jessica. But I'm coming to live
• 1:35:22
  Speaker 6: with you now, and we decent, like the rest of you.
• 1:35:25
  Speaker 6: I'm going to turn over a new leaf and you'll
• 1:35:27
  Speaker 6: see how steady I'll be. I'll be no disgrace to
• 1:35:30
  Speaker 6: any of you.
• 1:35:31
  Speaker 1: But mother said, Jessica, you can't live here because it's
• 1:35:34
  Speaker 1: mister Daniel's house, and he only took me out of
• 1:35:36
  Speaker 1: charity when I was ill, and you left me. We
• 1:35:39
  Speaker 1: can't look for him to take you. If you stay,
• 1:35:41
  Speaker 1: I stay, said her mother in a tone of obstinacy,
• 1:35:44
  Speaker 1: setting her elbows firmly upon the arms of the chair
• 1:35:47
  Speaker 1: and planting her feet on the floor.
• 1:35:48
  Speaker 6: Or if I go and you go. I'd like to
• 1:35:51
  Speaker 6: know who'd have the heart to separate a mother from
• 1:35:52
  Speaker 6: her own child.
• 1:35:54
  Speaker 1: Jessica stood for a minute or two, looking at her
• 1:35:56
  Speaker 1: mother with eyes full of sadness and pity, and then
• 1:35:59
  Speaker 1: she cried to Daniel's side and whispered to him with
• 1:36:02
  Speaker 1: an air of pleading. I don't think she ever knew
• 1:36:04
  Speaker 1: that God is a father, she said. Daniel found himself
• 1:36:08
  Speaker 1: at a complete loss as to what he ought to do.
• 1:36:10
  Speaker 1: The miserable creature before him shocked every sense of decency
• 1:36:13
  Speaker 1: and propriety which had been firmly and rigidly rooted in
• 1:36:16
  Speaker 1: his nature, and the very sight of her, drunken and
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 1: disorderly upon his arth, was an abomination to him. Since
• 1:36:23
  Speaker 1: she had last spoken, she had fallen into a brief slumber,
• 1:36:25
  Speaker 1: and her gray uncovered head was shaking and nodding with
• 1:36:27
  Speaker 1: an imbecile aspect. Jessica was going upstairs for what he
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 1: did not know, unless it was to make some arrangement
• 1:36:33
  Speaker 1: for her mother's accommodation, and he remained motionless, staring at
• 1:36:37
  Speaker 1: the wretched woman with a feeling of abhorrence and disgust,
• 1:36:40
  Speaker 1: which increased every moment. But presently he heard Jessica's light
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 1: steps descending the stairs and started with surprise when she
• 1:36:48
  Speaker 1: came into the room. She had changed her tidy dress
• 1:36:51
  Speaker 1: for the poorest and oldest clothing in her possession, and
• 1:36:53
  Speaker 1: she approached him with a sorrow full but patient look
• 1:36:56
  Speaker 1: upon her face. Mister Daniel, she said, unconsciously, falling back
• 1:37:00
  Speaker 1: to speaking the old name by which she had first
• 1:37:01
  Speaker 1: called him. You mustn't go to take mother out of
• 1:37:04
  Speaker 1: charity as well as me. They'd never do. So I'll
• 1:37:06
  Speaker 1: go with her way to her to night, and in
• 1:37:08
  Speaker 1: the morning, when she's sober, I'll tell her all about
• 1:37:10
  Speaker 1: God and Jesus Christ in heaven. She doesn't know yet,
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 1: but maybe when she hears everything, she'll be a different
• 1:37:15
  Speaker 1: woman like me, you know, and then we can all
• 1:37:18
  Speaker 1: help her to be good. Well, I must go away
• 1:37:20
  Speaker 1: with her tonight, or should get into a raging fear
• 1:37:22
  Speaker 1: like she used to.
• 1:37:24
  Speaker 8: No, no, no, cried Daniel vehemently.
• 1:37:27
  Speaker 2: I'll go awhere to go, Dear, Why, Jessica, I love
• 1:37:30
  Speaker 2: you more than my mind, don't I gon that's i'll
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 2: love you better. I'll love voice all, my mothery eh,
• 1:37:36
  Speaker 2: and my priceless choky. He to lose you.
• 1:37:39
  Speaker 1: You aren't going to lose me, said Jessica, with the
• 1:37:41
  Speaker 1: same patient but sorrowful light in her eyes. I'm only
• 1:37:44
  Speaker 1: going away for a little while with my mother. She's
• 1:37:46
  Speaker 1: my mother, and I want to tell her all. I
• 1:37:48
  Speaker 1: know that she may go to heaven as well as us.
• 1:37:51
  Speaker 1: I'll come back to morrow. She shall stay here, said
• 1:37:54
  Speaker 1: Daniel hesitatingly. No No, answered Jessica that it never do.
• 1:38:00
  Speaker 1: She'll be stopping for always if you give in once,
• 1:38:02
  Speaker 1: you'd better let me go with her this one night
• 1:38:04
  Speaker 1: and to morrow morning. When she's all right, I'll tell
• 1:38:06
  Speaker 1: her everything. She'll be very low then and she'll hearken
• 1:38:09
  Speaker 1: to me. Mother, I'm ready to go with you. The
• 1:38:13
  Speaker 1: woman opened her swollen eyelids and staggered to her feet,
• 1:38:16
  Speaker 1: laying her hand heavily upon the slight shoulder of Jessica.
• 1:38:18
  Speaker 1: He looked from her to Daniel with a clear, sad,
• 1:38:21
  Speaker 1: brave smile as she bent her child's shoulders a little
• 1:38:24
  Speaker 1: under her mother's hand, as if they felt already the
• 1:38:27
  Speaker 1: heavy burden that was falling upon her life. It was
• 1:38:29
  Speaker 1: a hard moment for Daniel, and he was yet doubtful
• 1:38:32
  Speaker 1: whether he should let them both go or keep them both.
• 1:38:35
  Speaker 1: But Jessica had led her mother to the door, and
• 1:38:37
  Speaker 1: already her hand was upon the latch.
• 1:38:39
  Speaker 2: Stop A mere, Jessica, he said, I'll let you go
• 1:38:42
  Speaker 2: with herthe swance either. The watching on's not far off,
• 1:38:46
  Speaker 2: and I'll come with you and see you stay for
• 1:38:47
  Speaker 2: the night and pay your watchings.
• 1:38:50
  Speaker 1: All right, answered Jessica with a quick, sagacious nod, and
• 1:38:53
  Speaker 1: in a few minutes they were walking along the streets
• 1:38:56
  Speaker 1: Jessica between her mother and Daniel, all of them very silent,
• 1:38:59
  Speaker 1: except the woman broke out into a stave or two
• 1:39:01
  Speaker 1: of some old, long forgotten song. Before long they reached
• 1:39:05
  Speaker 1: the lodging house of which Daniel had spoken, and he
• 1:39:07
  Speaker 1: saw them safely into the little, close, dark closet which
• 1:39:10
  Speaker 1: was to be their bedroom.
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 2: Good night, said Daniel.
• 1:39:13
  Speaker 8: Kissing Jessica with more than the usual tenderness.
• 1:39:15
  Speaker 2: You don't feel as if you'd like to come back
• 1:39:18
  Speaker 2: with me now we've seen your mother comfortable.
• 1:39:20
  Speaker 1: Do you no, answered Jessica, with a wistful look from
• 1:39:24
  Speaker 1: him to her mother, who had thrown herself upon the
• 1:39:25
  Speaker 1: bed and was already sleeping. I think I'm doing what
• 1:39:28
  Speaker 1: God would like me to do, aun't I? He knows
• 1:39:31
  Speaker 1: she is my mother.
• 1:39:32
  Speaker 2: Ay, God, bless you, my dear, said.
• 1:39:34
  Speaker 1: Daniel, turning away quickly and closing the door behind him.
• 1:39:37
  Speaker 1: He stumbled down the dark stairs into the street and
• 1:39:40
  Speaker 1: returned to his desolate home, saying to himself, I'm.
• 1:39:43
  Speaker 2: Sure I don't know how cushion ought to ass in
• 1:39:45
  Speaker 2: this case, and there's nowhere to go and ask now.
• 1:39:49
  Speaker 1: End of chapter five, Chapter six of Jessica's Mother by
• 1:39:59
  Speaker 1: Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:40:04
  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:40:08
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter six, Daniel's Prayer. The
• 1:40:16
  Speaker 1: two following days, Friday and Saturday, were always a busy
• 1:40:19
  Speaker 1: time at the chapel, for the whole place had to
• 1:40:21
  Speaker 1: be swept and dusted in preparation for the coming Sunday.
• 1:40:25
  Speaker 1: Never had Daniel felt so depressed and downhearted as when
• 1:40:28
  Speaker 1: he entered the chilly and empty chapel early in the
• 1:40:30
  Speaker 1: morning and alone, for Jessica was to follow him by
• 1:40:33
  Speaker 1: and by when her mother had strolled away for the
• 1:40:35
  Speaker 1: day to her old haunts. Only a week ago, he
• 1:40:39
  Speaker 1: and Jessica had gone cheerfully about their work together, Jessica's blithe, clear,
• 1:40:43
  Speaker 1: young voice echoing through the place as she sang to
• 1:40:45
  Speaker 1: herself or called to him from some far off pew
• 1:40:48
  Speaker 1: were down from the gallery. But now everything was upset
• 1:40:51
  Speaker 1: and in confusion. He mounted the pulpit steps, and after
• 1:40:54
  Speaker 1: shaking the cushions and dusting every ledge in crevice, he
• 1:40:57
  Speaker 1: stood upright in a strange and solemn reverie as he
• 1:41:00
  Speaker 1: looked around upon the empty pews, which were wont to
• 1:41:03
  Speaker 1: be so crowded on a Sunday.
• 1:41:05
  Speaker 8: It would make a wonderful.
• 1:41:06
  Speaker 1: Difference to the place, he thought, if anything worse should
• 1:41:08
  Speaker 1: happen to his master, for even to himself, Daniel could
• 1:41:11
  Speaker 1: not bear to say the sad word death. They could
• 1:41:14
  Speaker 1: never find his like again, never, he repeated, laying his
• 1:41:19
  Speaker 1: hand reverlently upon the crimson cushion where the minister's gray
• 1:41:22
  Speaker 1: hat had sunk in sudden dumbness before God, and two
• 1:41:26
  Speaker 1: large solemn tears forced themselves into Daniel's eyes and rolled
• 1:41:29
  Speaker 1: slowly down his cheeks. He did not know whoever would
• 1:41:33
  Speaker 1: fill the pulpit even on the coming Sabbath, but he
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 1: felt that he could never bear to stay at the
• 1:41:37
  Speaker 1: chapel after its glory was departed, and see the congregation
• 1:41:40
  Speaker 1: dwindling down and growing more and more scanty every week,
• 1:41:43
  Speaker 1: until only a few drowsy hearers came to listen sleepily
• 1:41:46
  Speaker 1: to a lifeless preacher. No, no, that would go a
• 1:41:49
  Speaker 1: good way towards breaking his heart. Besides all this, how
• 1:41:53
  Speaker 1: he longed to be able to ask the minister what
• 1:41:55
  Speaker 1: he ought to do about Jessica's mother, but whether for
• 1:41:57
  Speaker 1: instruction in the pulpit or counsel in private. The minister's
• 1:42:00
  Speaker 1: voice was hushed, and Daniel's heart was not a whit
• 1:42:03
  Speaker 1: lighter as he slowly descended the pulpit steps. It was
• 1:42:08
  Speaker 1: getting on for noon when Jessica followed him, bringing his
• 1:42:11
  Speaker 1: dinner with her in a little basket. Her eyes were
• 1:42:14
  Speaker 1: red with tears, and she was very quiet while he
• 1:42:16
  Speaker 1: ate with a poor appetite the food she set before him.
• 1:42:19
  Speaker 1: He felt reluctant to ask after her mother, but when
• 1:42:23
  Speaker 1: the meal was finished, Jessica drew near to him and
• 1:42:25
  Speaker 1: took hold of his hand in both her own. Mister Daniel,
• 1:42:28
  Speaker 1: she said, very sorrowfully, when mother awoke this morning, I
• 1:42:31
  Speaker 1: told her everything about Jesus Christ and God in heaven,
• 1:42:34
  Speaker 1: and she knew it all before, before I was born.
• 1:42:36
  Speaker 1: She said, huh. Ejaculated Daniel, but not in a tone
• 1:42:40
  Speaker 1: of surprise, only because Jessica paused and looked mournfully into
• 1:42:43
  Speaker 1: his face. Yes, continued Jessica, shaking her head hopelessly. She
• 1:42:48
  Speaker 1: knew about it, and she never told me never. She
• 1:42:51
  Speaker 1: only never spoke of God at all, only when she
• 1:42:53
  Speaker 1: was cursing. I don't know now anything that'll make her
• 1:42:56
  Speaker 1: a good woman. I thought, if she only heard what
• 1:42:58
  Speaker 1: I said, she'd love God. But she only laughed at
• 1:43:00
  Speaker 1: me and said it's an old story. I don't know
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 1: it can be done for her now. Jessica's tears were
• 1:43:05
  Speaker 1: falling fast again, and Daniel did not know how to
• 1:43:08
  Speaker 1: comfort her. There was little hope he knew of a
• 1:43:10
  Speaker 1: woman so and sleep by drunkenness being brought back again
• 1:43:13
  Speaker 1: to religion and God. If the minister can only see her,
• 1:43:16
  Speaker 1: said Jessica. He speaks as if he had seen God
• 1:43:18
  Speaker 1: and talk to him sometimes, and she'd be sure to
• 1:43:20
  Speaker 1: believe him. I don't know how to say the right things. No, no,
• 1:43:24
  Speaker 1: answered Daniel.
• 1:43:25
  Speaker 2: She saw him on Sunday before he had a choke
• 1:43:28
  Speaker 2: and he talked a long time to her. No, she
• 1:43:31
  Speaker 2: won't be charged by him.
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 1: She's my mother, you know, repeated Jessica, anxiously.
• 1:43:36
  Speaker 2: Aye, said Daniel, and the pussles be Jessica. I don't
• 1:43:40
  Speaker 2: know what to do.
• 1:43:41
  Speaker 1: Couldn't be prayer to God, suggested Jessica again. Now before
• 1:43:45
  Speaker 1: we go on any.
• 1:43:45
  Speaker 2: Father, maybe it would be the best thing to do.
• 1:43:48
  Speaker 1: Agreed Daniel, rising from his chair and kneeling down with
• 1:43:51
  Speaker 1: Jessica beside him. At first, he attempted to pray like
• 1:43:55
  Speaker 1: some of the church members of the weekly prayer meeting
• 1:43:57
  Speaker 1: and set informal phrases. But he felt that if he
• 1:44:00
  Speaker 1: wished to obtain any real blessing, he must ask for
• 1:44:02
  Speaker 1: it in simple and childlike to words, as if speaking
• 1:44:05
  Speaker 1: face to face with his heavenly father. And this was
• 1:44:07
  Speaker 1: the prayer he made after freeing himself from the ceremonial
• 1:44:10
  Speaker 1: etiquette of the prayer meetings.
• 1:44:12
  Speaker 2: Lord Fell noticed that Jessica's brother has come back, and
• 1:44:16
  Speaker 2: while a drunken, disordered wound she is, and we don't
• 1:44:19
  Speaker 2: know what to do with her, and the mister cannot
• 1:44:21
  Speaker 2: give us his advice. Sometimes I'm fraid I love my
• 1:44:25
  Speaker 2: mind too much shit. But Lord, if it's that or
• 1:44:28
  Speaker 2: anything else that's hard in my heart, so as to
• 1:44:31
  Speaker 2: end may from doing what the safet Jesus Christ would
• 1:44:34
  Speaker 2: do if he was in my price, I pray fee
• 1:44:37
  Speaker 2: to take her away and make me see queerly what
• 1:44:40
  Speaker 2: my Christian duty is. Dear Lord, I presh fee give
• 1:44:44
  Speaker 2: both me and Chess good from evil.
• 1:44:47
  Speaker 1: Daniel rose from his knees a good deal, relieved, enlightened
• 1:44:49
  Speaker 1: in spirit, he had simply with the heart of a
• 1:44:51
  Speaker 1: child laid his petition before God, and now he felt
• 1:44:54
  Speaker 1: that it was God's part to direct him. Jessica herself
• 1:44:57
  Speaker 1: seemed brighter, for if the matter had been laid in
• 1:44:59
  Speaker 1: God God's hands, she felt that it was certain to
• 1:45:01
  Speaker 1: come out all right. In the end, they went back
• 1:45:05
  Speaker 1: to their work in the chapel, and though it was
• 1:45:06
  Speaker 1: melancholy to remember that their own minister would be absent
• 1:45:09
  Speaker 1: from the pulpit on the Sunday which was drawing near,
• 1:45:11
  Speaker 1: they felt satisfied with the thought that God knew all
• 1:45:14
  Speaker 1: and was making all things work together for the good
• 1:45:16
  Speaker 1: of those who loved him. End of chapter six. Chapter
• 1:45:27
  Speaker 1: seven of Jessica's Mother by Hesba Stretton. This is a
• 1:45:30
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 1:45:35
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 1:45:40
  Speaker 1: Chapter seven A busy day for Daniel. Daniel went home
• 1:45:44
  Speaker 1: with Jessica, still disturbed a little with the dread of
• 1:45:47
  Speaker 1: finding his unwelcome visitor awaiting their arrival. But she was
• 1:45:50
  Speaker 1: not there, and there was no interruption to their quiet
• 1:45:52
  Speaker 1: evening together. Though both of them started and looked towards
• 1:45:55
  Speaker 1: a zor at every sound of a footstep in the court.
• 1:45:59
  Speaker 1: After they had their tea, and while Jessica was putting
• 1:46:02
  Speaker 1: away the tea things in the kitchen, Daniel unlocked his
• 1:46:05
  Speaker 1: desk and took out his receipts for the money he
• 1:46:07
  Speaker 1: had out on interest. Since he had adopted Jessica, he
• 1:46:10
  Speaker 1: had not added much to his savings, for besides the
• 1:46:12
  Speaker 1: cost of her maintenance, there had also been the expenses
• 1:46:15
  Speaker 1: of housekeeping. In former times, he had scarcely cared how
• 1:46:19
  Speaker 1: uncomfortable his lodgings were, provided that they were cheap, and
• 1:46:22
  Speaker 1: he had found out that to have a tidy and
• 1:46:24
  Speaker 1: comfortable house of his own involved a great outlay of money.
• 1:46:28
  Speaker 1: Sometimes the thought had crossed his mind, of which he
• 1:46:30
  Speaker 1: was secretly ashamed, that the minister, who seemed so fond
• 1:46:33
  Speaker 1: of Jessica, or at least some of the rich members
• 1:46:35
  Speaker 1: of the congregation, might have borne part of the charge
• 1:46:37
  Speaker 1: of her living. But no one had ever offered to
• 1:46:40
  Speaker 1: do anything for her. He had spent his money with
• 1:46:42
  Speaker 1: half grudge. And now the question upon his mind was
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 1: did God require him to waste?
• 1:46:47
  Speaker 8: He said, waste to himself.
• 1:46:50
  Speaker 1: His hardly earned savings upon a drunken and wicked women.
• 1:46:54
  Speaker 1: It was a hard trial. He loved Jessica, as he
• 1:46:57
  Speaker 1: had said, more than his money, and had never really
• 1:46:59
  Speaker 1: red regret it taking her into his home. She was
• 1:47:02
  Speaker 1: like a daughter to him, and he was a happier
• 1:47:03
  Speaker 1: and better man for her companionship. But this woman was
• 1:47:06
  Speaker 1: an imhortance to him, a disgust and disgrace. She had
• 1:47:10
  Speaker 1: no more claim upon him than any of the other
• 1:47:12
  Speaker 1: thousands of lost men and women who thronged the streets
• 1:47:14
  Speaker 1: of London. Surely God did not require him to take
• 1:47:18
  Speaker 1: this money, which was the sole provision for his old age.
• 1:47:21
  Speaker 1: And now that the minister was so stricken, there would
• 1:47:23
  Speaker 1: be no new chapel built for him, and no house
• 1:47:25
  Speaker 1: for the chapel keeper, and no increase of salary. That
• 1:47:28
  Speaker 1: was already a settled point for the physicians who were attending.
• 1:47:31
  Speaker 1: The minister declared positively that never again would his overworked
• 1:47:34
  Speaker 1: brain be capable of sustaining any long strain of thought
• 1:47:38
  Speaker 1: such as had drawn together his eager and attentive congregations.
• 1:47:42
  Speaker 1: It was scarcely even a question whether he would be
• 1:47:44
  Speaker 1: able to resume his position as pastor of this old church,
• 1:47:47
  Speaker 1: and under a new minister it was probable the place
• 1:47:50
  Speaker 1: might be half empty, and his emoluments as chapel keeper
• 1:47:53
  Speaker 1: be considerably lessened. He was getting older, too, and there
• 1:47:56
  Speaker 1: was not more than ten years work in him. He
• 1:47:59
  Speaker 1: looked at his treasure receipts and asked himself, could it
• 1:48:02
  Speaker 1: be possible that God required him to sacrifice his past
• 1:48:04
  Speaker 1: gains and risk his future comforts upon Jessica's mother. Then
• 1:48:09
  Speaker 1: another question, in the very depths of his conscience was
• 1:48:11
  Speaker 1: whispered to his heart, which at first was willing to
• 1:48:14
  Speaker 1: remain deaf to the small and quiet voice. But it
• 1:48:16
  Speaker 1: grew louder and more clamorous, until Daniel found that it
• 1:48:19
  Speaker 1: must be heard, and answered, what.
• 1:48:21
  Speaker 7: Think you Christ would have done with this woman?
• 1:48:23
  Speaker 1: It asked, if.
• 1:48:25
  Speaker 7: God had brought her to that door where he dwelt
• 1:48:27
  Speaker 7: as a poor carpenter, would he have thrust her back
• 1:48:30
  Speaker 7: upon the misery of the life, which drove her again
• 1:48:33
  Speaker 7: and again to the vilest of her sins. Would Jesus,
• 1:48:38
  Speaker 7: who came to seek as well as to save those
• 1:48:40
  Speaker 7: who are lost, have balanced a book of savings against
• 1:48:44
  Speaker 7: the hope faint though it was of rescuing the woman's soul? Daniel?
• 1:48:50
  Speaker 1: Daniel answered the quiet voice to his unmost heart.
• 1:48:54
  Speaker 7: What would thy Lord have done?
• 1:48:56
  Speaker 1: He tried to set it aside and hush it up,
• 1:48:58
  Speaker 1: while I turned the key upon his receipt, telling himself
• 1:49:01
  Speaker 1: that he had done all his duty as a Christian
• 1:49:03
  Speaker 1: demanded of him when he rescued and adopted Jessica. But
• 1:49:06
  Speaker 1: the spirit of God has a gracious tyranny which requires
• 1:49:09
  Speaker 1: more and more from the soul which begins to sacrifice itself.
• 1:49:12
  Speaker 1: He had mastered his love of money for the sake
• 1:49:14
  Speaker 1: of a child whom he loved. Now he must conquer
• 1:49:16
  Speaker 1: it to rescue a wretched woman, whom he shrank from.
• 1:49:20
  Speaker 1: The struggle seemed to last long, but it was ended
• 1:49:22
  Speaker 1: before Jessica came back to the fireside. Daniel's prayer in
• 1:49:25
  Speaker 1: the afternoon had been too sincere for him to be
• 1:49:27
  Speaker 1: left in darkness to grope along a wrong path. His
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 1: face wore a smile. Jessica took her sewing and sat
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 1: down opposite to him. Such a smile as rarely lit
• 1:49:35
  Speaker 1: up his rigid features.
• 1:49:37
  Speaker 2: Jessica, he said, God has shown me what to do,
• 1:49:40
  Speaker 2: perhaps to be.
• 1:49:41
  Speaker 1: Better than the minister himself, answered Jessica. Aye, answered Daniel, I.
• 1:49:46
  Speaker 2: Don't think the Master could have told me, Poina, why
• 1:49:50
  Speaker 2: Jessica supposed the thought at being with me here as
• 1:49:53
  Speaker 2: your mother had come to this door, wouldn't he have
• 1:49:56
  Speaker 2: cared for her and greeted for and done effe could
• 1:50:00
  Speaker 2: prevent her going home in sin Well, Dear, it seems
• 1:50:04
  Speaker 2: to be it wouldn't be all to go way to
• 1:50:06
  Speaker 2: take her to live with us all at once, because
• 1:50:09
  Speaker 2: you are a young girl and knows not to see
• 1:50:11
  Speaker 2: such ways. And I might get angry with her, but
• 1:50:14
  Speaker 2: I'll win with her somewhere that shall be always catched
• 1:50:18
  Speaker 2: for her, and whenever she comes to it, there will
• 1:50:21
  Speaker 2: be a bed in the middle for her, and will
• 1:50:24
  Speaker 2: be very kind to her, and say, if by any
• 1:50:26
  Speaker 2: mainscreet and how to make her good.
• 1:50:29
  Speaker 1: Jessica had dropped her sewing and drawn near to Daniel,
• 1:50:32
  Speaker 1: And now she flung her arms around his neck and
• 1:50:34
  Speaker 1: hid her face upon his breast.
• 1:50:35
  Speaker 2: Crying, why now, now, my dear, said Daniel, what else
• 1:50:40
  Speaker 2: do you, Jessica. Wouldn't the Lord Jesus have made the
• 1:50:43
  Speaker 2: plans so? And what had come come? We'll pay to
• 1:50:47
  Speaker 2: him to make a good woman. And then who knows
• 1:50:50
  Speaker 2: she may come here to live with us she's.
• 1:50:53
  Speaker 1: My own mother, you know, sobbed Jessica, as if these
• 1:50:56
  Speaker 1: were alone, with thoughts in her heart.
• 1:50:58
  Speaker 8: Yes, answered Daniel, and.
• 1:51:00
  Speaker 2: We must do our best for her, Jessica, I knowing
• 1:51:04
  Speaker 2: now that I love God's born, aught else in this
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 2: world or the next.
• 1:51:08
  Speaker 1: It was a knowledge worth more than all the riches
• 1:51:10
  Speaker 1: of earth. And as Daniel sat in his chimney corner,
• 1:51:12
  Speaker 1: he could scarcely realize his own happiness. To be sure
• 1:51:16
  Speaker 1: that he loved God supremely, and to have the witness
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 1: in himself that he did so. He felt as if
• 1:51:21
  Speaker 1: he could take all the world of lost and ruined
• 1:51:22
  Speaker 1: sinners to his heart, and, like Christ him shelf, lay
• 1:51:25
  Speaker 1: down his life for them. There was only one shadow,
• 1:51:29
  Speaker 1: if it could be called a shadow, upon his joy,
• 1:51:31
  Speaker 1: unspeakable and full of comfort. It was that he could
• 1:51:34
  Speaker 1: not gladden the heart of the minister by telling him
• 1:51:36
  Speaker 1: of this change in his nature. The next day was
• 1:51:40
  Speaker 1: a very busy one for Daniel, for besides his ordinary duties,
• 1:51:43
  Speaker 1: he charged himself with finding a suitable place for Jessica's mother.
• 1:51:47
  Speaker 1: He met with the room at last, in the dwelling
• 1:51:49
  Speaker 1: of a poor widow who was glad to let him
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 1: have it on condition that he paid the rent of
• 1:51:53
  Speaker 1: the house. He and Jessica bought a bed and a
• 1:51:56
  Speaker 1: chair on a table, and put everything in readiness for
• 1:51:59
  Speaker 1: their expected busy scanty. As was the furniture, it was
• 1:52:02
  Speaker 1: a warm and certain shelter for the poor vagrant who
• 1:52:05
  Speaker 1: spent half her night shivering under archways or in unfinished buildings.
• 1:52:09
  Speaker 1: And never had Daniel felt so pure gratification as when
• 1:52:11
  Speaker 1: he gave a last look at the room, and taking
• 1:52:14
  Speaker 1: Jessica by the hand, went back to his own home,
• 1:52:16
  Speaker 1: no longer afraid of meeting the woman on his threshold.
• 1:52:20
  Speaker 1: End of chapter seven. Chapter eight of Jessica's Mother by
• 1:52:30
  Speaker 1: Hesba Stretton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
• 1:52:35
  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
• 1:52:39
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter eight, Hopes of Recovery.
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 1: It was a happy Sunday for Daniel, in spite of
• 1:52:49
  Speaker 1: the minister's absence and the downcast looks of the congregation
• 1:52:52
  Speaker 1: as they occupied their accustomed seats. The chapters read out
• 1:52:56
  Speaker 1: of the Bible had new meaning for him, and the
• 1:52:58
  Speaker 1: singing brought happy tears to his eyes. It seemed as
• 1:53:01
  Speaker 1: if he had never truly known God before, and on
• 1:53:04
  Speaker 1: the sermon by a student merely was one which he
• 1:53:06
  Speaker 1: would have criticized the contempt a week ago. Now it
• 1:53:08
  Speaker 1: was pleasant only to hear the names of his God
• 1:53:10
  Speaker 1: and Savior, just as one is pleased to hear even
• 1:53:14
  Speaker 1: a stammering tongue speak the praises of those we love.
• 1:53:18
  Speaker 1: During the evening service, Jessica went to stay with the
• 1:53:20
  Speaker 1: minister's children. Jane came down to her in the hall
• 1:53:23
  Speaker 1: and told her they were to sit in their father's
• 1:53:24
  Speaker 1: room while the strange nurse and their own nurse were
• 1:53:27
  Speaker 1: having tea together in an adjoining room.
• 1:53:29
  Speaker 4: Nurse thinks, said Jane that if Papa knew, he would
• 1:53:34
  Speaker 4: like us to sit with him this Sunday evening. And
• 1:53:36
  Speaker 4: sometimes we think he does know, though he never speaks,
• 1:53:40
  Speaker 4: and he seems to be asleep all the time. We
• 1:53:43
  Speaker 4: are to read our chapter and say our hymns, just
• 1:53:45
  Speaker 4: as if he could hear. And Nurse says, he told
• 1:53:49
  Speaker 4: your mother only last Sunday that he loves you almost
• 1:53:52
  Speaker 4: like one of his own little girls. So we said
• 1:53:55
  Speaker 4: we should like you to come and read with us,
• 1:53:57
  Speaker 4: for you are not a bit afraid, Jessica.
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 1: They had mounted the stairs while Jane was whispering these sentences,
• 1:54:03
  Speaker 1: and now hand in hand they entered the minister's room.
• 1:54:07
  Speaker 1: There was a fire burning and a lamp lit upon
• 1:54:10
  Speaker 1: a table, so that the minister's face could be plainly
• 1:54:12
  Speaker 1: seen as they stole with tender caution to his side.
• 1:54:16
  Speaker 1: It had been a pale face always, but it was
• 1:54:18
  Speaker 1: very colorless now. The lids were closed lightly over the
• 1:54:21
  Speaker 1: eyeballs which seemed almost to burn and shine through them,
• 1:54:24
  Speaker 1: and the lips, which might have been speaking words that
• 1:54:26
  Speaker 1: seemed to bring his listeners almost into the presence of God,
• 1:54:29
  Speaker 1: were locked in silence. Yet the face was full of life,
• 1:54:33
  Speaker 1: which rippled underneath, as it were, as if the colorless
• 1:54:36
  Speaker 1: cheeks and thin eyelids and furrowed forehead were only a
• 1:54:38
  Speaker 1: light mask. And while the children gazed upon it, the
• 1:54:41
  Speaker 1: lips moved slowly but soundlessly. He's talking to God, whispered Jessica,
• 1:54:46
  Speaker 1: in a tone of awe. Jessica said Winnie, pressing close
• 1:54:50
  Speaker 1: to her.
• 1:54:51
  Speaker 3: I can't keep thinking about Paul when heus caught up
• 1:54:54
  Speaker 3: into the dead heaven and hid unspeakable weds. I think
• 1:55:00
  Speaker 3: perhaps he looked like my father.
• 1:55:02
  Speaker 1: She had never called him father before, and she uttered
• 1:55:05
  Speaker 1: it in a strangely solemn voice, as if it was
• 1:55:08
  Speaker 1: a more fitting title than the familiar one they had
• 1:55:10
  Speaker 1: called him by on ordinary days. They stood beside him
• 1:55:13
  Speaker 1: for a few minutes, and then they crept on tiptoe
• 1:55:16
  Speaker 1: across to the hearth. The children read their chapter and
• 1:55:19
  Speaker 1: said their hymns, and sang a favorite one of one
• 1:55:21
  Speaker 1: of their fathers, in soft, low tones which could scarcely
• 1:55:24
  Speaker 1: have been heard outside the room, and the little time
• 1:55:27
  Speaker 1: piece over the fireplace chimed seven as they finished.
• 1:55:30
  Speaker 4: It was just this time last Sunday, said Jane, when
• 1:55:33
  Speaker 4: Papa had the stroke. He was just going to pray
• 1:55:37
  Speaker 4: when the chapel clock struck seven.
• 1:55:39
  Speaker 1: I wonder what he was going to say, said Winnie sorrowfully. Oh, Father,
• 1:55:45
  Speaker 1: murmured a voice behind them, very low and weak, like
• 1:55:48
  Speaker 1: the voice of one who has only strength to utter
• 1:55:50
  Speaker 1: a single cry, and turning quickly with a feeling of fear,
• 1:55:53
  Speaker 1: they saw their father's eyes opened and looking towards them
• 1:55:56
  Speaker 1: with inexpressible tenderness. Jessica laid her finger on her lips,
• 1:56:00
  Speaker 1: as assigned to them to be still, and with timid
• 1:56:02
  Speaker 1: courage she went to the minister's side. Do you know
• 1:56:05
  Speaker 1: us again? She asked, trembling between fear and joy. Do
• 1:56:09
  Speaker 1: you know who we are?
• 1:56:10
  Speaker 5: Minister, Jessica and my children?
• 1:56:15
  Speaker 1: He whispered, with a feeble smile fluttering upon his face.
• 1:56:19
  Speaker 1: He has come back, cried Jessica, returning with swift but
• 1:56:22
  Speaker 1: noiseless steps to Winnie and Jane. Let us make haste
• 1:56:25
  Speaker 1: and tell the others. Maybe he is angry and weary
• 1:56:27
  Speaker 1: and faint, but he knows us. He has come back
• 1:56:30
  Speaker 1: to us again. In a few minutes, the joyful news
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 1: was known throughout the house and was carried to the
• 1:56:36
  Speaker 1: chapel before the evening service was over, and the congregation,
• 1:56:39
  Speaker 1: as they dispersed, spoke hopefully of the minister's recovery. It
• 1:56:42
  Speaker 1: was the crowning gladness of the day to Daniel, and
• 1:56:44
  Speaker 1: he lingered at the minister's house, to which he hastened
• 1:56:47
  Speaker 1: as soon as he had closed the chapel, until it
• 1:56:49
  Speaker 1: was getting on for midnight, and then he left Jessica
• 1:56:52
  Speaker 1: with the children and started off for his home, with
• 1:56:53
  Speaker 1: the heart in which joy was full. End of Chapter eight.
• 1:57:02
  Speaker 1: Chapter nine of Jessica's Mother by Hesba Stretton This is
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 1:57:11
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 1:57:15
  Speaker 1: Chapter nine, the Gate of Death. Daniel had a good
• 1:57:20
  Speaker 1: way to go, for the minister's house was in an
• 1:57:22
  Speaker 1: opposite direction to his own from the chapel. The November
• 1:57:26
  Speaker 1: fog still hung about London, and the lamps gave only
• 1:57:28
  Speaker 1: a dim light through the gloom. Those who were yet
• 1:57:31
  Speaker 1: walking about the streets marched quickly, as if anxious to
• 1:57:34
  Speaker 1: reach whatever shelter they called their own. Daniel himself was
• 1:57:38
  Speaker 1: making his way as fast as he could along the
• 1:57:40
  Speaker 1: muddy pavement when he came to a part of the
• 1:57:42
  Speaker 1: streets where the drainage was being repaired, and where charcoal
• 1:57:45
  Speaker 1: fires were burning in braziers here and there at once
• 1:57:48
  Speaker 1: to give warning for the passer by, and to afford
• 1:57:50
  Speaker 1: warmth of the watchmen who stayed beside them all night.
• 1:57:53
  Speaker 1: One of the watchmen had brought an old door and
• 1:57:55
  Speaker 1: reared up against a rude wall of stone and bricks,
• 1:57:58
  Speaker 1: so as to form some protection from the rain, which
• 1:58:00
  Speaker 1: now and then fell in short showers. He had quitted
• 1:58:04
  Speaker 1: his shed for some reason or other, and as Daniel
• 1:58:06
  Speaker 1: drew near his steps, were arrested for crouching underneath it
• 1:58:10
  Speaker 1: and stretching out her shriveled arms over the brazier full
• 1:58:13
  Speaker 1: of charcoal. Was Jessica's mother. The fitful light was shining
• 1:58:16
  Speaker 1: strongly upon her face and showed the deep lines which
• 1:58:19
  Speaker 1: misery and degradation had plowed upon it, and the sullenness
• 1:58:22
  Speaker 1: and stupidity which were stamped upon her features. He stood still,
• 1:58:27
  Speaker 1: gazing at her with disgust, but very soon a feeling
• 1:58:30
  Speaker 1: of profound pity took its place. He had been wondering
• 1:58:33
  Speaker 1: what became of her since Friday morning, and had even
• 1:58:36
  Speaker 1: felt a kind of anxiety about her. And now as
• 1:58:39
  Speaker 1: he thought of the room with its comfortable bed, which
• 1:58:41
  Speaker 1: was waiting for her instead of the brief shelter of
• 1:58:43
  Speaker 1: the shed, he climbed over the heaps of rubb which
• 1:58:46
  Speaker 1: which lay between them, calling to her, for he did
• 1:58:48
  Speaker 1: not know her.
• 1:58:49
  Speaker 2: Name, Jessica's Puffa.
• 1:58:51
  Speaker 1: The woman started to her feet at the sound of
• 1:58:52
  Speaker 1: his voice and looked him full in the face with
• 1:58:54
  Speaker 1: an expression of utter wretchedness. Her eyes were inflamed and
• 1:58:58
  Speaker 1: swollen with tears, and every feature was quivering as if
• 1:59:01
  Speaker 1: she had no control over them. She was so miserable
• 1:59:04
  Speaker 1: a creature that Daniel did not know in what words
• 1:59:05
  Speaker 1: to speak to her, but his heart was moved with
• 1:59:08
  Speaker 1: an unutterable compassion unknown to him till now. He even
• 1:59:12
  Speaker 1: felt the sympathy for her, as if he had once
• 1:59:15
  Speaker 1: been in the same depths of degradation. As he stood
• 1:59:18
  Speaker 1: looking shudderingly into the deep abyss where she had fallen
• 1:59:20
  Speaker 1: by her sin, and the sense of her misery touched
• 1:59:23
  Speaker 1: him so closely that he would have given his life
• 1:59:25
  Speaker 1: for her salvation. He stretched out his hand towards her,
• 1:59:28
  Speaker 1: but she pushed it away, and with a groan of despair,
• 1:59:31
  Speaker 1: she fled from the light and sought to hide herself
• 1:59:33
  Speaker 1: in the darkness of the foggy streets. But Daniel was
• 1:59:37
  Speaker 1: not easily turned aside from his desire to bring some
• 1:59:40
  Speaker 1: help to Jessica's mother, even if it were no more
• 1:59:42
  Speaker 1: than to rescue her from the chilliness of the November night.
• 1:59:46
  Speaker 1: He followed her with steps as rapid as her own,
• 1:59:48
  Speaker 1: and only that she had the first start he would
• 1:59:50
  Speaker 1: have been quickly at her side. She flied swiftly along
• 1:59:54
  Speaker 1: the streets to escape from him, and he pursued her,
• 1:59:57
  Speaker 1: hoping that she would soon weary and turn to speak
• 1:59:59
  Speaker 1: to him, But she kept on until Daniel found himself
• 2:00:02
  Speaker 1: at the entrance of one of the old bridges of
• 2:00:04
  Speaker 1: the city, which spanned the wide waters of the river.
• 2:00:07
  Speaker 1: Side by side with it, a new bridge was being constructed,
• 2:00:10
  Speaker 1: with massive beams of timber and huge blocks of stone,
• 2:00:13
  Speaker 1: and vast girders of iron, lying like some giant skeleton,
• 2:00:16
  Speaker 1: enveloped in the fog, yet showing dimly through it by
• 2:00:19
  Speaker 1: the glare of red lights and blazing torches, which were
• 2:00:21
  Speaker 1: kindled here and there and cast flickering gleams upon the
• 2:00:25
  Speaker 1: black waters beneath, into which Daniel looked down with a
• 2:00:28
  Speaker 1: shudder as he paused for a moment on his pursuit.
• 2:00:32
  Speaker 1: But he had lost sight of the woman when he
• 2:00:33
  Speaker 1: lifted up his eyes again. Unless the strange dark figure
• 2:00:37
  Speaker 1: on one of the great beams stretching over the river
• 2:00:39
  Speaker 1: was the form of Jessica's mother, he pressed towards it,
• 2:00:43
  Speaker 1: quitting the safety of the old bridge, But as a
• 2:00:45
  Speaker 1: wild and very mournful cry smote upon his ear, he
• 2:00:48
  Speaker 1: missed his footing and fell heavily upon a pile of
• 2:00:51
  Speaker 1: masonry at some distance below him. It could have only
• 2:00:54
  Speaker 1: been a minute that he was unconscious, for the deep
• 2:00:57
  Speaker 1: toned clock of Saint Paul's had chimed the first stroke
• 2:00:59
  Speaker 1: of midnight as he lost footing, and the boom of
• 2:01:01
  Speaker 1: the last stroke was still ringing through the air when
• 2:01:03
  Speaker 1: he tried to raise himself and look again for the
• 2:01:05
  Speaker 1: dark figure which he had seen hanging over the river.
• 2:01:08
  Speaker 1: But he could not move, and he lay quietly without
• 2:01:11
  Speaker 1: making a second effort, and thinking clearly over what had happened,
• 2:01:16
  Speaker 1: there was little doubt that the wretched woman whom he
• 2:01:18
  Speaker 1: had sought to save had hurried away from all salvation,
• 2:01:21
  Speaker 1: whether of God or man. And yet how was it that,
• 2:01:24
  Speaker 1: instead of the shock of horror, a perfect peace surpassed
• 2:01:27
  Speaker 1: his soul. For a moment, it seemed to him that
• 2:01:29
  Speaker 1: he could hear a voice speaking through the dull and
• 2:01:31
  Speaker 1: monotonous flashing of the cold water against the arches below him,
• 2:01:35
  Speaker 1: And it said.
• 2:01:35
  Speaker 7: To him, because thou hast been faithful unto death, I
• 2:01:39
  Speaker 7: will give thee a crown of life.
• 2:01:42
  Speaker 2: Was he going to die?
• 2:01:43
  Speaker 1: He asked himself, as a pang of extreme agony ran
• 2:01:46
  Speaker 1: through all his frame and extorted a little moan from
• 2:01:49
  Speaker 1: his lips. He was ready and willing if it was
• 2:01:51
  Speaker 1: the will of God, But he would like to see
• 2:01:53
  Speaker 1: his little Jessica again and tell her gently with his
• 2:01:55
  Speaker 1: own lips that her mother was dead and gone. He
• 2:01:58
  Speaker 1: could say nothing gentler to her own place, which.
• 2:02:01
  Speaker 8: God knew of.
• 2:02:03
  Speaker 1: The midnight hour was quieter than usual in the busy city,
• 2:02:07
  Speaker 1: for it was Sunday and the night was damp. So
• 2:02:09
  Speaker 1: Daniel lay for some time before he heard the tread
• 2:02:11
  Speaker 1: of a passer by upon the bridge above him. He
• 2:02:14
  Speaker 1: could hear many sounds little old distance, but he could
• 2:02:17
  Speaker 1: not raise his voice loudly enough to be audible through
• 2:02:19
  Speaker 1: the splash of the waters. But as soon as he
• 2:02:21
  Speaker 1: heard footsteps on the bridge, he cried with a strong.
• 2:02:23
  Speaker 2: Effort, help me, or I shall die before morning.
• 2:02:27
  Speaker 1: It seemed a long time and one of great suffering
• 2:02:30
  Speaker 1: to him before he was raised up and laid upon
• 2:02:32
  Speaker 1: the smooth pathway of the bridge. But he did not
• 2:02:35
  Speaker 1: cry out or groan, And as the little crowd which
• 2:02:38
  Speaker 1: gathered around him spoke in terms of commiseration and kindness,
• 2:02:41
  Speaker 1: he thanked them calmly and with a cheerfulness that deceived them.
• 2:02:45
  Speaker 1: They bore him to the nearest hospital, But as they
• 2:02:47
  Speaker 1: would have laid him on a bed there, he stopped
• 2:02:49
  Speaker 1: them with great energy and earnestness.
• 2:02:51
  Speaker 2: Whether doctor see me first, he said, and tell me
• 2:02:55
  Speaker 2: whether I am Why we to die or live.
• 2:02:58
  Speaker 1: The doctor's hand touched him, and there were a few
• 2:03:00
  Speaker 1: questions put to him, which he answered calmly. And then
• 2:03:03
  Speaker 1: as the doctor looked down upon him with a grave face,
• 2:03:06
  Speaker 1: he looked back with perfect composure.
• 2:03:09
  Speaker 2: I'm a cushion man, said Daniel, and I'm not afraid
• 2:03:12
  Speaker 2: to die. But if you think there's no chance for me,
• 2:03:15
  Speaker 2: I'd love to go home. I've a whither go at home.
• 2:03:18
  Speaker 2: It should like to be all the time till I'm
• 2:03:20
  Speaker 2: turning away from her. They gave by alsis in my pocket.
• 2:03:25
  Speaker 2: Let me be taken home.
• 2:03:27
  Speaker 1: They could not refuse his request, but the doctor told
• 2:03:29
  Speaker 1: him he might live yet for some days, though the
• 2:03:31
  Speaker 1: injuries he had received gave no hope of his life,
• 2:03:34
  Speaker 1: to which Daniel replied only by a solemn smile. It
• 2:03:38
  Speaker 1: was nearly morning before he reached his house, under the
• 2:03:40
  Speaker 1: care of a nurse and student from the hospital, and
• 2:03:43
  Speaker 1: thus he entered for the last time the house where
• 2:03:45
  Speaker 1: he had spent the three happiest years of his life
• 2:03:48
  Speaker 1: with Jessica. End of chapter nine. Chapter ten of Jessica's
• 2:03:58
  Speaker 1: Mother by Husba Stratton. This is a LibriVox recording. All
• 2:04:02
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
• 2:04:06
  Speaker 1: or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Chapter ten
• 2:04:11
  Speaker 1: speak of his love. For several days, Daniel suffered great pain,
• 2:04:16
  Speaker 1: but with such perfect peace and joy in his heart
• 2:04:18
  Speaker 1: that it seemed as if he could scarcely realize or
• 2:04:20
  Speaker 1: feel his bodily anguish. Jessica was with him constantly, and
• 2:04:24
  Speaker 1: when he was free from pain, she read aloud to
• 2:04:26
  Speaker 1: him or talked with him of the heaven to which
• 2:04:28
  Speaker 1: he was going, and which seemed to be open to
• 2:04:30
  Speaker 1: his gaze already as one catches a glimpse from afar
• 2:04:33
  Speaker 1: off of some beautiful country basking in the glory of
• 2:04:35
  Speaker 1: a full noontime sunshine. The chapel people came to see him,
• 2:04:41
  Speaker 1: some of them in the carriages which of old had
• 2:04:43
  Speaker 1: set him pondering on their riches, and they left him
• 2:04:46
  Speaker 1: marveling that they had known so little of the religiousness
• 2:04:48
  Speaker 1: of the man who had ushered them to their pews.
• 2:04:50
  Speaker 1: Sunday after Sunday, but as yet the minister had not
• 2:04:54
  Speaker 1: visited him, though he had sent them word that as
• 2:04:56
  Speaker 1: soon as it was possible, he would come to see him.
• 2:05:00
  Speaker 1: The last day had arrived, both Jessica and Daniel knew
• 2:05:03
  Speaker 1: that it was the last day, and she had now
• 2:05:05
  Speaker 1: stirred from his side since morning, and still the minister
• 2:05:08
  Speaker 1: had not come, had not been able to come to
• 2:05:11
  Speaker 1: the death bed of his old friend. For they were
• 2:05:13
  Speaker 1: old friends, having met many times a week for a
• 2:05:16
  Speaker 1: dozen years in the same chapel, and since Jessica had
• 2:05:19
  Speaker 1: drawn them closer together, the learned and eloquent preacher had
• 2:05:21
  Speaker 1: cared for Daniel's illiterate soul, and the chapel keeper had
• 2:05:24
  Speaker 1: learned to pick up some crumbs of nourishment from the
• 2:05:26
  Speaker 1: great feet which the minister prepared week after week for
• 2:05:30
  Speaker 1: his intellectual congregation. He had not been, but Daniel was undisturbed,
• 2:05:35
  Speaker 1: and so patient and peaceful, with a smile upon his
• 2:05:38
  Speaker 1: lips when he met Jessica's wistful eyes. He waited for
• 2:05:41
  Speaker 1: the last hour and the last moment to come. Yet
• 2:05:44
  Speaker 1: before it was too late, and before his eye grew
• 2:05:47
  Speaker 1: dim and his tongue numbed with the chillness of death.
• 2:05:49
  Speaker 1: The minister arrived, pale in face, and bowed down with weakness,
• 2:05:53
  Speaker 1: and with a trembling voice, which faltered often as he spoke.
• 2:05:57
  Speaker 1: They clasped one another's hands and looked into one another's
• 2:06:00
  Speaker 1: face with a strange recognition, as if both had seen
• 2:06:03
  Speaker 1: farther into the other world than they had ever done before.
• 2:06:05
  Speaker 1: And then the minister sank feebly into the chair beside
• 2:06:08
  Speaker 1: Daniel's pillow.
• 2:06:10
  Speaker 5: I will rest here and stay with you for an hour.
• 2:06:16
  Speaker 1: He said.
• 2:06:17
  Speaker 2: It is the last hour.
• 2:06:19
  Speaker 1: Answered Daniel. Be it so, replied the minister, I.
• 2:06:24
  Speaker 5: Too have looked death in the face.
• 2:06:28
  Speaker 1: They were silent for a while while the minister rallied
• 2:06:30
  Speaker 1: his strength. And then he bent his head, his head only,
• 2:06:34
  Speaker 1: for he was too feeble to kneel beside the dying
• 2:06:36
  Speaker 1: man yet, and he poured forth a prayer to God
• 2:06:39
  Speaker 1: in his inmost heart, but with hesitating lips which no
• 2:06:43
  Speaker 1: longer uttered with ready speech, the thoughts which thronged to
• 2:06:46
  Speaker 1: his brain, the amend which which he ended with almost
• 2:06:49
  Speaker 1: a groan.
• 2:06:50
  Speaker 5: My power is taken from me, he said, The Almighty
• 2:06:56
  Speaker 5: has stricken me. In pride of my heart, I shall
• 2:07:01
  Speaker 5: never more speak as I used to do, of his
• 2:07:05
  Speaker 5: glory and majesty and greatness of his salvation.
• 2:07:12
  Speaker 2: You can speak of his love, murmured Daniel.
• 2:07:15
  Speaker 1: Yes, he answered despondently, not only.
• 2:07:19
  Speaker 5: As a child speaks. I shall never stir the hearts
• 2:07:25
  Speaker 5: of the congregation again. My speech will be contemptible.
• 2:07:33
  Speaker 2: Jessica, tell him what you and I have been talking.
• 2:07:36
  Speaker 1: About, said Daniel. Jessica lifted up her face from the
• 2:07:41
  Speaker 1: pillow and turned it toward the minister a smile, struggling
• 2:07:44
  Speaker 1: through her tears, and though her voice was unsteady to begin,
• 2:07:47
  Speaker 1: it grew calm and clear before she had spoken many words.
• 2:07:50
  Speaker 1: We were talking I would never be the travel keeper
• 2:07:52
  Speaker 1: anymore and go up into the pupa to carry the
• 2:07:55
  Speaker 1: books before you. And then we thought it was true,
• 2:07:57
  Speaker 1: maybe what the doctor says, that you'd never be will
• 2:07:59
  Speaker 1: enough again to preach in such a big chapel, And
• 2:08:02
  Speaker 1: so we're talking about the time we shall all be
• 2:08:04
  Speaker 1: in heaven. We said that perhaps God would give you
• 2:08:06
  Speaker 1: more beautiful thoughts there and grander words, and you still
• 2:08:09
  Speaker 1: be a minister, and the angels that all come thronging
• 2:08:12
  Speaker 1: up in crowds all about you and us to hearken
• 2:08:14
  Speaker 1: to what you thought about Jesus and Christ and about God,
• 2:08:18
  Speaker 1: and there'd be a great congregation again. Only whenever you
• 2:08:21
  Speaker 1: are silent for a moment, we could look up and
• 2:08:23
  Speaker 1: see the Savior himself listening to us. All. The minister
• 2:08:26
  Speaker 1: bowed his pale face upon his hands, but he did
• 2:08:29
  Speaker 1: not answer a word.
• 2:08:30
  Speaker 2: There is one thing still I want to say, said Daniel.
• 2:08:34
  Speaker 2: I've made my will and left Awe after Jessica, but
• 2:08:38
  Speaker 2: I don't know where she'll find a home. If we
• 2:08:40
  Speaker 2: look out for.
• 2:08:41
  Speaker 1: Her, Jessica shall come home to me, interrupted the minister,
• 2:08:48
  Speaker 1: laying his hand upon hers and Daniels and clasping them
• 2:08:50
  Speaker 1: both warmly.
• 2:08:52
  Speaker 2: I'm a Christian man, whispered Daniel. I know that I
• 2:08:55
  Speaker 2: love God and that he has baby suffering himself. There's
• 2:09:00
  Speaker 2: a Verseba in the Bible, Beloved, said the minister.
• 2:09:05
  Speaker 5: Now are we the sons of God. And it does
• 2:09:09
  Speaker 5: not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
• 2:09:13
  Speaker 5: that when we shall appear, we shall be like him,
• 2:09:18
  Speaker 5: or we shall see him as he is.
• 2:09:23
  Speaker 1: There was no stammering of the minister's speech as he
• 2:09:25
  Speaker 1: pronounced these words, and his face grew bright, as did
• 2:09:28
  Speaker 1: the face of the dying man. Daniel's mind wandered a little,
• 2:09:31
  Speaker 1: and he groped about, as in the dark, for the Bible,
• 2:09:33
  Speaker 1: which lay upon the bed, and he.
• 2:09:35
  Speaker 2: Murmured, it's tied to tear the books for the congregation
• 2:09:39
  Speaker 2: squati and the massas, saying I will take them up
• 2:09:42
  Speaker 2: to heaven.
• 2:09:44
  Speaker 1: He spoke no more, but the Bible laughter awhile fell
• 2:09:47
  Speaker 1: from his hand, and Jessica and the Minister, looking upon
• 2:09:51
  Speaker 1: his face, saw that in heaven he was beholding the
• 2:09:53
  Speaker 1: face of the Father. It proved true that the Minister
• 2:09:57
  Speaker 1: could never again preach a sermon such as informer. When
• 2:10:00
  Speaker 1: the people listened with strained attention, and he welt to
• 2:10:03
  Speaker 1: them as a very lovely song upone that hath a
• 2:10:05
  Speaker 1: pleasant voice and playeth well on an instrument. But they
• 2:10:08
  Speaker 1: heard his words and did them not. Yet he was
• 2:10:11
  Speaker 1: a man of calmer happiness than before, and in his
• 2:10:13
  Speaker 1: quiet country home, where sometimes of a Sunday he mounted
• 2:10:16
  Speaker 1: the pulpit steps of a little chapel and taught a
• 2:10:18
  Speaker 1: simple congregation simple truths. He drew nearer day by day
• 2:10:22
  Speaker 1: in spirit to the great congregation who were waiting for him,
• 2:10:25
  Speaker 1: and before whom his lips should never more be silenced.
• 2:10:29
  Speaker 1: End of Chapter ten ended Jessica's mother