Part 2 (1/2)
In these multiplied labors, she exhibited a martyr spirit, of the true type Often when she was confined to her bed, her pupils would be found around her, drawing knowledge as it were froade surgeon, who concerned himself for her like a brother, advise her to consider her weakness, and inter duties The scene of these labors was the Brown Cottage, near the se on Hampton Roads The school room was the front room, first story Her own family apartment was the front room, second story It will ever be a place about which precious er
It was proposed that, on Christmas day, the children of the school should have a festival All the week previous, they were busy, with their teacher, in preparations and rehearsals A large rooreens for the occasion, and at one end a platfor, the room was croith colored children and adults, and soldiers and officers The progra of ”My country, 'tis of thee” Chaplain Fuller read the account of the nativity of Christ Dr Linson prayed Then the children discoursed very sweet music in solo, semi-chorus, and chorus, and at intervals spoke pieces in a very co that it was probably the first attempt of colored children in the South
Little Daisy, (Mrs Peake's only child,) about five years old, was the acknowledged star of the evening She sang very prettily in solo, and also in connection with the chorus She sang alone the whole of the hyel”
[Illustration: LITTLE DAISY]
I spoke of the contrast between the present and the past A year ago, _white_ children in Hampton could enjoy a scene of this kind, but _colored_ children were excluded But now tied The white man's child is away, and the coloredAnd this is but a miniature picture of ill be The present is prophetic of the future The few hundred children about Fortress Monroe, now gathered into schools, after the pattern of this first school, are types of one hout the sunny South, on whoe is yet to shi+ne
After the concert exercises, the e Here ere conducted into the school room, which, like the concert rooreens; and we filed around a long table laden with refreshood things, all gotten up spontaneously by, and at the expense of, the colored people in the neighborhood The viands were partaken of with a relish, and by unaniht type; the children sang, ”Merry Christmas to all! Merry Christmas!
Merry Christious Joy--Farewell Messages--Death--Funeral--Conclusion
After the exciting scenes of the Christmas festival, Mrs Peake's health sensibly declined, and in a week or two she was obliged to suspend, and soon to give up entirely, the charge to which she had clung with such tenacity I visited her frequently, and was the bearer of clothing and other tokens fro in our poas done to cheer her, and never were ratefully received and richly repaid To visit her had always been a privilege, but the privilege was doubly precious during her last illness To see how a frail woman, with an exquisitely nervous temperament, could deliberately and calmly bid farewell to family, pupils, and friends, and yield herself into her Father's hands, to pass through the ordeal of sickness and death, was a privilege and a blessing
In her presence I was a learner, and, under the inspiration of her words and exath for fresh endeavors in the cause of God and huive her love to the committee in New York, and all the friends of the ht vision of her Saviour, and he had assured her that the cause would triu up and become a tree, to overspread the whole earth; that we should be a great blessing to this down-trodden people, and they would fulfill a glorious destiny ”Oh, yes,” said she, ”brother Lockwood, you will succeed, for Jesus has told ”
For teeks previous to her death, she seemed to be in the ”land of Beulah,” on the ”rim, she could clearly descry the pro desire to depart and be with Christ, which was far better than even his ain, as I called to see her, she assured me that she had had a fresh visit from her Saviour, and he had told her that where he was she should be, and she would be like him when she should see hiht be, but where her Saviour was, there would be her heaven, for she would be with hih and expectoration, though not attended with much pain, were, as usual, accoreat weakness, which ht have patience to bear all without a murmur, and await her Father's will She wanted to say, with the feelings of Job, ”All the days of e come I know that my Redeemer liveth”
At one time, her symptoms seemed more favorable, and I expressed a hope of her recovery ”No,” said she; ”I have taken leave of o, if it be God's will; only I want to wait patiently till he comes to callthe previous night, she had bidden thees for her school, and the church, and all her friends She had thus set her house in order, to die, or, rather, to live a diviner life, and she aiting the summons home She said that she felt like a little child in her Father's ar a pebble, she could hold back her spirit, she would not do it
Several days before her death, she requested”The Christian's Home in Glory,” or ”Rest for the Weary”--a hymn, with its tune, dear to her for itself and for its associations As I repeated the chorus, she exclaireat tenderness and emphasis, ”Rest, rest, rest! Oh, brother Lockwood, there I shall rest, rest, rest! This weary head shall rest onthe last stanza,--
”Sing, oh, sing, ye heirs of glory, Shout your triuo,”--
she burst out in an ecstasy that seemed as if the spirit would break away fro! I shall shout! Won't we sing? Won't we shout? Yes, we shall--we shall sing and shout!”
On Saturday , February 22, she was in a very happy frame of mind, and said that she had had precious visits fro soon, and would fulfill her heart's desire in taking her to hiht she had been constantly reaching up, and soreat earnestness, ”Do not leavefor her, and I sung, ”The shi+ning Shore,” and ”Ho of the last stanza of the latter song, she was filled with joy
”Into the harbor of heaven noe glide, We're hoht silver tide, We're hoers are o'er; We stand secure on the glorified shore; Glory to God! ill shout evermore, We're home at last!”