Part 23 (2/2)
”I'm too bad, Cherry; it ain't no use talkin'. You've tried, my girl, a score o' times. And so did yer mother; it ain't a bit o' good. Leave me to die now. If d.i.c.kie's all right, I can't 'elp the rest.”
Cherry's eyes looked despairingly at Jem, but he encouraged her to try again, himself only praying silently that some word, winged by the power of the Mighty Spirit, might enter that hard heart.
”Ain't you goin' to _thank_ Jesus, then?” asked poor little Cherry.
”He's been awful kind to d.i.c.kie, father.”
The man was silent; but Cherry thought he heard her nevertheless.
”You did love d.i.c.kie, father?”
”And I _do_,” flashed the man angrily; ”howsoever cruel I've been, I do love the little 'un.”
”And d.i.c.kie loves Jesus,” pursued Cherry, soothingly; ”and if you was to ask d.i.c.kie which he'd rather you'd love, he'd say as he'd like you to love _Jesus_. I know he would.”
”It ain't no good now,” said her father hopelessly.
”Why ain't it, dear father?”
”'Cause I've sinned till--it ain't no good now.”
”But Jesus is sorry, and He'll forgive if you'll ask Him. Father--I _know_ He will. He says somethin' about 'Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.'”
”Ah! that's them as can be washed.”
And then Jem said earnestly--
”'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'”
”It's because Jesus died instead of us, father,” added Cherry, weeping.
”Oh, father, why don't ye come to Him?”
The man did not answer her. Wearied out with pain and emotion, he lay exhausted; nor would the nurse allow any more talking.
”You can come again this evening,” she said, looking into Cherry's woe-begone face. ”He may live till then.”
With this they were forced to be satisfied, and Cherry turned away with a sad heart.
Slowly they made their way home again, while Cherry's halting steps seemed to drag more wearily than they had done while hope beat in her bosom. Tear after tear coursed down her cheeks, and it was with difficulty that she could guide herself in the crowded thoroughfare.
At last Jem, seeing this, took her hand again, and sought for words of comfort.
”You mustn't doubt G.o.d, child,” he said kindly; ”we're all apt to think as He can't do nothin' without us. But 'tis oftentimes when we have done all as is in our power, and yet have failed, that He can work best. Me and Meg was readin' yesterday--why, it was only yesterday!” he exclaimed, stopping to interrupt himself,--”we was readin' afore I went to my work some such words as these: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord.' And, Cherry, it seems to me as it ain't when we can do most, but when we'll let _Him_ do most, as He can work best.”
Cherry listened and took courage, and though she did not say a word, she thanked Jem from the bottom of her little heart.
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