Part 13 (2/2)

asked f.a.n.n.y, who felt that she must do something, or she would soon be overwhelmed by the emotions which agitated her soul.

”Nothing, f.a.n.n.y. I don't think much of the things around me now. I feel just as though I didn't belong here. This is not my home. Can you sing, f.a.n.n.y?”

”I do sing, sometimes,” replied she.

”Will you sing to me?”

”I will; what shall I sing?”

”Something about heaven?” answered Jenny, as she sank back upon the pillow, and fixed her gaze upon the ceiling, as though beyond it she could see the happy home which, was ever in her thoughts.

f.a.n.n.y, as we have said before, was a remarkable singer, not in the artistic sense, though, with proper cultivation of her talent, she might have been all this also. She had a fine voice, and sang as naturally as the birds sing. But this was not an occasion for artistic effects. Never before had the soul of the wayward girl been so stirred.

She was a Sunday-school scholar, and familiar with most of the beautiful and touching melodies contained in children's song-books.

She was asked to sing ”something about heaven;” and she began at once, as though it had been selected by some invisible agency and impressed upon her mind, with the beautiful hymn:--

”There's a home for the poor on that beautiful sh.o.r.e When life and its sorrows are ended; And sweetly they'll rest in that home of the blest, By the presence of angels attended.

There's a home for the sad, and their hearts will be glad When they've crossed over Jordan so dreary; For bright is the dome of that radiant home Where so softly repose all the weary.”

The ”home for the poor on that beautiful sh.o.r.e” seemed to be almost in sight of the singer, for the pale, dying girl spread heaven around her; and f.a.n.n.y sang as she had never sung before. She could hardly keep down the tears which struggled for birth in her dim eyes, and her sweet voice was attuned to the sentiment of the words she sang, which were wedded to a melody so touching as to suggest the heaven it spoke of.

There was a seraphic smile on the wan face of Jenny as the singer finished the first verse, and she clasped her thin white hands above her breast in the ecstasy of her bliss. f.a.n.n.y sang the four verses of the hymn, and every moment of the time seemed to be a moment of rapture to the dying girl.

”How beautiful!” cried Jenny, after a period of silence at the conclusion of the hymn. ”I have never been so happy, f.a.n.n.y. Let me take your hand in mine again.”

”Can I do anything more for you?” asked f.a.n.n.y, as she gave her hand to the invalid.

”No, nothing. It will make you tired to sing any more now.”

”O, no! I could sing all day.”

”But the sweet strains you have just sung still linger in my soul. Let me hold your hand a moment, and then I will go to sleep if I can. I like to hold your hand--you are so good.”

f.a.n.n.y despised herself. She wanted to tell Jenny what a monster of wickedness she felt herself to be, and she would have done so if it had not been for giving pain to the gentle sufferer.

”I would like to go to heaven now, holding your hand, and mother's, and Eddy's; for it seems to me I could carry you up to the Saviour with me then, and give you all to him; and he would love you for my sake, and because you are so good. But I shall never forget you; I shall bear your name to heaven with me, f.a.n.n.y.”

The wicked girl shuddered. ”Depart from me,” seemed to be the only message the Saviour had for her.

”Let me do something more for you,” said f.a.n.n.y, who could not endure to be called good by one who was so near heaven that there could be no hypocrisy or shadow of deceit in her heart.

”You may sing me one more hymn, if you are not too tired,” replied Jenny.

”O, no! I am never tired of singing;” and she sang the song containing the refrain, ”There is sweet rest in heaven,” with exquisite taste and feeling.

Mrs. Kent whispered that Jenny must be weary now, and f.a.n.n.y took the hand of the sick girl, to bid her good by.

”Good by, f.a.n.n.y. I shall never see you again; but we shall meet in heaven,” said Jenny, with her sweetest smile.

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