The History of Little Peter, the Ship Boy | Page 3

truths may find a
firm lodgment. It was a gift to me from my dear young mistress on her
deathbed. She had intended it for her own child, and she charged me,
should I ever have one, to instruct him from his earliest days in its
glorious truths. Peter, I have done so, not trusting in my own strength
and knowledge, but with earnest prayer that those truths may be
imparted to you. And oh, Peter, while you take care of the book, make
it a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. Read it with prayer,

seeking the aid of God's Holy Spirit to instruct you in its truths, and
you will not read in vain."
Mrs Gray spoke with solemn earnestness, and Peter promised to follow
her counsels, uttering a petition to Heaven at the same time that he
might have grace to do so.
"Peter," she continued, "I am soon to be taken from you, but I die in
peace, for I know that God has heard my prayers, and will watch over
you and guard you from evil, and support and comfort you, but do you
yourself seek comfort and guidance from Him, and you will not be left
destitute."
She was silent for some minutes.
"Peter," she said, drawing him closer to her and speaking in a low voice,
"I grieve to part from you, but I grieve more when I think of your poor
father. God knows how earnestly I have prayed for him, and I cannot
even now believe that he was taken out of the world still ignorant of
God's love and free pardon to all who believe in His Son. I have often
dreamed that he has come to me, looking just as he was when he went
away, only paler and more careworn; he seemed to ask me to fetch him
from some far-off land whence he could not escape. It may have been
but an empty dream working on my fancy, and yet I cannot believe that
it was so. Oh, what joy it would bring to my heart could I know that he
loved the Saviour, and that he is yet alive and the door of mercy still
open."
Peter's heart was too full of sorrow to let him speak. The waning light
prevented him from clearly distinguishing his mother's countenance,
but there seemed to be a strange brightness in her eye as she spoke with
failing voice, and the hopes her dying words expressed were imparted
to him.
"Bless you, my boy, bless you!" she murmured, in a scarcely audible
voice.
His hand was in hers, she pressed it as she spoke, and tried to draw him

nearer to her heart. He leant over her, and put his other arm under her
head; gradually he felt her hand relax its loving grasp, but many
minutes passed before the fear came over him that her spirit had fled.
"Mother, mother!" he earnestly cried; "speak to me."
There was no answer. He had never been with death before, but he
knew too well that she was indeed gone from him.
He sat there long with his face on the bedclothes, too much
overwhelmed with grief to move. He longed to go and call Betsy, yet
he could not bear to leave his mother's body. Soon, however, a step was
heard, and the old woman herself entered the room.
There was still light sufficient to enable her to see at a glance what had
occurred. She stepped up, and closing her dead friend's eyes, gently led
little Peter into the outer room. She had brought a couple of candles
with her, purposing to spend the night at the cottage if she was required,
and lighting them, she left one with Peter, bidding him sit down while
she took up the other.
"When you feel sleepy, my boy, go to bed; the rest will do you good.
I'll stay with your mother; it will be nothing strange to me. I have had
so many I loved taken from me, that I am accustomed to watch by the
bodies of those who, I hope, went where I am sure she is gone. It's a
blessed thing to know that she is happy in heaven; let that comfort you,
Peter, and don't take on so, boy."
Saying this, she returned to Mrs Gray's room.
Peter's head sunk on the table--he wept sorely and long. As he bent
down, he felt the book his mother had just given him, which he had
placed in his bosom. He took it out and began to read it. Promise after
promise beamed forth from its sacred pages on his young soul, lighted
by God's Holy Spirit, for he took God at His word, and was comforted.