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“It’s like this,” said Charlie, hopelessly: “you know that great big, new hospital in S.? There’s a clever doctor there, from E, that understands a lot about bad hips like mine, and you know I’ve never had any proper doctoring for it since I hurt it, for father and mother are always hard up for money. Sam Brooks and Lizzie Webster have been under Dr. B., and he has done them a sight of good. O, if I could only see him, and find out if there is any hope of my hip getting cured! How happy I should be!”
“I believe there is hope,” cried Bobbie joyously. “Mother always says you would get much stronger if you had a lot of good food and a long rest.”
“My mother says as how it’s no good wasting money to go to S., and dad’s out of work just now,” said Charlie. “I’ve saved a penny for nearly five weeks, but I couldn’t get there in time, except by the early morning train, and the return fare is sevenpence. I’ve just been to ask Mrs. Linton at the store to let me work a hit for her on Saturday; but she says she has promised all the small jobs to you.”
Bobbie said nothing for two or three minutes; then a higher strength than his own helped him to say, “I’ve got sixpence, Charlie; I’ll run and bring it to you.”
“You! But, Bobbie,” hesitated the boy, “it may be ever so long before I can pay you back.”
“I want to give it to you,” said Bobbie, firmly. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
His mother was silent when he asked for his sixpence, that Charlie might go to the hospital; but she gave it to him with a most tender kiss, and thanked God in her heart that her little boy was acting so unselfishly.
“I can’t think how you can do it, Bobbie,” said Charlie. “I’ve been horrid to you; but I tell you what, little chap, whether I get better or not, I’ll never forget how you helped me. There must be something in your Bible-reading, after all, if it makes you care about a fellow like me.”
Charlie went next day, in company with a neighbor, Mrs. Webster and her little girl who was under hospital treatment, to consult the clever doctor. He saw at once that nothing could be done for the boy unless he had quiet, nourishment, and constant attention for some weeks.
“You must come into the hospital, and lie in bed for a time, my boy,” he said kindly; “then we hope to send you away looking another sort of boy altogether.”
Charlie had to wait a little while, till a bed was vacant; but while by the door’s orders, he kept quiet at home during those few days, he was full of hope, and asked Bobbie more than once to come in and talk to him about Jesus, who cares about the lame.
And O, when several months later, the children of the Sunday school gathered one Sunday, and Bobbie came in with Charlie, looking almost as well as Bobbie himself, it would be difficult to say which of the two joined the more joyously in the hymn of praise—Charlie, who had learned in the restful calm of the hospital ward to love the Lord who had healed him; or Bobbie, whose first sixpence, given up for Jesus’ sake, had been so tenderly blest by the Master.
ML-09/29/1935