Part 4
I DISCOVERED, in conversation with the housekeeper,” said Mr. M., “that they have not so much as a Bible in the house. What if we were to send one to her?”
This suggestion was carried out on the following morning, and little Richard was the glad and willing messenger. On going to the house he learned that Mr. Vilers was seriously ill and very feverish, as the result of his terrible fit of violence of the night before. The poor old woman was in such distress that, glad of sympathy, she willingly accepted his little gift, and seemed disposed to be friendly with him. The boy had quite forgiven the old man the cruel act he had been guilty of in killing his little rabbit, and his chief thought now was to enter into his parents’ scheme of trying to find some way of doing him good in return for the evil he had done.
In the afternoon, as there happened to be a general holiday, his father came home early to take out his family to visit some friends, but Richard preferred to remain at home because his school began on the morrow, and he wished to study his lessons. While all alone, busy at his work, Mr. Vilers’ condition would every now and then intrude into his thoughts. His kind father had brought him some oranges from the City that morning as some little solace for the loss of his rabbit, and Richard meant to enjoy them when he had finished his lessons; but, on thinking of the poor invalid next door, it suddenly occurred to him that if Mr. Vilers was feverish, oranges were just the thing for him.
“How nice it would be to take them to him,” thought he; “I wonder whether he would accept them? Well, I can but try, at any rate;” and, so saying, and putting them into a little basket, the boy took his way to the orchard. The housekeeper happened to be there, and, no sooner understood his purpose, than she agreed to go and ask her master whether he might come in.
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, forgiving one another, .... even as Christ forgave you, so do we.” Col. 3:12, 1312Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. (Colossians 3:12‑13).
To be continued.
ML 06/04/1933