PART 12
She would spend her days in loneliness no more, young strength and energy would now take the burdens of labor from her, which had already become too heavy for her shoulders. Bright pictures of a happy future arose before her mind, and she marveled at the kindness and mercy of God. One circumstance put a taste of bitterness into her cup of joy, and that was the thought of William’s older brothers. But her faith could trust the grace of God concerning them too; that grace was sufficient even for these wicked and strayed young men.
The morning began to dawn before the happy old lady sought her resting place to get a few hours’ sleep, and the sunbeams had long been shining into the room when the two sleepers awoke. After rising quickly and preparing the breakfast, grandmother began afresh to ask the boy many questions, and the boy went over the past few months again, till it was noon. In the afternoon, grandmother showed William her goats and chickens and geese, and also the garden, in which grew all kinds of vegetables for her own needs. The care of the goats and poultry she put immediately into the boy’s hands, and he did his work with energy and skill.
A new life had begun in the little cabin near the forest. Grandmother, who was already more than seventy years of age, but rather robust, evidently grew young again, because of the presence of the child of her only and much loved son. She taught him, as he grew older, how to work the field and garden; at the same time she instructed him in reading and writing and sent him into the next village, where they had a small school.
Several years passed by thus, and William had grown up to be a strong youth and walked in the fear of the Lord.
His grandmother dealt with him in much love and tenderness, but also with the proper severity when needed. Quite often she would say:
“I have sinned deeply against your father. He was my only child (her husband had died shortly after the son’s birth), and I was too weak to punish him when he had been disobedient. Yielding to him in a false love, I left his naughty ways unpunished and so God punished me. Now, may God preserve me from making the same mistake with you.”
When William had become big and more thoughtful, he was very, very thankful to his dear grandmother for having trained him thus, and truly, every child has cause to be thankful when God has given them faithful parents who bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and who spare not the rod if needed.
ML 03/26/1939