Boys -- Juvenile fiction; London (England) -- Social conditions -- 19th century -- Juvenile fiction; Siblings -- Juvenile fiction
"Let's cross over to it," said Meg. "I allus do hanker fur light.
Let's get inter the brightness of it."
She took Faith's hand as she spoke and ran across, hastening her steps,
for the sound of wheels approaching rapidly were heard.
At this very instant, just as the little girls set their feet on the
opposite pavement, a woman carrying a child in her arms came out of the
public-house; she walked unsteadily, and unheeding, probably not
hearing, the rapidly approaching carriage-wheels, stepped into the
street. As she did so her ragged shawl was caught by the wind and flung
aside, revealing to view a little child's blue frock, and showing for an
instant a golden head pressed heavily on her bosom. Faith saw nothing,
but Meg did. The woman was Hannah Searles; the child, little lost Roy--
she recognised him by his blue frock and golden head. She uttered a
joyful cry, and was about to touch Faith, when the sound on her lips was
changed to a scream of horror. The carriage and prancing horses were on
the woman, who was too tipsy either to see them or to save herself. In
an instant she and little Roy must have been killed. Quick, quicker
than thought brave Meg rushed to the rescue. She flew in the faces of
the excited horses and caught their reins. They swerved in their
course, swerved sufficiently to enable woman and child to pass by
unhurt, but they knocked Meg down and the carriage-wheels went over her.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many hours later on the same Sunday evening a group of persons were
gathered round one of the white and narrow beds in a large London
hospital. On this bed lay a bruised and dying girl. The girl was Meg;
the people who stood so close were Roy's father, holding Roy in his
arms, Faith, and Hannah Searles. Faith and Hannah were sobbing, but
Warden, with dry eyes, knelt close, and when Meg at last opened her eyes
he placed the baby hand of his little son in hers.
"Meg--dear, dear, brave Meg," said Warden, "let me thank you. You have
saved the little chap's life. Oh, Meg, if for no other deed of mercy, I
must all the rest of my life believe in the Lord Jesus Christ."
It was a public confession, wrung from a proud and hard man in the
moment of his deep humiliation and thankfulness, and doubtless the
angels in heaven recording it rejoiced. But the earthly ears for whom
it was meant were deaf. Never again would Meg hear human voice of
either love or kindness; there was no place for Meg down here, she was
going to a place prepared for her long ago in heaven. Her eyes
travelled past those who surrounded her, and fixed themselves joyfully
on a Presence unseen to any but her dying eyes.
"'Tis you, Lord Jesus Christ," she said, "'tis you. You ha' come your
werry own self. I ain't to live to be old, I ain't to be ragged nor
hungry no more. _You--ha'--come_."
She tried to stretch out her arms, but they fell to her side, the breath
ceased, and Meg was in Paradise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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