Growing Up: A Story of the Girlhood of Judith MackenzieConklin, Nathaniel, Mrs.
General
Growing Up: A Story of the Girlhood of Judith Mackenzie
Conklin, Nathaniel, Mrs.
Christian life -- Fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction; Girls -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
“Now, don’t think I am dreadfully wicked, but I know I am; I want him
to say: ‘Be not afraid, I know she is dead, but I have power enough
for that; believe I can do _that_. He did not tell him _what_ to
believe.”
“He told him to believe in the sympathy and power that had just
healed this woman who had been incurable twelve years, all the years
his daughter had been living.”
“But,” persisted Judith, “he might believe that, for he had just seen
it; but to raise from the dead was beyond everything he had seen, and
Christ gave him no promise for that.”
“Perhaps he believed that the Master had power in reserve—he surely
knew he was going to his house for something—he did not bid him
believe, and then turn back; he went on with him to his house.”
“Now you have said what I wanted. It was the _going on with him_ that
kept up his faith. As long as Jesus kept on going his way he couldn’t
but believe. He gave him something even better than his word to
believe in. I shouldn’t think he would be afraid of anything then.”
“Then don’t you be afraid of anything. Not until the Master turns and
goes the other way.”
“He will never do that,” Judith said to herself.
The clock on the mantel struck the half hour: half-past five. Judith
rolled up her work and went out to the kitchen. The tea kettle was
singing on the range; everything was ready for the supper, biscuits
and cake of her own making, jelly and fruit that she and Marion had
put up together in the long summer days, to which she would add an
omelet and creamed potatoes, for Roger was always hungry after a
walk, and then coffee, for Mrs. Kenney would like coffee after her
drive.
“I don’t mind now if my prayers do get stopped in the middle,” she
thought as she arranged the pretty cups and saucers on the supper
table, “if Jesus goes all the way with me—he will take care of the
rest of it, and next year—if something _dies_ this year, he can bring
it to life next year. If He wants to; _and I don’t want Him to, if He
doesn’t want to_.”
Roger came out into the kitchen to watch her as she moved about, and,
to his own surprise, found himself asking her the question he had
intended not to ask at all.
“Would you like to go back home with mother for the winter? You may
have a music teacher, you have had none but Marion, and take lessons
in anything and everything. Mother would like it very much,” he said,
noting the gladness and gratitude in her face; “Martha will take your
place here with Marion.”
“Oh, yes, I _would_ like it,” she answered, doubtfully. “Did she
propose it?”
“Yes.”
“You are sure you didn’t suggest it, even,” she questioned, still
doubtfully.
“I am not unselfish enough for that,” he answered, dryly.
“But who would pay for it?” she questioned, with a flush of shame.
“No; I will not go—until I earn money myself.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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