"Don't be troubled, Jennie, dear; I am not offended," said
Katherine, smiling reassuringly. "Of course, you understand that,
to me, our service is very beautiful and sacred. I would dearly
love to have you go with me in a proper way; but if you do not
like to ask permission you can wait until vacation, when you will
not be hampered by school rules."
"All right; perhaps--I will," returned Jennie, with a sly smile;
then, with a friendly "good-night," she went away, and Katherine
thought no more of the matter at that time.
Half an hour later the nine o'clock bell rang and she repaired at
once to Miss Reynolds' room. She found her teacher in bed, looking
flushed and feverish, her throat badly swollen and swathed in
flannels, while she was scarcely able to speak aloud.
She smiled a welcome and held out her hand to the girl, who
clasped it fondly as she sat down beside her.
"I suppose you would say 'it is nothing,'" whispered the woman, a
little gleam of laughter in her eyes, notwithstanding her evident
suffering.
"No, I should say nothing of the kind to you," said Katherine,
gravely. "But I hoped that I should find you better."
"No, Kathie"--a fond way she had adopted of late when addressing
her--"I have been growing steadily worse since last night. This
afternoon I have been very ill, and Prof. Seabrook sent me word by
his wife, to-night, that if I am not better by morning he will
call a physician upon his own responsibility. I don't want a
doctor," she went on, after resting a moment, "for, since having
those talks with you and learning something of your faith, I find
myself shrinking from medical treatment."
Katherine glanced involuntarily at the array of bottles on the
table near her, and Miss Reynolds, observing it, smiled.
"True," she said, "I have been dosing myself with every remedy
that I could think of, while 'halting between two opinions'; but
nothing does any good, and I have come to the end of my rope, so
to speak. That is why I have sent for you, Kathie--to ask you to
treat me your way."
Katherine flushed, and for an instant a sense of fear held her in
its grip. With it also came the query, "What would Prof. Seabrook
think of having Christian Science healing deliberately practiced
in Hilton Seminary?"
Then she mentally declared: "There is no fear in love," and "where
duty pointed the way she would boldly walk therein."
"Are you afraid to take hold of it?" her teacher inquired, as she
observed her hesitation.
"No, I am not afraid, for I know that God is supreme and never
fails those who put their trust in Him," was the confident
response. "But," Katherine continued, "are you sure you really
want Christian Science treatment?"
"Very sure, Kathie."
"How about these?" and the girl glanced at the bottles, "and
this?" touching the flannel about her throat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account