Child labor -- Juvenile fiction; Children -- Death -- Juvenile fiction; Christian life -- Juvenile fiction; Poor -- Juvenile fiction
That evening after the rest of the family had retired, Mrs. D---- and
Katie remained in the parlor, speaking of the home their departed friend
had gained. Katie then took a small lamp in her hand, and sat down to
read. It is supposed that, overcome by fatigue, she fell asleep, when
the lamp slid from her grasp to the floor and ignited the bottom of her
dress. In an instant she was enveloped in flames. Mrs. D---- seized a
rug and sprang to her assistance; but Katie, frightened, ran through the
hall into the yard, where she fell. By this time their screams had
brought assistance. The poor child was raised and carried into the
house, but every particle of her light summer clothing had been
consumed, and her body burned in the most shocking manner. Medical aid
was instantly summoned, and every thing possible done to alleviate her
sufferings, but it was at once perceived she could survive only a few
hours. Katie received the intelligence with a smile of joy, and
instantly remarked, "Now I shall indeed see your daughter, very, very
soon." She requested them to send for her own family, and also for her
Superintendent, that she might see them once again before she died, or
rather hear them, for her sight was entirely destroyed. Her mother was
soon beside her, and her agony as she beheld her child was
heart-rending. Katie took her hand, saying, "Dear mother, please don't
cry so; if you do I cannot talk to you, and I have so much to say. See,
I am not crying. Oh, please don't." Katie then told her about the
accident, and how happy she felt in view of death; and said, "Oh,
mother, it is so blessed to feel that I am going to be with Jesus for
ever." Then, with a clear, sweet voice, she sung,
"My heavenly home is bright and fair,
No pain nor death can enter there;
Its glittering towers the sun outshine,
That heavenly mansion shall be mine.
I'm going home, I'm going home,
I'm going home, to die no more."
All through those hours of terrible agony, not a complaint, scarcely a
groan, escaped her; but words of prayer and praise were continually upon
her lips. "Jesus is my best, my only friend," she said; "he is close
beside me now, and I know he will not let me perish." Again she sung
this beautiful hymn,
"Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From thy side a healing flood,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Could my tears for ever flow,
Could my zeal no languor know,
This for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and thou alone.
In my hand no price I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold thee on thy throne,
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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