Christian fiction; Families -- Fiction; Love stories
There was that same steady look of trust and understanding in Graham's
eyes whenever he looked at her on the way home, and once while the
children were talking together in the back seat he leaned toward her
and said in a low tone:
"I wonder if you will let me take you away for a little while this
afternoon to a quiet place I know where there is a beautiful view, and
let us sit and talk. There are some things I want to ask you, about
what you said this morning. I was very much interested in it all, and
I'm deeply grateful that you let me go. Now, will you go with me?
I'll bring you back in time for the Christian Endeavor service, and you
see in the meantime I'm inviting myself to dinner. Do you think your
mother will object?"
What was there for Shirley to do but accept this alluring invitation?
She did not believe in going off on pleasure excursions on the Sabbath,
but this request that she ride to a quiet place out-of-doors for a
religious talk could not offend her strongest sense of what was right
on the Sabbath day. And surely, if the Lord had a message for her to
bear, she must bear it to whomsoever He sent. This, then, was this
man's interest in her, that she had been able to make him think of God.
A glad elation filled her heart, something deep and true stirred within
her and lifted her above the thought of self, like a blessing from on
high. To be asked to bring light to a soul like this one, this was
honor indeed. This was an answer to her prayer of the morning, that
she might fulfil God's pleasure with the lesson of the day. The
message then had reached his soul. It was enough. She would think no
more of self.
Yet whenever she looked at him and met that smile again she was
thrilled with joy in spite of herself. At least there was a
friendliness here beyond the common acquaintance, a something that was
true, deep, lasting, even though worlds should separate them in the
future; a something built on a deep understanding, sympathy and common
interests. Well, so be it. She would rejoice that it had been given
her to know one man of the world in this beautiful way; and her foolish
little human heart should understand what a high, true thing this was
that must not be misunderstood.
So she reasoned with herself, and watched him during the dinner, among
the children, out in the yard among the flowers and animals,
everywhere, he seemed so fine and splendid, so far above all other men
that she had ever met. And her mother, watching, trembled for her when
she saw her happy face.
"Do you think you ought to go with him, daughter?" she asked with
troubled eyes, when they were left alone for a moment after dinner.
"You know it is the Sabbath, and you know his life is very different
from ours."
"Mother, he wants to talk about the Sunday School lesson this morning,"
said Shirley shyly. "I guess he is troubled, perhaps, and wants me to
help him. I guess he has never thought much about religious things."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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