Christian life -- Fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
Slowly Ellen raised herself and opened her eyes. "Where am I?" she
asked, looking bewildered.
"Here, dear," said Timmins; "wake up and eat something--it will do you
good."
With a sigh, poor Ellen arose and came to the fire. "You're tired to
death, ain't you?" said Timmins.
"Not quite," said Ellen. "I shouldn't mind that if my legs would not
ache so--and my head too."
"Now I'm sorry!" said Timmins; "but your head will be better for eating,
I know. See here, I've got you some nice chicken and oysters, and I'll
make this muffin hot for you by the fire; and here comes your tea. Miss
Johns, I'm your servant, and I'll be your bridesmaid with the greatest
pleasure in life. Now, Miss Ellen, dear, just you put yourself on that
low chair, and I'll fix you off."
Ellen thanked her, and did as she was told. Timmins brought another
chair to her side, and placed the tray with her supper upon it, and
prepared her muffin and tea; and having fairly seen Ellen begin to eat,
she next took off her shoes, and seating herself on the carpet before
her, she made her lap the resting-place for Ellen's feet, chafing them
in her hands and heating them at the fire, saying there was nothing like
rubbing and roasting to get rid of the leg-ache. By the help of the
supper, the fire, and Timmins, Ellen mended rapidly. With tears in her
eyes, she thanked the latter for her kindness.
"Now just don't say one word about that," said Timmins; "I never was
famous for kindness, as I know; but people must be kind sometimes in
their lives, unless they happen to be made of stone, which I believe
some people are. You feel better, don't you?"
"A great deal," said Ellen. "Oh, if I only could go to bed now!"
"And you shall," said Timmins. "I know about your bed, and I'll go right
away and have it brought in." And away she went.
While she was gone, Ellen drew from her pocket her little hymn-book, to
refresh herself with looking at it. How quickly and freshly it brought
back to her mind the friend who had given it, and his conversations with
her, and the resolve she had made; and again Ellen's whole heart offered
the prayer she had repeated many times that day--
"Open my heart, Lord, enter in;
Slay every foe, and conquer sin."
Her head was still bent upon her little book when Timmins entered.
Timmins was not alone; Miss Johns and a little cot bedstead came in with
her. The latter was put at the foot of Mrs. Dunscombe's bed, and
speedily made up by the chambermaid, while Timmins undressed Ellen; and
very soon all the sorrows and vexations of the day were forgotten in a
sound, refreshing sleep. But not till she had removed her little
hymn-book from the pocket of her frock to a safe station under her
pillow; it was with her hand upon it that Ellen went to sleep; and it
was in her hand still when she was waked the next morning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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