CHAPTER XI.
THE COLONISTS OF COLE'S HILL.
The next day both Carver and Bradford were forced to succumb under theepidemic already raging among the colonists, and in another fortnightthe hospital and Common house were crowded to their utmost capacity withthe beds of the ill and dying. The terrible colds taken in the variousexplorations, the vile food and bad air of the brig, with the want ofordinary comforts on shore, were at last bearing their fruit in acombination of scurvy, rheumatism, and typhoid fever of a malignanttype. On board ship matters were even worse than on shore, and Jones,who would willingly have abandoned the settlers as soon as they weredebarked, found himself, perforce, a sharer in their distress throughthe illness and death of his crew, and the danger of running short ofprovisions.
The day came at length when of all the company, numbering a hundred andone when they landed, only seven remained able either to nurse the sickor bury the dead, and hour by hour, as these met about their complicatedduties, they studied each others faces, in terror of seeing the fatalsigns that yet one more was stricken down, and the annihilation of thesettlement one step farther advanced.
Of these seven, two were Elder Brewster and Myles Standish, and well didthey prove themselves fit to be rulers among the people, for theybecame servants of all, without hesitation and without affectation,nursing, cooking, dressing loathsome wounds, and ministering in allthose homely ways repugnant to refined senses, and especially, perhaps,to the dignity of man. The doctor also kept on foot, although terriblyworn with sleeplessness, fatigue, and rheumatism; Peter Browne, none theworse for his day and night in the woods, with Francis Eaton to helphim, took charge of digging the graves and burying the dead, already intheir silent colony along the brow of Cole's Hill, almost equaling theiryet suffering comrades. The two remaining sound ones were StephenHopkins and Helen Billington, who, as the only female nurse, was calledupon to attend the sick women, so far as she could; this, of course,gave but little time for each patient, and one night the doctorhurriedly said to Standish,--
"Captain, wilt have an eye to-night to those two beds in the corner?'T is Priscilla Molines and Desire Minter, both shrewdly burned withfever, and needing medicine and care lest they should fall to ravingbefore morning. I'd not ask thee, knowing all thou hast on hand, butgoodwife Billington must not quit"--
"Nay, nay, what needs so many words," interrupted Standish. "Give metheir medicine and directions, I can care for them well enow and forBradford whose huckle-bone[4] giveth him sore distress to-night."
[4] Hip-bone.
"I doubt me if he wins through," said the Doctor softly; "and White andMolines will never see the morning, and Mistress Winslow is goingfast--well, I leave the maids and Bradford to thee."
"Ay, I'll do my best," replied Standish briefly.
And so it came to pass that Priscilla Molines, moaning in her feverishunrest, felt a moist linen laid upon her brow and a cup held to herparched lips.
"Petite maman!" murmured she, and with those moistened lips kissed thehand that held the cup.
Standish sadly smiled a little, and passed on to the next bed where layDesire Minter, not so ill, but far more requiring than Priscilla.
"Here is thy draught, child," said the nurse kindly, as he raised herhead and put the cup to her lips. Swallowing it eagerly, she lifted herjealous eyes and with a smile half cunning, half pathetic, whispered,--
"I love thee too, but I think it not maidenly to kiss thee till I'masked."
"Nay, girl, thou 'rt dreaming or wild," said the Captain soothingly."She, poor maid, is distraught, and took me for her mother. She loves menot, nor dost thou, nor do I ask any woman's love."
"Nay, then, thou 'rt mocking me. Thou dost love her, and she loves thee,for I've heard her say as much; but still I know one that loves theebetter."
"If thou were not so ill, Desire, I'd find it in my heart to say--butthere, sleep poor child, sleep! Thou knowst not what thou sayst."
And Standish turned impatiently away to Bradford who sufferedexcruciatingly that night with inflammatory rheumatism in the hip-joint.
The next morning Priscilla awaking refreshed, and for the moment quiteherself, found her neighbor weeping passionately, yet from time to timeregarding her in so peculiar a fashion that she said softly,--
"What is it, Desire? Art thou in sore pain?"
"It ill fits thee to pity me when it is thou that hast done me suchdespite," whimpered Desire sullenly.
"I! what dost thou mean?"
"Why, I have ever liked our Captain since first I saw him, and now hiswife is dead and buried, why should he not marry me as well as another?"
"Why not, if it pleaseth him? I forbid not the banns," repliedPriscilla, the dim wraith of her old smile passing across her face.
"Why not? Because thou hast bewitched him, thou naughty sprite, and thouknowest it."
"What dost thou mean, Desire? Speak out and done with it, for thouweariest me sore," exclaimed Priscilla impatiently, while the feverbegan to streak her pallid cheek and flame in her great eyes.
"Why, I saw you two kissing last night, and I suppose you're promised toeach other," muttered the other sulkily, and Priscilla, rising on herelbow, fixed on her a glance beneath which the coward quailed, yetsullenly murmured,--
"Well, you did!"
"Desire Minter, thou art lying, and thou knowest it, or else thy witsare distraught, or mine."
"Ah, 't is well to try to edge out of it by brow-beating me, but thoucanst not. I saw you two kissing. When he first came in he went andstood beside thy bed and looked down at it, biting at his beard, as ishis wont when he is moved; and then he fell upon his knees, whisperingsomething, and kissed the pillow, over and over, and when he stood up hedrew his hand across his eyes, and all for love of thee. So now, then!"
"Is that true, Desire? Can it be true that he cares for me in thatfashion?" asked Priscilla falling back bewildered, for she knew no morethan did Desire that hers was the bed where Rose Standish had breathedher last sigh, and her husband had looked his last on her sweet face.
"Certes, 't is true, and thou knowest it better than I, for when, lateron, he came to give thee a drink and wet thy forehead and lips, thoudidst give him back his kiss right tenderly, and mutter something of'love' and 'darling.'"
"I kissed Myles Standish!" cried Priscilla wildly.
"Ay, kissed the hand that held the cup, and when he came to me I toldhim I had seen it all, and that I knew before that thou lovedst him."
"Thou saidst I loved him!"
"Ay, and he said he loved thee not, nor any woman, but 't was a blind,for such a weary sigh as he fetched, and turned to look again at thee."
"I kissed him, and thou saidst I loved him, and he said he loved menot!" cried Priscilla blindly; and then with a wild cry she burst into adelirious laugh, ending in a shriek that brought Doctor Fuller from thenext room.
"What is this! what is toward!" demanded he glancing from Priscilla toDesire, who replied in her sullen tones,--
"I know not, except that Captain Standish and Priscilla are sweethearts,and I told her I saw them kissing last night, and haply she is shamed aswell she may be."
"And well mayst thou be doubly shamed," replied the doctor sternly, "totorment her into frenzy with thy jealous fancies, and she already atdeath's door. Thou sawest naught, whatever thou mayst have dreamed; andmark me now, Desire Minter, I forbid thee to speak one word more, goodor bad, to Priscilla Molines while thou stayest here; and if thouheedest not, I'll put thee in another house and leave thee to shift forthyself."
Thoroughly cowed, the mischief maker promised obedience, and the doctorturned to the delirious girl, whom he finally quieted to a moaningsleep, in which he left her, muttering to himself as he went,--
"Not a month since his wife died in that bed--well--'t is no concern ofmine."
And so it came about that the idea of love between Priscilla andStandish was planted in four active minds, and in time bore strange andbitter fruit.
And so the gloomy days crept on, and the sufferers and the mourners ofthe village which lay half-built beneath the hill passed on to take uptheir dwelling in the village upon the bluff, where, silent pilgrims,they lay, row upon row, hands meekly folded, lips close set, and eyesforever shut, but yet attaining all that they sought in this theirpilgrimage, freedom from tyranny even of time and circumstance, freedomto worship God in spirit and in truth.
When a conqueror or a tyrant decimates his captives or his subjects, theworld cries out in horror of such disregard of life, but in thisinstance God spared one half His people from the sorrows and thehardships they had come forth to seek, and gave them at once the reward,for which their brethren still must toil. Of the hundred and one men,women, and children, who followed Gideon to the battle, but fifty werechosen to achieve the final conquest.
Among those who survived for a little time was John Goodman, who, afterlying for weeks at death's door, came slowly back for a while, and inthe early spring crept out in the sunshine with the faithful Pike athis heels. Trying his strength from day to day, he at last hobbled downto the brook and across, but was no sooner beyond hail of the villagethan two great gray wolves, stealing from a thicket, sprang upon thedog, who, not so venturesome as Nero, ran to take refuge between hermaster's still tender feet, causing them not a little pain.
"Fool! Again without a weapon!" exclaimed John apostrophizing himself,and picking up a good-sized stone he threw it, with a shout, at theforemost wolf, who retreated snarling to the bushes. Stumbling backtoward the village as fast as he could, Goodman came presently to a pileof stout palings cut for fencing, and arming himself with one cast ananxious look behind. It was time, for the wolves, recovering courage ashe retreated, were in full pursuit, with glaring eyes and lollingtongues.
Ordering Pike to crouch behind him, the young fellow stood at bay,hooting, shouting, and waving his stave in a semicircle, within whosesweep the creatures were not anxious to intrude. Weary at length oftrying to surprise the fortress by a flank movement, yet reluctant toabandon the hope of seizing Pike, the wolves finally seated themselvesupon their haunches at a little distance and seemed to consult, grinningand snapping their teeth from time to time at the spaniel, who coweredalmost into the ground, whimpering piteously, while her master leanedupon his paling and laughed aloud, an insult to which the wolvesresponded by throwing back their heads and uttering howls like those ofa dog baying the moon. Then suddenly leaping into the bushes theydisappeared as quickly as they came, leaving Goodman, still chuckling,to resume his path to the village.
"We'll have a merry tale for Peter Browne this evening, won't we, Pike!"
But while the brave young fellow climbed the little hill from the brookto The Street, this smiling expression gave place to one ofconsternation, as he beheld a column of smoke and flame issuing from theroof of the house set apart as hospital, and heard a terrified shoutof,--
"Fire! Fire!"
"Fire! Fire!" echoed Goodman running toward the spot as fast as histender feet would allow.
Sounder men were before him, however, and when he arrived a ladder wasplaced against the side of the burning house, and Alden, with Billingtonat his heels, was about to mount it, when Brewster exclaiming,--
"Here's no place for sick men," pushed both aside, ran up the ladder,and tearing the blazing thatch from the roof flung it down in handfulsso rapidly and effectually that in five minutes the threatenedconflagration was subdued to smoking embers and a few fugitive flameshere and there, where already the fire had fastened upon the poles laidto support the thatch. Some buckets of water passed up by the littlecrowd below soon extinguished these, and then the Elder, peeping downthrough the damaged roof into the room below, cried cheerily,--
"All is safe, friends, and no great harm done."
"God be praised!" exclaimed Bradford's voice from within, and Brewstersoftly said, "Amen!" as he descended the ladder less easily than he hadmounted it. At the foot he encountered Doctor Fuller, who with Standishhad just been to Cole's Hill arranging for another line of graves.
"Let me see your hands, Elder," demanded the physician in his usual dryfashion.
"No need,'t is naught. Go look after your sick folk," replied the Eldertrying to push past, but Fuller caught him by the sleeve, exclaimingsharply,--
"A man whose hands are needed for others as oft as thine are, has noright to let them become useless, and 't is not in reason but they areburned."
"You're right, Fuller, and I'm but a froward child," said Brewster, asudden smile replacing the frown of pain upon his face, and obedientlyopening out his burned and bleeding palms. "Come to the Common house, soas not to fright my wife within there, and do them up with some of yourwonderful balsam."
"And were it not for thought of your work, you would not have let me seethem," said Fuller glancing from under his penthouse brows with a lookof cynical admiration.
"One cannot give thought to every pin-prick with such deadly sickness onall sides," replied Brewster simply. "Best go into the hospital and seeif thy poor dying folk have taken any harm of the fright before thoulookest after me."
"The Captain has gone into the sick-house. I'll hold on to you,"returned the Doctor curtly, and Brewster yielded with his ever gracioussmile.
That evening as the Elder with his bandaged hands, Carver, gaunt andpale from an attack of fever, Standish, Winslow, John Howland, andDoctor Fuller sat at supper in the Common house, Master Jones, followedby a sailor heavily laden, presented himself at the door.
"Good e'en, Masters, and how are your sick folk?" demanded he, in awould-be cordial voice.
"Thanks for your courtesy, Master Jones," replied the governor withgrave politeness. "They are doing reasonably well, except some few whodo not seem like to mend in this world."
"And Master Bradford? Sure he is not going to die?" pursued Jones in avoice of strange anxiety, as he sank into the great arm-chair Carver hadproffered him.
"He is as low as a man can be and live," broke in the doctor gruffly, ashe fixed Jones with a glance of angry reproach, beneath which even thatrough companion quailed.
"He sent aboard yesterday begging a can of beer," blurted he, his brownface reddening a little.
"Yes," replied the governor sternly, "and you made answer that though itwere your own father needing it, you would not stint yourself."
"I said it, and I don't deny it," retorted Jones with a feeble attemptat bluster. "But any man has a right to change his mind if he findcause, and I've changed mine as you will see, for I've brought not acan, but a runlet of beer for Bradford, and any others who crave it andare like to die wanting it; and when that is gone if Master Carver willsend on board asking it for the sick folk, he shall have it though I beforced to drink water myself on the voyage home. I'll have no dead menhaunting me and bringing a plague upon the ship."
"Truly we are greatly beholden to you, Master Jones," began Carver ingreat surprise, but the mariner raised his hand and continued,--
"Nay, hear me out, for that's not all. I went ashore to-day and shotfive geese, and here they are, all of them, not one spared, though Icould have well fancied a bit of goose to my supper, but I brought allto you, and more than that, even, for here is the better half of a buckwe found in the wood ready shot to our hand. The Indians had cut off hishorns and carried them away, and doubtless were gone for help to carrythe carcase home when we came upon it; haply they saw us coming and madea run for it; at all odds they had left him as he fell, and Sir Wolf wasalready tearing at his throat so busily that he knew not friends werenigh, until a bullet through his head heralded our coming. So here arethe haunches for you, and I content myself with the poorer parts."
Taking the articles named from a bag which the sailor had at hisdirection laid upon the floor, Jones ranged them in an imposing line inthe centre of the room, and resuming his chair looked at his hosts stillin that conciliatory and half timid manner so utterly new to them andforeign to his usual demeanor.
"We are, indeed, deeply beholden to
you, Master Jones," said Carver atlength in his grave and courteous tones. "But if I may freely speak mythought, and if I read my brethren's minds aright, we cannot but musecuriously upon this sudden and marvelous change in your dealings withus, and would fain know its meaning."
"Feeling certain that Master Jones is not one to give something fornothing, and so in common prudence wishing to know at the outset whatprice he expects for bearing himself in Christian charity, as he seemethdesirous to do," suggested Standish with more candor than diplomacy.
"Thou 'rt ever ready with thy gibes on better men than thyself, artnot?" exclaimed Jones turning angrily upon him. For reply Standishleaned back in his chair, pulled at his red beard, and laughedcontemptuously; but Winslow hastily interposed with a voice like oilupon the waves.
"Our captain will still have his jest upon all of us, Master Jones, butin truth as the governor hath said, we cannot but admire at thiswonderful generosity on thy part, and fain would know whence itariseth."
"Why, sure 't is not far to seek," replied Jones with a hideous grimaceintended for a conciliatory smile; "we have ever been good friends, havewe not, and you all wish me well, as I do all of you. Certes, none ofyou would try to bring evil upon our heads, lest it fall upon your owninstead, for still those who wish ill to others fall upon ill luckthemselves. Is it not so, Elder?"
"Art speaking of Christian doctrine, or of heathen superstition, MasterJones?" inquired the Elder fixing his mild, yet penetrating eyes uponthe seaman, who slunk beneath their gaze.
"Nay, then!" blustered he rising to his feet, "I came hither when Iwould fain have stayed in my own cabin aboard, and I came not to choplogic nor to be put to the question like a malefactor, but to bring helpto my sick neighbors, who, to be sure, cried out for it lustily enoughbefore they got it, but now pick and question at my good meat and drinkas if 't were like to poison them. Well, that's an end on 't, and youcan take it or leave it, as you will. Good e'en to you."
"Nay, nay, Master Jones," interposed Carver hastily, as the angry manmade toward the door. "Let us not part thus, especially in view of thygreat kindness toward us, for which, in good sooth, we are moregrateful than we have yet expressed. Let pass the over curious querieswe have ventured, and sit up at the table for a little meat and drink,such as it may be. Here is some broiled fish, and here some clams"--
"I care not for eating, having finished mine own supper but now,"grumbled Jones sinking back into Carver's arm-chair; "still if you'llbroach yon runlet of beer I'll taste a mug on 't, for my throat is asdry as a chimbley."
"The beer is for our sick folk who crave it as they gather theirstrength," said Carver pleasantly; "but we have here a case of strongwaters of our own, if that will serve thy turn."
"Why, ay, 't will serve my turn better than t' other," replied Jonesdrawing his hairy hand across his mouth with an agreeable smile, as headded,--
"I did but ask for the beer, thinking you who are well needed thespirits for yourselves."
"We can spare what we need for ourselves more lightly than what we needfor others," said Carver in that grand simplicity of nature which failsto perceive the magnificence of its own impulses. And from a shelf abovehis head the governor took a square bottle of spirits, while Howlandpoured water from a kettle over the fire into a pewter flagon, andproduced a sugar bason from a chest in the corner of the room. These,with a smaller pewter cup, he placed before the seaman who eagerly mixedhimself a stiff dram, drank it, and prepared another, which he sippedluxuriously, as leaning back in his chair he looked slowly around thecircle of his entertainers, and finally burst forth,--
"The plain truth is, there are no folk like these in any latitude I'vesailed, and a man must deal with them accordingly. 'T is what I toldClarke and Coppin before I came ashore. What men but you would giveanother what you want yourselves, and lacking it may find yourselves inworse case than him you help? And 't is not all chat, for still I'vemarked it both afloat and ashore, and the poor wretches you've left inthe ship will pluck the morsel from their own lips to put it toanother's.
"So it is, that with all your losses, a kind of good luck aye followsyou, and I shall not marvel if, in the end, you build up your colonyhere, and see good days when I am--well, it matters not where--I doubtme if priests or parsons know. But they who flout you or do you achurlish turn find no good luck resting on them, but rather acurse,--yea, I've marked that too. 'T is better to be friends than foeswith some folk."
"'Timeo Daneos et dona ferentes,'" quoted Winslow in the ear of ElderBrewster, who sat watching the sailor curiously, and now suddenlysaid,--
"And so thy shipmen are very ill too, Master Jones!"
"Lo you, now! I said naught of it, and how well you knew. What dostmean, Elder?"
"Naught but friendly interest like thine own," replied the Elder gently,yet never removing that steadfast gaze, beneath which Jones fidgetedimpatiently, and finally cried in a sort of desperate surrender,--
"Well, then, as well you know already, 't is that matter brought me hereto-night. My men have sickened daily, and everything hath gone awry,since we bundled you and your goods ashore a month or so agone, whensome of you were fain to tarry aboard, or at least leave your stuffthere, and come and go."
"But thou wast afeard we should drink thy beer by stealth. Nay, thousaidst it," declared Standish disdainfully.
"Well, yes, I'll not go back of saying it," retorted Jones half abashedand half defiant. "For where else shall you find me men who will drinkwater if another man hath beer where they may get it?"
"We heard from our friends on board that scurvy had broken out among theshipmen," said Carver motioning Standish to hold his peace.
"Scurvy, and fever, and rheumaticks, and flux, and the foul fiendknoweth what beside," replied Jones desperately. "Now Clarke hath stillbeen warning me that you were so sib with the saints"--
"Nay, God forbid!" ejaculated Brewster.
Jones looked at him in astonishment, then nodding his head as one whoyields a point he cannot understand continued: "Well, if not the saints,whosoever you have put in their room; but Clarke says you are e'en likethe warlocks of olden time who called fire out of heaven on theirenemies, and it came as oft as they called; and he says Master Brewsteris like some Messire Moses who dealt all manner of ill to those whocrossed him; and I marked, and so did Clarke, how yester morn when Idenied Bradford the beer he craved, and answered the governor in socurst a humor, three men fell ill before night, and two, who weremending, died in torment. And Clarke said, and so it seemed most like tome, that 't was you had done it, and might yet do worse; and so I wouldfain be friends, and I come myself to bring the beer and the meat, andI'll promise to do as much again and again; nay, I'll swear it by thetoe of St. Hubert, that my mother paid gold to kiss for me or ever Iwas born, yea, I'll swear it, if you masters will take off the curse,and promise to say masses, nay, nay, to say sermons and make mention ofme to the Lord."
"Knowest thou what the Apostle Peter said to one Simon Magus when hewould have bought the grace of God for gold?" demanded Brewster sternly.
"Nay, I never knew any of thy folk before," replied Jones humbly; butWinslow consulting the pacific governor with his eyes smoothlyinterposed,--
"Surely we will pray for thee and for thy men, Master Jones, albeit ourprayers have no more weight than those of any other sinful men, and ourElder hath neither the power nor the will to bring plagues upon ourenemies. There is naught of art-magic in our practices, I do assurethee, master."
"Well, I know not; but in all honesty I'd rather be friends than foeswith men like you."
"And friends we are most heartily," said Carver. "Our folk on board arestill mending, are they not?"
"Rigdale and Tinker are yet in bed, and their wives wait upon them, handand foot, though fitter to be in their own beds. And not only on them,but now and again find time to run and give a drink or some suchtendance to our men lying groaning at the other side the bulkhead. Youmind that knave boatswain who still scoffed and swore at thy pr
ayers,Elder, and so grievously flouted the first who fell sick among you?"
Brewster nodded, and Standish bringing his clenched fist down upon thetable growled,--
"I mind him so well that I've promised him a skin full of broken bonesthe first time I catch him ashore."
"Then thou 'lt be glad to know that he lies a-dying to-night," repliedJones with horrible naivete.
"Dying!"
"No question on 't; and this morning as he lay groaning in soredistress, and calling upon one and another to wait on him, and none hadtime or stomach for it, goodwife Rigdale came to the caboose for amorsel of meat after her night's watch, and hearing him she cried,'Alack, poor soul!' and hasted to him with the very cup she was justputting to her own lips. The dog fastened to it, I promise you, anddrank every drop, then gazing up at her asked a bit too late,--
"'Hast any left for thyself?'
"She smiled on him with that white face she wears nowadays and said,--
"'Nay, but thou 'rt more than welcome.' Then says Master Boatswain, notknowing that I heard him,--
"'Oh, if I was set to get over this, as well do I know I am not, I wouldask no better than to join your company and forswear all I have helddear. For now do I see how true Christians carry themselves to eachother when they are in trouble, while we heathen let each other lie anddie like dogs.'
"So the poor wench, fit to drop as she was, knelt and began praying forhim, and I stole away."
"But do not those men care one for another in their sickness?" askedBrewster indignantly.
"As yonder wolf tended upon the dying buck," replied Jones with acareless laugh. "To drink his blood while it was warm was his chiefcare, and my men part the gear of their dying messmates before theireyes. Why, one of the quartermasters, Williams, thou knowest, would fainhave hired Bowman, the other quartermaster, to befriend him to the last,and promised him all his goods if he should die, and money if he gotwell; but the knave did but make him two messes of broth, and some kindof posset to drink o' nights, and then left him, swearing all over theship that Williams was cozening him by living so long, and he would dono more for him though he starved, and yet the poor soul lay a-dyingthen."
"And Bowman had his goods?" demanded Howland sternly.
"Ay had he, or ever the breath was out of the body. Then there wasCooper, who died cursing and swearing at his wife, and her spendthriftways, that wasted all his wage and still sent him to gather more. Andthere was the gunner whose whole thought was that he must quit his gear,and would have his chest stand where he could see it, and the key underhis pillow to the last; and when one of your men asked would he listento a bit of a prayer he bawled out with a curse, 'Nay, what profit wasthere in prayers, or who would pay him for hearkening.'
"I tell you, masters, 't is the worst port ever I made, and albeit I'mnot a man of dainty or queasy stomach, it turns me sick to see and hearsuch things, and know that I'm master of a crew bound for hell though wecalled it Virginia."
"Mayhap if the Mayflower's crew had used more diligence in seeking toland us in Virginia they had not themselves made the port thou speakestof," said Standish bitterly, while Carver, sighing profoundly, pushedback from the table in sign that the conference was ended, but said in avoice of unfeigned friendliness,--
"Truly, Master Jones, thou needest and shall have our kindliestsympathy, and our prayers, for this that you tell of is a fearfulcondition, and a fatal for both body and soul, and well may you callupon Almighty God for pardon and for mercy. If any of your men are fainto come on shore we will receive them and give such tendance as we do toour own, and right certain am I that those of our company yet on boardwill do all that they are able for you. Forgetting the past, about whichwe might justly murmur if we would, we are ready in your necessity toreckon you as brothers, and to spend and to be spent in your service, asGod giveth ability.
"Will it please thee to tarry while we hold our evening devotions, andjoin thy prayers to ours, that the Lord will have mercy upon all of us?"
"Yes, I'll tarry, though 't is not greatly in my way. Haply He mighttake it amiss if I went," muttered Jones looking about him uneasily,while Carver regarded his hopeless neophyte with divine compassion, andElder Brewster prayed long and fervently that not only the childrenshould be fed, but that the dogs might eat of the crumbs that fell fromthe table, and that in the end even the sons of Belial might be forgiventheir blindness and hardness of heart, and receive even thoughundeservingly the uncovenanted mercies of God.
Fortunately for his good intentions the object of many of thesepetitions quite failed to comprehend them, and when the devotion wasover rose and went away far more gently than he had come.
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