A Tale of Red Pekin Read online

  CHAPTER V.

  A TERRIBLE WALK.

  Mother took baby Anna in her arms, and baby smiled and touched mother'sface with her little hands, then looked up at the sky again with thatsolemn, wondering look of hers; and the next day, when the sun wassetting, and its glory fell on her little upturned face, Jesus calledher to Himself, and the angels carried her away from us to Heaven. Itreminded me of a piece of poetry out of a book of mother's, called"Voices of Comfort." I learnt it by heart to repeat to father, and if Ican remember it, I will write it down, because it is such a lovelypiece:--

  They are going--only going-- Jesus called them long ago! All the wintry time they're passing, Softly as the falling snow.

  When the violets in the spring-time Catch the azure of the sky, They are carried out to slumber Sweetly where the violets lie.

  They are going--only going-- When with summer earth is drest, In their cold hand holding roses, Folded to each silent breast.

  When the autumn hangs red banners Out above the harvest sheaves, They are going--ever going-- Thick and fast, like falling leaves.

  All along the mighty ages All adown the solemn time, They have taken up their homeward March to that serener clime,

  Where the watching, waiting angels Lead them from the shadow dim, To the brightness of His presence, Who hath called them unto Him.

  They are going--only going-- Out of pain and into bliss, Out of sad and sinful weakness, Into perfect holiness.

  Snowy brows--no care shall shade them; Bright eyes--tears shall never dim; Rosy lips--no time shall fade them; Jesus called them unto Him.

  Little hearts for ever stainless, Little hands as pure as they, Little feet--by angels guided Never a forbidden way.

  They are going--ever going-- Leaving many a lonely spot; But 'tis Jesus who has called them; Suffer, and forbid them not!

  Rachel said baby Anna died because she thought it would be much nicer togo to Heaven than to Wei-hai-wei--but the little ones did not understandit at all, they seemed to imagine she was away on a visit. Tiny Timsaid he hoped they would be kind to her where she had gone, and give hera lot of presents; and we all kissed her little white face--it lookedlike a flower somehow--and folded her sweet hands on her breast, andthen the rest went on, all but mother and me, and we laid her gentlydown, strewing the earth lightly over her, and covering her little gravewith flowers. Then we knelt beside her and prayed, and after a littletime we walked on and overtook the others. Nurse said it was a goodthing baby Anna died, because the poor little thing would have sufferedso much, and I knew mother thought so too, but still she could not helpquietly crying, because her arms were so very empty. I shall neverforget that walk to Wei-hai-wei. Rachel thought it was great fun atfirst, and so did Jack and Jill. They liked wearing the Chinese dressesand doing no lessons, but they soon got tired of walking, especiallyTiny Tim, who kept on calling out for father to come and carry him.

  The sun was very hot, but we were obliged to press on, we were so muchafraid of being pursued and taken back again. Sometimes we would see aband of rioters coming, and have to leave the road and hide; and once wewere overtaken, and the people looked at us very fiercely and called us"foreign devils." Tiny Tim was very frightened, and hid his face inmother's dress, and I thought we should be killed. Somehow I did notfeel much fear. I remembered the talk I had with father, and Jesus wasvery near, and it seemed much better to go to Him and be at rest forever than to be hungry and faint and tired, and to go through the painof so many partings as we had gone through lately. But the Chinese didnot kill us as they did so many of the missionaries. I think they wereafraid to do so, as we were getting nearer every hour to places whereEnglish soldiers were; but they took away a great many of our clothes,and stole our money. Nurse had her money in her hand, and they beat herknuckles with a stick till she dropped it, and then they ran awaylaughing.

  When we got to the first village we asked to see the Mandarin, and toldhim how we had been treated; our clothes and money taken, and how werewe to get on, and what should we do for food? But instead of helpingus, he was very cruel indeed. He hated the Christians, and said hewished we had come yesterday, as then he would have killed us all, butnow he had had orders, owing to the Empress being so merciful, not to doso, but just to send the "foreign devils" away. So he sent us on to thenext village, and though we were tired and hungry yet we were glad togo, as he seemed so fierce and cruel. In the next village the Mandarinwas kinder, and gave us a little rice to eat, but he said he could notkeep us. This happened in all the villages through which we passed.

  Sometimes they would give us a little food, but they would not allow usto rest or give us any carts to ride in. They always took us outsidethe village, and then went away. Mother said afterwards it was becausethey were afraid of killing us, and yet they did not wish to have uswith them. It was a weary, weary time, especially for the little ones,but through it all God never forsook us; indeed we seemed to be kept inconstant communion with Him, and as we drew near to Wei-hai-wei a mostwonderful thing happened.

  We were very weary, and sat down by the roadside to rest. The childrensaid they could not walk a step farther, and though it was not, ofcourse, quite safe to do so, yet we were so near a place of safety thatmother made up her mind to rest there for the night. We went a littleoff the high road, to a place as much screened from observation aspossible. Mother and Nurse sat down and made the little ones ascomfortable as they could, and then, as we always did, we asked God totake care of us and be very present with us during the night. We hadhardly gone off to sleep when we heard steps approaching Tramp, tramp,came the footsteps, nearer and nearer. I was wide awake in a moment, andmy heart stood still, for, in the gathering darkness, I saw plainly atall Chinaman approaching. He seemed to be alone, but this might not bethe case. What if he were the leader of a band of Boxers! I did notmind so much for myself, but I could not bear to think of the othersbeing tortured and killed. He looked terrible in the darkness as hecame towards us. I did not know what to do. I only thought, in a wildkind of way, that I would go to him and ask him to take my life and notto waken the others. I could talk Chinese a little, and hoped to beable to make him understand. I got up quickly, without even disturbingmother--she was sleeping heavily, for sorrow, as the disciples ofold--and as he strode over the ground which divided us I rushed up tohim and put out my hands, and then I remembered nothing more till Iheard a voice--a loved voice that I never thought to hear again in thisworld. I dreamed I was in Heaven with father, and he wore a Chinesedress, but when I came rather painfully back to earth again, the firstthing I was conscious of was that I was in the arms of the tall ChinamanI had seen.

  As he strode over the ground which divided us, I rushedup to him and put out my hands.]

  "Don't hurt them," I cried out in an agony, "kill me instead, but do nothurt them: they have suffered so much already."

  "Cicely, my darling, don't you know me?"

  The voice again. I was so weak and unnerved, or I should haverecognized before my own precious father. I went off once more then,this time for joy and thankfulness, and woke to feel his strong armsround me, and knew that God was good, and that my pain was over. Mycare and anxiety was gone, for was not father with us again? Were nothis arms round me?

  "Humanly speaking," said father, in answer to our breathless questions,"my escape is all owing to Mr. Li. He stood between me and what wouldprobably have been a torturing death. I was struck down, and when theysaw I was not dead, their rage knew no bounds--and that noble fellowdefended me, and did what he could to protect our property till theMandarin came. The Mandarin put me in prison, but Mr. Li rescued me,provided me with this dress, gave me food and money for the journey,brought me on my way, and here I am. I often thought of Onesiphorus.'He oft
refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain.' Thank God! Ourloss has been his unspeakable gain. He told me last Tuesday night thathe could hold out no longer. He was full of wonder at the peace inwhich we were kept whilst death was so near and our property was beingdestroyed, and especially at your calmness, my darling. Under God itwas just the touch that was required. He yielded then and there, andgave himself to Christ. He is anxious to make a public profession ofhis faith by being baptized as soon as ever the opportunity occurs. Hewill make a splendid Christian, for he has counted the cost and foundChrist worthy."

  "Thank God," said mother, fervently, "this one soul saved is worth allthe pain."

  "I knew you would feel like this, Christine. The Lord has been very goodto him and to us. He has brought us all together again. We are allhere, are we not, dear wife?"

  Mother did not answer, but I saw her bosom heave. Father looked roundanxiously, and the tears slowly welled into his eyes. He put his armround mother.

  "It is all right, Christine," I heard him whisper. "He knows best. Shehas been saved so much pain. When was it, my dearest?"

  "Last Wednesday, Paul."

  "And to-day is Friday. Three days in heaven beholding the face of theFather. Let us thank Him, dear wife, for this also."

  We all knelt down upon the grass, and after that I heard father andmother talking far on into the night, and, looking up, I saw God's starsin His sky, and felt how very near He was, and then I went to sleep, andthe next day, towards evening, we met some English soldiers and arrivedat Wei-hai-wei.