Charlie Scott - Unknown (read full novel TXT) 📗

"Tell it to God, He is always to be found, and can help as well as advise," something within him seemed to whisper. He listened to the voice, and kneeling down, poured out all his trouble, and sorrow, and anxiety, asking God to help him for Jesus Christ's sake. He then got up, bathed his face in cold water, for his eyes were swollen with tears, and started off to the chemist's with the doctor's prescription that his mother gave him.

"Wait for the medicine," she said, "and bring it home with you."

He was waiting in the shop until it was ready, and turning over all sorts of plans for the future in his mind, when one of Mrs. Greenwell's servants came in. "Is that you, Charlie Scott?" she exclaimed. "Master Harry was just inquiring after you, if you had been at the house lately."

"How long have they been at home?" he asked in surprise.

"About two hours; they came this morning."

Charlie picked up the medicine that the chemist had placed before him, and set off home as hard as he could run.

"I'm just going to Mrs. Greenwell's, mother dear," he said, giving it in at the door; "I'll soon be back."

Harry Greenwell saw in a moment by Charlie's face that he was in trouble, and asked anxiously what was the matter. He liked Charlie, and from the first they had been as close friends as the difference in their station and education would allow. Charlie always went to Mrs. Greenwell and "Master Harry" when he was in trouble; indeed, Mrs. Greenwell had succeeded in making all the boys who went to her Bible class feel that she was their friend, and interested in all concerning them; and many of them were thankful for her advice and kind, encouraging words, when they were in trouble or anxiety.

Charlie told them of his father's illness, of his own selfishness, his repentance, his self-reproach, and his anxiety to do something to help at home.

"My dear boy," said Mrs. Greenwell, "I am so glad you have come to me; but I trust you have already laid all this before your great Friend and Father in heaven."

"Oh yes, ma'am," answered Charlie; "but I feel so ashamed of having so often to ask God to forgive me; I feel almost afraid that He will be tired of me, and refuse to listen."

"We might be afraid of that," said Mrs. Greenwell, "if we asked forgiveness in our own unworthy names—if the Saviour had never died for us. But as you know, He came into the world to save sinners. He gave Himself for our sins. 'He was wounded for our transgressions: He was bruised for our iniquities, and with His stripes we are healed.' 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.' He has said, 'Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you;' and if we doubt His word we are lost. If we repent, and are sincerely sorry for our sin, and ask God to forgive us, for Jesus Christ's sake, He will do so, no matter how often we go to Him. It is Satan who tries to put hard thoughts of God into our hearts. And now, in your trouble, Charlie, you do not know how the Saviour loves you and sympathizes with you. He knows what it is to suffer. He is waiting at the door of your heart, longing to come in and help and comfort you. He says, 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock;' do not refuse Him entrance, Charlie."

Tears stood in Charlie's eyes when Mrs. Greenwell finished speaking, tears of thankfulness for such a Saviour, and of gratitude to Mrs. Greenwell.

When they began to talk of what Charlie could do to help at home, and earn some money, Harry asked him what he would like to do best.

"I should best like to be amongst engines, and machines, and those things," said Charlie. "Father meant me to be an engineer—a working engineer, if all had gone on well; he meant to apprentice me. But, of course, that is all over now," he said, with a sigh; "it would be so long before I could earn anything like good wages."

"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Greenwell, turning over all sorts of plans in her mind. "You see," she went on, "errand boys get so little, and tradesmen will not give wages to inexperienced boys for shop work, when they can get apprentices. Haven't you thought of anything yourself?" she asked, after a pause.

"There's the pit," answered Charlie, with a sigh; "I could get six shillings a week, as trapper, directly. Joe Denton gets more than double that now."

"Oh, Charlie!" exclaimed Harry, "surely you will not have to go down those terrible mines?"

Mrs. Greenwell reminded Harry that was not the way to help Charlie. "I know he will feel it hard at first if he goes; but still I am sure he is a brave boy and will not shrink from it, if he feels it to be his duty. You would not have him idling about at home, thinking only of his own comfort, and picking and choosing his work, when his father, who has done so much for him, is suffering from a lingering illness, and wanting so many little comforts that cannot be bought without money?"

After a good deal of thought, Mrs. Greenwell said, "I believe, Charlie, it is the only thing for you. It will be a great trial to you, I know, to give up all your dreams about engines and machines, and being a clever man, and getting rich, and having instead to go down into a dark, dreary coal-pit day after day, to a life of hard toil; but it appears, as far as we can see, to be God's will and your duty. You remember those words of our Saviour,—'If any will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.' We have all a cross of some kind to bear, and this is your cross, Charlie; take it up patiently, bravely, and willingly. He will not give you more than you can bear. Trust Him. There is no doubt some great blessing is in store for you, if you do not shrink from this trial of your faith."

Charlie had two or three very busy days before Saturday night came. As soon as he had decided to go down the mine, he went to a fellow-workman of his father's, Hudson Brownlee, and asked him if he would let him go down with him the first time. Brownlee was a kind-hearted man, and took an interest in Charlie. He promised to see about his work for him, and call on Monday morning at ten o'clock. Charlie kept it quite a secret from his father and mother until Saturday night, then, putting on some of his oldest clothes that he had routed out ready for Monday, and taking his father's lamp in his hand, that he used in the mine, he walked into the room where they were, made a bow, twisted himself round in front of them, and with a cheery face and merry tone said, "Do I look like work, father? shall I do?" At first they looked at him in amazement, but gradually his meaning came upon them.

"My dear boy," said Mrs. Heedman, laying down her knitting, "what do you mean?"

"I mean this," said he, putting down his lamp, and taking each of their hands in his, "I am not going to be an idle, selfish fellow any longer. It's all settled and done. I am going down the pit on Monday, with Hudson Brownlee, and I shall have six shillings to bring home on Saturday night; think of that, mother, and I shall soon get twice as much. Father shall want for nothing."

Tears of love and pleasure stood in John Heedman's eyes, for he knew what it must have cost Charlie to make up his mind to it. "You know how happy it makes your mother and myself to hear you speak so bravely and gratefully," he said; "but are you quite sure, Charlie, that you have counted the cost? Take another week to think of it; thank God, we are not likely to want for some time, there is a little store put by. Remember it is a hard and dreary life to a young ambitious spirit; think it over again."

"I have thought of it, father, ever since the doctor came to see you on Tuesday; it is quite settled. Mrs. Greenwell and Master Harry both seem to think it is my duty. They say I can serve God the same, and I shall be just as dear to Him as if I was ever such a rich engineer; and no honest work is a disgrace."

"That is true," his father began; he was going to say something else, but Charlie seemed anxious to finish his say.

"Master Harry says, father, I must think of what I have been taught, and try to do my duty in that state of life to which it has pleased God to call me. He says if I am obliged to work with my hands, I can work with my head too. Master Harry has offered to give me lessons in the morning before I go to work, and he will lend me books to read, and I shall have that to think about whilst I am down the pit. It won't seem half so dreary when I have busy, pleasant thoughts. And, father, Mrs. Greenwell says I have had such good training at home, and been able to get to Sunday school and Bible class so regularly, that I ought to be quite a missionary amongst the boys I shall meet, who have not had such opportunities."

Application was made for him to be engaged at the pit, and it was agreed that Charlie should begin his new duties on Monday.