Bethel University - Spire Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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THE ACORN 7 ■cold in the room, and mother seemed more then usually restless. Xanncy and Bessy awoke at nine, but Billy gave them some bread and persuaded them to remain in bed because it was altogether too cold to be up. The cold and the wind increased as the day wore on, yet Billy sat faithfully, although shivering, at his motlir's bedside, in vain he tried his utmost to catch some of her wild fancies as she lay there twicli-ing and tossing. It was indeed a terrible day for Billy. He had had nothing to eat. and the little crust of bread left must be saved for his dear little sisters. It was about three o’clock when it was an unusual stir in the bed, and when the boy looked up, he saw his mother rise on her elbow. She fixed her feverish eyes on Billy with a look so tender and so pathetic that Billy could not help bursting into tears. Her lips moved slowly, and at last he heard her whisper: ‘Billy, I feel the end is drawing near. I am surly going soon. I know I am going to Jesus; but Billy, be a good hoy. Oh! I am sorry. What will become of you my dear children. Oh! My children! My children! Look well after Nanney and Bessy. Go to the village and get seme help. I know you will be brave and good.’ She was silent for a short while and the breathing was becoming more and more difficult. Then again she said: “Bill, now you will be a good boy. Go to the Village for help at cnee. Take care of the girls. Be a good boy and God will bless you. Oh. oh, oh, God—my God—Billy I II tell you this too. but do not tell it. to anybody? But she sank suddenly backwards on the pillow never to rise again. Her soul had loft for the land where there is no pain, and where tears shall he no more. No words can interpret Billy's feeling, as he bent over the lifeless form and wept as if his heart would break. He did not notice that the two little girls had crawled out of the bed. until they hung around his neck mingling their tears with his although they scarcely knew why they cried. The three, sat there huddled together for a long time and wept as only innocent children, with breaking hearts, can weep. It was almost heartrending for Billy to hear his little sisters call for mamma while mamma could never hear them again, and at last he realized their desperate position. He arose and brushed away the tears. He had been unconscious cf the fact that he was almost frozen stiff: and when he looked on his poor shivering sisters a fresh flood of tears burst forth. He took them in his arms and carried them to bed; tucked all the clothes he could fine around them; got the remaining bread-crust and gave it all to Nanney and Bessy. The darkness was falling fast, and Billy, although shivering terrible sat at his sister's bed-side telling them stories about heaven and Jesus who look the children and blessed them; and at last the two were fast asleep. “They will sleep now till morning,’’ he said then to himself, “but I must get help belore then.” He looked out into the dark, blustering night; drew his ragged coat tighter around himself and stepped bravely out into the drifting snow. It was two miles to the nearest neighbor; the snow was deep and the north winds were biting cold. But. it was a case of life or death; and Billy, lnspite of his young years, realized it fully. He went back into the cabin and gazed for a long time into his mother’s face, while scalding tears rolled down his own thin, pale cheeks. Then lie knelt by his slumbering sister’s bed, and prayed the prayer which mother had thaught him, kissel them both tenderly and again tucked the clothes around them, after which he stepped briskly out into the blinding storm. The wind blew the snow right in his 'face, but he fought bravely on against tears, hunger, and cold. The thought of his two starving sisters gave him strength,

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6 T1IE ACORN But I need money; I must have some no matter if crooked methods must be employed. Eureka”! I have it! Down here lives an old widow whom I know has seme money. I'll just go over and see it I can t sell her som mining stock that n.ever existed. She is innocent and will not suspect evil. This is the way by which many a man has become great. Oh ■God. may mother never know what I am about to do. I know it is wrong, but I must get even with the world some way; I must have money. I had not seen the old man sitting by yonder weeping willow before he arose. His steps were not firm, Ids hair was white as snow, his face was furrowed showing that life had used him rather roughly; but there was something kind and bcnovelent about the aged man which appealed to my soul. He walked slowly up and laying his withered hand on the young man's shoulder said. My son, The youth gave a violent start, but remained seated. My son. ho continued, I have heard your idea of greatness. I do not know if you wish to become a Napoleon, a Webster, a Rockefeller, or if you wish to become simply a society lion. Be that as it may: but f heard also by what means you intended to reach your idea! of greatness. It is a virtue in any man to yearn for renown, it is also certain that no man will become eminent without striving for greatness. Even a man born a noble or of wealth is not great if he has not done anything worthy of the name. My son. greatness is something far more then idle show or vain power. I will relate you a little story which will illustrate my conception of true greatness—the story ol little hump backed Billy Butts. It is a year and a half aso to-day since his father was killed by the train. Tom Butts had always been a drunkard; ano a year and a half ago to night he was on his way home from town, hut so. in- w toxicatcd, that inspite of the cold November rain, he had gone to sleep. He had sat down to rest on the railroad track without being able to keep awake; and the Western Express had run over him. This was a terrible blow to the Butts family. !t is true that Mr. Butt had not been a good husband or father, but he was now gone. Who should now provide for the family? Billy, the oldest child, was only nine years old and a cripple at that. The mother was frail and sickly, but something had to he done. Billy was taken out of the school which he loved so much, and where he had worked so earnestly. Miss Frost, the teacher, had often said that Billy was the brightest and best boy in school. Some day, she said, he will surely become a great man. But now, however, his career at school was abruptly cut short. He must look after Naney and Bessy while mother, by washing, provided bred for herself and her three fatherless children. Th» Butts’ had always been poor. Luxury had never been known there: hut now real want and hunger rapped often on tlielr door. Many were the evenings that Mrs. Butts had to sing the babies to sleep without a supper. Billy did all he could for his beloved mother, but still thiros grew from bad to worse; and at last the breadwinner's strength entirely gave out. She came staggering home late one Saturday night and scarcely did she reach her bed before she fell in a swoon. There she lay for nearly three days in a semi-conscious condition, tossing back and forth In a delirious fever. Sunday and Monday were long and dreary days for the poor children. A cold rain was beating the window, and by Monday night all their fuel was gone, and their food was also becoming very scarce. On Tuesday, when Billy looked out through the cracked window, he saw the .sround covered with snow and a howling ind raging in all its fury. It was very

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8 THE ACORN yet the cold was rapidly getting the best of him. The last quarter of a mile he literally dragged himself forward on his hands and knees. It was one o'clock before he reached Andersons, the place where miss Frost stayed. The poor boy was. by this time, so frozen that it was only with greatest difficulty that he was able to knock at the door, whereafter he, exhausted, sank down. Miss Frost, who had laid awake for some time, heard the faint knock and got up to see what it was. When she opened the door and beheld the child she almost gave a shriek, but calmed herself and picked him up tenderly and carried him to her own room where she laid him on the bed. But when she had lighted the lamp and looked at her charge she could not surpress at My God, Billy Butts”! She at once went to work getting him something warm and rubbing bis frozen limbs. At last he looked up into her face and whispered. Teacher, don't trouble about me: but please go and help my sisters. Mamma is dead, and Nanney and Bessy will die of cold and hunger. Please, teacher, please go and help them. Miss Frost called Anderson's and told them the awful news, and it was not long before a team was sent off to see about the orphans and the dead mother. The children were taken to the home of Anderson's, but Billy, inspite of utmost care was sinking rapidly. He laid there in a sort of a stupor until late in the afternoon when he began to move. At last he sat up and called wildly for Naney and Bessy. Miss Frost laid her hands on his brow and tried to calm him, but be was not to be calmed. He cried repeatedly. ‘Where are my sisters? They are starving to death! Thev are freezing to death! And mamma told me to be good to them. Oh mamma, mamma. I could do no more. I did all I could.' and then he wandered off to the bed-side of his mother. He fancied himself administering to the wants of her and he would cry bitterly because he had no more fuel and bread. Miss Frost tried everything within her power to calm liim but all in vain. At last the little “tots were permitted to come in to where he lay, and when he saw them his eyes brightened. His raving mind seemed to calm suddenly, and looking imploringly up into the face of Miss Frost he said, I feel that I am going to die. I am going to my mother. 1 know I am. But Teacher, won’t you be good to Naney and Bessy? Mamma asked me to be good. Teacher, please be good to them for mamma’s sake.’ The last words were scarcely audible, and Miss Frost laid him softly back on his pillow. He laid thus quietly for a long while. For about two hours he was quiet, but at last he opened his eyes again and gazed on those who stood around him. His lips moved, but not a sound could be heard. It was plain that his soul was ready at any moment to take its flight, and at last he closed his eyes in the last long sleep. Miss Frost could not restrain the glistening tears from dropping on his cheek as she bent forward and kissed him. It was indeed pathetic to see this young hero pass to the land from which no one returns: and it moved even the stern Mr. Anderson into tears. Miss Frost arose, however, brushed away her tears and said. This is the noblest boy I ever met. In school, be was always ready to help any one in need, and he would do anything for one who was sad or in trouble. He was truly a great, noble soul. And now, he has gone to be with his Mother for ever and ever. He will never freeze and never hunger any more. Well. well, it is best as it is. God knows what He is doing. “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense But trust him for his grace: Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.”