The Little Missis Part 22

"I thought," explained Jim, "these 'ud show as how you weren't riding for pleasure on Sunday."

"You are quite right," said Phebe, feeling deeply touched by this exhibition, not only of thoughtful love, but of loyalty to G.o.d, "but I have never learnt to ride!"

"Oh, that don't matter, ma'am," said d.i.c.k, coming to the help of his mate. "Jim an' me's a-going' to push you--at least one of us is, but we hasn't fought it out yet which is a-going to do it." These men were real heroes--truer than any who have ever trod a battlefield: they knew right well the pus.h.i.+ng of that machine meant months of ill-natured chaff and persecution.

As they neared the end of their journey, one of the men, who had been on the look-out for them, quickly took the word to the camp: "Gentleman d.i.c.k and Red Ribbon and their swells are coming along. Come on, I say, and let's have a fine old spree!"

Quite a little crowd gathered close by the shed to witness the arrival.

Jim and d.i.c.k were greeted with some very rude gibes, but the other members of the party escaped any personal remarks.

With the same quickness and tact Phebe had shown in the management of her business, she set about this new work. Taking their seats in front of the shed, Phebe and Bessie began to sing, Reynolds and Jones standing close by, while d.i.c.k and Jim stood on each side as a kind of defence. The concertina was a great help, and when Bessie sang alone it formed a nice soft accompaniment. The men were quite taken off their guard, and thoroughly enjoyed it. "Give us some more, missis," they called out more than once.

A little later on Phebe said: "If you don't mind, friends, sitting down on the gra.s.s, I'll tell you a story while my friend has a rest," and a good number of them did so. They hadn't the slightest idea, some of them, that they were attending "a meeting." First, with a story from her own girlhood, and then one told in her own words, from the life of Jesus, she got their closest attention. When one at the close called out, "How much are you paid for this, missis?" more than one tuft of gra.s.s was thrown at him, with several unparliamentary bits of advice as to what he was to do with his mouth.

After more singing they asked her to talk to them again, and she did so, this time pressing home one or two truths, and then she prayed. Many of the men had never heard a prayer since they prayed at their mother's knee. Not many eyes were closed, but a wonderful silence fell upon that group of rough fellows as they listened to that "little woman" talking to G.o.d.

"Will you come again, missis?" asked one.

"Yes, I will, if you will let me. And please tell your wives, those of you who have them living here--will you?--how much I should like to see them, too. If it rains we should have to go into the shed--would you mind that?"

"No, why should we?" they answered. "Not if the singing girl comes too."

The four visitors went into the shed before starting home, just to see what it was like, and there a surprise met them. On a stool stood four cups and saucers, a jug of milk, a packet of sugar, and some biscuits.

Presently d.i.c.k came in, carrying a teapot. This was all his own particular bit of work. He had made a fire at the back of the shed and boiled his kettle there, giving a boy a penny to stand guard over it.

The journey home was accomplished in the same manner as the outward had been, and all four had to tell Nanna that they had really had a very enjoyable time. The most enjoyable part to Phebe had been a talk she had with a young fellow who had walked part of the way back with them.

"I was the only useless one there, Mrs. Colston," said Reynolds. "My manly protecting strength was not required at all."

Just like a woman with a dear old motherly heart, Mrs. Colston had ready for them a specially nice tea.

"Is you tum home happy, mummy?" asked dear little Jack, as he gave his mother some welcome hugs.

"Yes, darling, very happy."

"Why is you vevy happy, mummy?"

"Because, darling, I've tried to be obedient."

But the thought of why his mother had to be obedient was too perplexing for him, so he turned to the easier task of counting the gooseberries in his little pie.

Just before entering the town the little party had been met by Stephen Collins, who again pa.s.sed by with a bow and a smile. But no smile was in his heart. "Others can stand by her and help her, but I must do nothing--not even defend her as she ought to be defended. G.o.d help me!"

The following Sunday afternoon the same programme was carried out, with just a few additions. A few women were present, some of the men learnt a chorus; two women forcibly took the tea arrangements out of d.i.c.k's hands, the remark being, "What's a great yardstick like you know about making tea!" and instead of one man accompanying the little party on its way homewards there were four. The result of all this was that Bessie informed Nanna that "things were humming more than ever."

If the men had been asked to attend a service there would have been nothing short of a mutiny; as it was they had done so unawares, and got accustomed to it before awaking to the fact. When they did a few rebelled, but the majority submitted to fate. After that second Sunday the feeling of extreme nervousness which had at first taken possession of Phebe pa.s.sed away. She was able now to look upon the work as really hers, given by G.o.d, and began to study it in that light. It was imperative that she should look ahead. The railway-works would continue quite another twelve months. It was all very well to hold the meetings out-of-doors during the fine weather, but what about the winter-time!

Would the men be really willing to come into the shed, and if even they were willing to endure the discomfort, what about heating and lighting arrangements?

What was really needed, she told herself, was an iron room, which the men could use as a club-room during the week. How much would such a room cost?

Advertis.e.m.e.nts were scanned. Yes, a second-hand one could be obtained, with all necessary fittings, for a hundred pounds.

Could she afford to spend that amount just then? Would it be a wise expenditure? Just then she was about to open a branch business in which Jones was to be put as manager, and from which it was hoped to still further enlarge the country trade. This, of course, meant a considerable strain upon the exchequer, and it would only be with difficulty, in spite of her success, that a hundred pounds could be spared.

"Well," she said to herself, "I must just leave the matter for a while, and wait and watch for the pointing Finger."

On that first Sunday afternoon, unknown to Phebe and her little company, only excepting d.i.c.k, the ganger had been an attentive listener, standing at the back of the shed, close by d.i.c.k's fire, and with him, equally attentive, was one of the contractors, a gentlemanly-looking man.

It was the ganger who had told the contractor of the meeting, and he was there partly out of curiosity and partly out of fear lest there might be some rather rough "horse-play."

He had taken a house in the neighbourhood for two years, furnis.h.i.+ng it with every comfort. He was by no means a Christian, having for the last few years been given over body and soul to just two things--money-making and pleasure.

Lunch over, it suddenly occurred to him he might as well go to the works as sit by the fire reading a newspaper. Maybe there was a little hope somewhere in his heart that he might get a spice of enjoyment out of the fun going on.

But in all that gathering there was no more attentive listener than Hugh Black, the contractor. He stayed till the little party started on its homeward journey, and then stood where he could watch them.

"I say, Greaves," turning to the ganger, "yonder little woman is plucky, if you like. There's not many who would have won that lot of fellows as she has done this afternoon. And didn't she hold them! I never heard or saw anything like it in my life before. What brought her here, do you suppose?"

Greaves muttered something about not knowing.

"There's no money in it, that's certain; and it cannot be for popularity among her set, for I should think a good many folks would blame her for it."

"I know what my missis would say there was in it," the ganger plucked up courage enough to say.

"And what's that?" still with eyes fixed on the tricycle, held on either side the handle-bar by d.i.c.k and the fresh addition to the party.

"She'd say as how it was to please G.o.d."

"H'm." Then turning sharply round to the ganger, he exclaimed, "I say, Greaves; do you profess to be religious?"

The ganger grew very red. "Not like she is," pointing towards Phebe.

"I thought not. If you had, it would have come out before now. Well, I shall not soon forget that little woman."

As an earthly flower grows towards perfection its progress is of no help whatever to any other blossom. Even its fragrance, scattered so lavishly on the air, adds nothing to the perfume of another. Flowers of the Kingdom know nothing of this isolation--can know nothing. The growth of each in grace aids the growth of others.

CHAPTER XVIII

HER NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR

Late one night Bessie took her favourite low seat close by the fire, and closer still to Phebe, occupying the same position Phebe did in her confidences with Nanna.

"What's the matter, Bessie, dear?" Phebe was very quick to note any change in Bessie's manner, and try as she might Bessie never could hide her feelings.