UUSB LIBRARY.
 
 V
 
 AN ANGEL YISIT ; 
 
 OR 
 
 RECOLLECTIONS OF GENTLE LIZZIE. 
 
 A SKETCH FBOM LIFE. 
 
 " A little while they dwell with us, 
 
 Blessed ministers of love ; 
 Then spread the wings we had not seen, 
 
 And seek their home above." 
 
 APPROVED BT THE COMMITTEE OF PCBLICATIOIf. 
 
 BOSTON : 
 
 NEW ENGLAND SABBATH SCHOOL UNION. 
 
 Heath & Grates, 79 Cornhill. 
 
 1853.
 
 Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1853, 
 
 By heath & GRAVES, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 
 
 J. M. Hewes & Co., Printers....81 Cornhill, Boston.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 The sketch portrayed in this httle work, is 
 one of perfect truthfuhiess, being given to the 
 writer by the lady of a Baptist minister now in 
 this country, who was personally acquainted 
 with Elizabeth from her infancy until her 
 death. Children possessing traits of character 
 so truly angehc, make their appearance but 
 seldom on this sin-marred earth, and therefore 
 it is a pleasure to record their visits, though 
 such records receive not the credence which is 
 their due. 
 
 If the Httle star which gleamed out so 
 brightly from the firmament in which she lived 
 and moved, shall have left a Hght that shall 
 illumine the path of any young spirit in its 
 earthly journey, our purpose will be accom- 
 pUshed. 
 
 The Author.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I.— Infancy 7 
 
 CHAPTER II.— Developments of Childhood 19 
 
 CHAPTER III.— Incidents of School Life 45 
 
 CHAPTER IV.— Closing Scenes 57
 
 AN ANGEL V-ISIT 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 IXFAXCY. 
 
 — " O God ! Thou hast a fountain stirred, 
 
 Whose waters never more shall rest."— JV/rs. Judson. 
 
 There was much joy in the bright Summer 
 of the year 1829 within an elegant mansion of 
 one of the most aristocratic portions of the city 
 of London. A father and a mother rejoiced 
 over the entrance of an immortal spirit into a 
 precious little form, which they could fold in 
 their arms and call by the sweet name, " my 
 daughter." Yet so very frail was this tiny 
 flower just opening into life, that fear lest it 
 should wither in their clasp, mingled itself mth 
 their happiness, and cast a shadow over the 
 future. Friends came, and looked at the del- 
 icate being ushered into tliis stern existence,
 
 8 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 and turned away with gestures of sorrow, be- 
 lieving the first rough breath of the air which 
 was its Hfe, would extinguish the feeble flame 
 forever. Very* sagely too, they cautioned the 
 young mother, whose eyes were resting with 
 affection upon this new claimant for her love, 
 against making " an idol of the poor babe, for 
 it could not long be hers." 
 
 But a mother^ s heart is ever hopeful, and 
 she to whom " this bird with the immortal 
 wing " was given, believed she could cherish 
 it in the nest of maternal love, until it should 
 be prepared to enter paradise, wearing the 
 " plumage of an angel," a redeemed and puri- 
 fied trophy of the love of Christ. And so it 
 was ; and the fair flower slowly expanded amid 
 the genial influences of love, until its fragrance 
 delighted the gardens of domestic and social 
 bhss. 
 
 Elizabeth Eldridge Matthews was the 
 child of a mother deeply learned in the lessons 
 of piety. Those lessons had been taught her 
 in the school of aflfliction, for though occupying 
 a high rank m the circles of fashion and nobil-
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. 9 
 
 ity, and surrounded by every temptation the 
 world could offer, she had found the cup of 
 earthly pleasure to contain the bitterest dregs 
 of sorrow. And so she had turned from it in 
 disgust, and at an early period in her married 
 life had pledged herself to the ser\dce of God, 
 " choosmg rather to suffer affliction in His ser- 
 vice, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a 
 season ; esteeming the reproach of Christ 
 greater riches than the treasures " of wealth 
 by which she was surrounded. The history of 
 that mother was written in darkness, and tears, 
 and scorn, " and stripes, and cruel mockings," 
 — ^yet onward through all she went, " looking 
 unto Jesus, the author and finisher of her 
 faith." 
 
 And now a charge was committed to her — 
 the charge of an undying spirit — and she re- 
 solved so to watch over it, so to guide and so 
 to instruct, as to be able to return it into the 
 Giver's hands, ready for a place in His temple 
 "of hght and purity. And He gave to that 
 young spirit a gentle and docile disposition, 
 making it a fit recipient for such holy influen-
 
 10 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 ces, and blessed the watering of a mother's 
 prayers and a mother's teachings, with the in- 
 crease of His Spirit and His grace. 
 
 The first lessons of infancy were those of 
 prayer. Mrs. Matthews never resorted to her 
 ante-room for the purpose of secret devotional 
 exercises, without leading thither her httle 
 Lizzie, if awake. Taking her Bible, she would 
 seat the httle girl by her side, and say to her, 
 " Now mother is going to read God's book, 
 and Lizzie must be still, and Hsten." And 
 then she would fold her Httle hands, and sit 
 with the gravity of a woman, apparently as 
 much interested as if she understood every 
 word. Then when she knelt in prayer, Lizzie 
 knelt also, and no instance is remembered in 
 which she appeared restless, or weary of the 
 exercise. She was taught that her mother 
 was conversing with a Father in heaven who 
 could hear her, and would do for her all that 
 was right, and thus the germs of a true devo- 
 tion were implanted in the very Spring time 
 of life. So true are the lines of an American 
 mother,
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 11 
 
 " When we see the flower seeds wafted 
 From the nurturing mother tree, 
 
 Tell we can, wherever planted, 
 What the harvesting will be. 
 
 " Never from the blasting thistle. 
 Was there gathered golden grain ; 
 
 Thus the seal the child receiveth 
 From its mother, will remain." 
 
 Among the first lessons in the book of life, 
 came that of obedience ; the very alphabet of 
 moral and rehgious language. Poor little Liz- 
 zie's first exercise was alike painful to the mo- 
 ther and the child ; but the mother taught in 
 the spirit of duty, and the child remembered, 
 for it was given firmly, but with afiection. 
 
 The nurse employed to tend upon Lizzie and 
 take charge of her in her mother's moments of 
 unavoidable absence, was an ignorant Welsh 
 girl, very httle acquainted with the English 
 language. Mrs. M. regretted being compelled 
 to employ a domestic of so objectionable a 
 character, but no alternative presented. Some- 
 time after her introduction into the family, 
 Mrs. M. was one morning alone with her Httle 
 daughter, and wishing to try the abihty of the
 
 \ 
 
 12 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 child to exert her physical powers, directed 
 her to bring an article from a distant part of 
 the room. To her great surprise, the little 
 creature turned round with an air of defiance, 
 and hsped out, " unt, unt, ma," her infantile 
 word for won't. Unwilhng to believe what 
 she heard was really a refusal to obey, Mrs. 
 M. repeated the command, and again Lizzie 
 tossed her little head, saying, " unt, unt." 
 Satisfied now that a spirit of wilful disobedience 
 had taken possession of her child, she at once 
 felt it her duty, however painful the necessity, 
 to correct her and compel obedience. She 
 accordingly administered a chastisement pro-' 
 portioned to her age and strength. The poor 
 little creature seemed almost beside herself 
 with grief at this new mode of treatment, and 
 when it was over, she clung convulsively to 
 her mother, sobbing most pitifully, " Kiss, ma! 
 oh, kiss!" The •kiss was bestowed, and then 
 Lizzie was once more directed to do as she 
 was bade before. Lizzie instantly went to the 
 place pointed out, and tottered back dragging 
 the article nearly as large as herself, repeating 
 her lisping request to be embraced. Mrs. M.
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. 13 
 
 took the little penitent in her arms, and said 
 to her, 
 
 " Lizzie must never say ' mit,' it is a bad 
 word." 
 
 " Jane tell me say unt, mamma.'- 
 
 " Lizzie must mind father and mother, and 
 not say won't, if Jane does tell." 
 
 " Lizzie mind mamma next time ;" and from 
 that houi- she was never known to utter a re- 
 bellious word, or to disobey in a single instance. 
 
 \Mien Elizabeth was about three years of 
 age, the Cholera appeared in London, and Mrs. 
 Matthews was one of the first who experienced 
 an attack. This much dreaded disease had 
 been the subject of conversation in the presence 
 of Elizabeth many times, and she seemed to 
 treasure up in her memory all that she heard. 
 The danger of Mrs. M.'s case was hardly past, 
 when Lizzie was attacked by symptoms of the 
 same disease. Mrs. M. being very weak, it 
 was judged best to remove Lizzie to another 
 apartment, an arrangement equally trying to 
 both. As she was being can-ied out, she
 
 14 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 turned her head to Avhere her mother lay, and 
 seeing her m tears, said in her childish accents, 
 " Never mind, mamma, God bring me back to 
 yoii again. I not got Cholerj, only Cholery 
 MorhyP Such was the distinction she had 
 traced in the nature of the two complaints, and 
 the event proved as she had said, her disease 
 being the usual Cholera Infantum. She was 
 very ill for many days, and but little hope was 
 entertained of her recovery. Her mother had 
 become able to be with her, and one evening, 
 just before sunset, they had carried her to the 
 open window to catch, if possible, some breath 
 from the sullen atmosphere around. She lay 
 for some time with her eyes upraised to the 
 clouds floating lazily over the tops of the high 
 buildings which surrounded her father's dwell- 
 ing. Suddenly she raised her tiny finger and 
 pointing upward, said, '' Look ! look! mamma." 
 
 " What is it, dearest ?" said her mother, 
 looking in the direction of Lizzie's finger, but 
 seeing nothing. 
 
 " Look there ! mamma. God Almighty up 
 there. He coming down to sleep in the bed 
 with ma and me to-night !" This spoken with
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. 15 
 
 an earnestness of manner and gaze as if she 
 really saw what she described, startled all 
 around, but no comments were made, for she 
 soon beghn to sink. Mrs. M. received it as a 
 token that her child's death would occur that 
 night. But to the surprise of all, the evenuig 
 brought an amendment, and her recovery from 
 that night was rapid beyond the most sangume 
 expectations, until soon the music of her hvely 
 prattle, and the tripping of her tiny feet, once 
 more gladdened all the household. 
 
 It was some time between her second and 
 third year, that Lizzie came into her mother's 
 room, saying, " Where my shoes, mamma ?" 
 Thinking she wanted them for playthings, Mrs. 
 M. told her they were in the closet, and the 
 door being open, the httle one went in search 
 of them. After fumbhng among them for a 
 few minutes, she crept out with a pair of odd, 
 cast-off slippers, one pink and the other blue, 
 and began to descend the stairs. Not think- 
 ing it quite safe for her to go do^vn alone, as 
 she had to let herself do^^Tl sitting from step
 
 16 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 to step, Mrs. M., unseen by the child, stepped 
 into the hall to watch her. One little hand 
 held the slippers tightly, while the other clung 
 for support to the railing. When she arrived 
 below the final turn of the stairs, being hid 
 from Mrs. M.'s view, she heard the child say, 
 " There, poor man — take shoes — bring you 
 penny ;" and then came a response from the 
 rough voice of a man — " Blessings on the 
 child! The Lord bless the little angel!" 
 And the voice of the nursery maid was recog- 
 nized, saying, " That is just like Lizzie ! 
 She'd give every thing she has in the world." 
 Mrs. M. now went down to ascertain the real 
 character of the scene, and found a ragged 
 and barefooted old man an apphcant for charity. 
 Mrs. M., amused at the gift Lizzie had offered 
 him, said to her, 
 
 " Why, the man can't wear your shoes, Liz- 
 zie." 
 
 " No, ma, but he sell, and get penny." 
 How she had arrived at this conclusion, was 
 a mystery, until Jane said she had sometimes 
 stopped in her walks with Lizzie at the pawn- 
 broker's shops, where she was acquainted, and
 
 AX ANGEL VISIT. 17 
 
 the child had noticed money being given for 
 old clothes, and in this manner she had exhibit- 
 ed the benevolent results of her childish ob- 
 serving. 
 
 Lizzie was in her fourth year when a friend 
 of her mother's invited to her house a party of 
 little ones of a similar age, as \dsitants of her 
 own little daughter, and Lizzie among them. 
 At the proper hour for dispersing, their attend- 
 ants arrived to take them home, and when at- 
 tired for their return, Lizzie went up to the 
 lady of the house, saying, 
 
 "We've had a nice time, Mrs. S., shan't 
 we kneel down and thank God ?" 
 
 Supposing she wished to say the Lord's 
 Prayer, as children who were trained by Epis- 
 copaHan parents generally did, Mrs. S. rephed, 
 " Yes, my dear, certainly. Children, you may 
 all kneel." To her astonishment, Uttle Lizzie 
 clasped her hands, and as the children knelt 
 around her, poured out her own artless peti- 
 tion thus : 
 
 " Heavenly Father I Lord we have met, 
 a parcel of us, to play, and we've enjoyed our-
 
 18 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 selves. We've broke no howls, and not got 
 hurt ; and now we are going home, may we 
 get home well ; keep us all night ; forgive what 
 we have done wrong ; bless us all, and make 
 us good for Christ's sake, amen." 
 
 What were the thoughts of the children, is 
 not known. Lizzie acted from an evident 
 sense of duty, and when Mrs. S. related the 
 incident, she said it was the most touching 
 scene she ever beheld. And it cannot be 
 doubted that the grace of God had drawn that 
 young heart thus early to Himself through the 
 influence of a mother's prayers and example.
 
 AX AXGEL VISIT. 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 DEVELOPMEXTS OF CHILDHOOD. 
 
 Elizabeth had now attained the age of five 
 years, and it was judged best to send her to a 
 school not far from her father's residence. 
 True, she might have been taught at home all 
 that was requisite for her young mind to ac- 
 quire, but other reasons than the necessity for 
 learning ojDerated in fomiing this decision. In 
 sorrow be it written, the father of gentle Lizzie 
 was a man who " feared not God nor regarded 
 man." It was his delight to oppose the efforts 
 of that mother to train up her child in the paths 
 of holiness, and every form of cruelty, both 
 mental and physical, his ingenuity could de- 
 vise, was directed to persecute his wife, from 
 the time she refused to accompany him in the 
 paths of sin. He loved his gentle daughter as
 
 20 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 well as he was capable of loving any thing be- 
 sides the indulgence of his sinful passions, yet 
 when heated by wine, and incensed by ill luck 
 in gambling, he has returned to his home and 
 found his wife and child on their knees, neither 
 the entreaties of one, or the youth and tender- 
 ness of the other, were sufficient to restrain his 
 rage, or deter him from personal cruelty. 
 And the more steadily his wife adhered to the 
 faith and practises of the gospel, the more 
 violent did his ill treatment become ; and so 
 much more frequently did these storms arise, 
 that the project of sending Lizzie to school was 
 devised as a means of shelter from a part of 
 these hurricanes of wrath. 
 
 Sometime after her entrance into the school, 
 the usual hour for her return had passed, and 
 still she was absent. Fearing lest she had lost 
 her way, or become detained by some accident, 
 a servant was despatched in search of the 
 child. Not finding her at the school-room, the 
 girl passed up the street, looking anxiously in 
 all directions. In turning a corner, she passed 
 the half open door of a very wretched tene- 
 ment, inhabited by a poor family having sev-
 
 AX AXGEL VISIT. 21 
 
 eral children. Hearing a voice, the girl 
 stopped, and immediately recognized it as 
 Elizabeth's. She entered the dwelling, and 
 the first sight that met her eyes was Lizzie 
 upon her knees bj the side of a bed, where lay 
 a httle girl apparently much older than herself, 
 afflicted by illness. In tones of the deepest 
 earnestness, she was asking the Lord " Please 
 make the poor sick girl well." Rising, she 
 addressed the child affectionately, saying, 
 " You must read God's book, and pray to Him, 
 if you want to go to heaven." Then seeing 
 the girl who had • come for her, she advanced 
 to go with her, but turned back, saying, " When 
 I go home, little girl, I'll bring you some din- 
 ner, and some money, too !" 
 
 When she arrived at home, her mother ques- 
 tioned her as to the cause of her absence, when 
 she truthfully related it, and added, " Please, 
 mamma, let me take my dinner and my two 
 shillings to the poor girl ? I can go without 
 my dinner if father is angry." Permission 
 was granted to do as she wished, and a com- 
 fortable dinner placed in her httle basket, with 
 which she ran off with the greatest glee. From
 
 22 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 that time her visits were daily repeated until 
 the child recovered, and the mother informed 
 Mrs. M. that Lizzie would invariably read a 
 little in the Testament, and pray with her be- 
 fore leaving. 
 
 Not very long after this, occurred an inci- 
 dent both amusing and unpleasant from its re- 
 sults towards Lizzie. It is probably well known 
 to most of our readers, that in London there 
 are establishments which employ a large num- 
 ber of chimney sweeps, who are ' bound out' 
 from a certain age, and after being in- 
 dented, they wear in front of their hats the 
 name of their master. Very small boys are 
 sometimes found in these establishments, and 
 their office is to carry the bag and the brush, 
 and act as waiters upon the older boys. Any 
 neglect of duty, or disobedience of commands, 
 is generally punished with great severity, the 
 government of the master being almost entirely 
 despotic. 
 
 On returning from school one day, Elizabeth 
 met one of these young chimney sweeps stand- 
 ing on the sidewalk and weeping bitterly. 
 Immediately she ran up to him in her childish
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 23 
 
 way, saying, '^Voov urchin! what's the mat- 
 ter?" 
 
 "I can't find master's house, and he'll beat 
 me, sure." 
 
 " "What's youi- master's name, Httle urchin ?" 
 
 " Mr. Black ; he lives somewhere, I don't 
 know ; I'se not been there but two or three 
 days." 
 
 " Come along, urchin, I know where he 
 lives ; don't cry, I'll show you." And taking 
 hold of the sooty hand of the boy, much larger 
 than herself, she tripped along, while he forgot 
 his sorrow in astonishment at the httle creature 
 who had thus come to his relief. But there 
 had been a witness to this scene, which had 
 poor Lizzie kno^vn, her benevolent proceedings 
 would have been amiihilated in the first thought. 
 Her father was on horseback, passing at the 
 moment his daughter spoke to the chimney 
 sweep, and in surprise and curiosity he checked 
 the reins, watching her movements. Seeing 
 her lead off with the poor boy, he rode imme- 
 diately home, and when Lizzie entered it, 
 buoyant with the delight of having saved the 
 little SAveep from punishment, her father met
 
 24 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 her in a boundless fury. Seizing his riding 
 whip, he lashed it about the tender child, say- 
 ing, " I'll teach you to disgrace your father in 
 this manner. Pretty doings this ! I suppose 
 your mother teaches you such practises ;" and 
 again, and again, the lash descended, while 
 Lizzie's gentle voice pleaded, " Hear me, fa- 
 ther ! oh don't whip so, till you hear me tell." 
 Her mother ran into the room in alarm, and, 
 catching her husband's arm, inqjiired what he 
 meant, and what the child had done. " Why, 
 she's disgraced me, the little brat, and I'll kill 
 her if she repeats such conduct." 
 
 " Oh, father !" said Lizzie, " only hear me 
 tell you why I did it, and then, father, if you 
 think I've done wrong, whip me as much as I 
 deserve." This was too much, and her mother 
 seizing her in her arms, declared she would 
 shelter her until she knew how far she was 
 guilty. Her father then related in his passion- 
 ate manner what he had seen, and Lizzie re- 
 plied, " Oh, mamma, if you could have seen 
 how poor urchm cried, and how hungry he was, 
 and then his master might have beat him to 
 death. Did'nt I do right, mamma ?" It was
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. 25 
 
 Mrs. M.'s principle never to encourage the 
 first rebellious feeling towards the father, what- 
 ever he might do, and so on this occasion, 
 though inwardly charmed at the kind spirit of 
 her child, she repUed, " Well, Lizzie mustn't 
 speak to bovs on the street again. Father will 
 forgive her this time, if she will do so no more." 
 " Indeed, I did'nt know I was wrong, mother — 
 please, father, forgive me." But there was 
 no relenting in the lion temper of Mr. M. when 
 it was once roused, and the mother bore her 
 child to her own room for shelter from his 
 wrath. 
 
 To encourage a spirit of benevolence, Mrs. 
 M. made a practice of furnishing her little 
 daughter with small sums of money, allowing 
 her to devote it to any purpose she pleased. 
 Her' aptitude in learning hymns and chapters, 
 often caused visitors who considered her ca- 
 pacity remarkable, to reward her with gifts of 
 money, as well as of other presents. A gen- 
 tleman once engaged her to learn the twenty- 
 fifth chapter of Matthew, and when she had 
 acquired it, he insisted on her taking several 
 shillings. With her mother's reluctant per-
 
 26 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 mission she accepted it, and it was deposited 
 immediately for safe keeping in her mother's 
 drawer. 
 
 The day after this had occurred, a poor 
 widow who had frequently worked for Mrs. M. 
 called at the door and requested to see her. 
 Mrs. M. sent for her to the room where she 
 was sitting with Lizzie by her side. " Well, 
 Mrs. H., how are you to-day ; I hope you are 
 not in trouble ?" 
 
 " Indeed, madam, it is that which brought 
 me here. My landlord says if I don't pay my 
 rent before night, he will sell my bed and all I 
 have. And so I came to see if you would be 
 • so kind as to lend me enough to pay my rent 
 until I can earn it, and I'll be honest about 
 paying it, madam." 
 
 " I do not doubt your honesty, my good 
 woman ; how much do you need ?" 
 
 The sum was named, and Mrs. M. placed it 
 in her hands, saying, "■ You need not return it, 
 you are quite welcome to it." 
 
 Lizzie then looked up, saying, " May I 
 speak, mamma ?" 
 
 " Yes, my dear."
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. Z< 
 
 " You know, ma, I have seven shillings now, 
 because yesterday Mr. G. gave me some for 
 sa}nng my chapter. May I give it to Mrs. 
 H. ? You know, ma, when she has paid her 
 rent, her ])oor little children will ivant some- 
 thing to eat; please let me give her my 
 money?" 
 
 This kind thoughtfulness, so unusual in a 
 child, drew tears from the eyes of the poor 
 woman, and she sobbed out, " God bless her 
 for a darlmg as she is I" 
 
 Knowing the woman to be worthy, Mrs. 
 Matthews cheerfully acceded to EHzabeth's 
 request, and the child placed the money in the 
 woman's hands with e\ident dehght. When 
 she rose to depart, Lizzie went up to her, and 
 looking up in her face, said, " Mrs. H., when 
 you go home you will thank God for his good- 
 ness, won't you?" This was the generosity 
 and piety e\inced by one but yet a babe in 
 years. 
 
 It was an usual practice with the father of 
 httle Lizzie to spend his nights at the gaming 
 house, compelhng his wife to sit up for him in 
 order to opeji the door. On some occasions
 
 28 AX AXGEL VISIT. 
 
 he chose to enter -^'ith his private key, and 
 leaving his shoes below, to steal upon her 
 wearisome vigils before she could be aware of 
 his presence. The Bible was always before 
 her, or else she was seeking comfort in com- 
 munion with an ever wakeful God ; but when 
 his ring was heard, she always secreted the 
 blessed book, and prepared to greet her 
 wretched partner with calmness. On one oc- 
 casion he stole so softly into the room, that he 
 was before her ere she could rise from her seat. 
 " Ah, this is what you are at again, is it ?" 
 and quick as thought the Bible was snatched 
 from her hands and thrown upon the grate. 
 It was but the work of a moment to rescue it 
 and bear it to a place of safety. Of course 
 such a scene left its impression upon the short 
 time remaining for repose, and when Mrs. M. 
 rose in the morning, she left her sleeping hus- 
 band and child, to seek consolation and strength 
 at a throne of grace. She had left little Lizzie 
 sweetly slumbering in her crib, but soon heard 
 her gentle voice inquiring, " \Yhere's mam- 
 ma?" Mrs. M. rose from her retirement in 
 the adjacent room, and went to the side of the
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 29 
 
 bed. Lizzie was embracing with innocent fond- 
 ness the cheek of her father, whom she had 
 wakened by her caresses, but on the counte- 
 nance of Mrs. M. were traces of tears. Lizzie 
 looked in her face very seriously, and then in 
 her lisping accents inquired, " You been cry- 
 ing, ma ? what you been crying 'bout ? tell 
 your daughter, ma." The request was made 
 so imploringly, and in such sweet tones of af- 
 fection, that Mrs. M. replied, " Father was a 
 naughty boy, and threw mother's Bible into 
 the fire last night." 
 
 The little creature raised herself up in an 
 attitude of dignity, and with her little forefinger 
 pointing solemnly at her father, looked at him 
 steadfastly, saying, " Do you know, sir, what 
 de Bible say ?" 
 
 " No, you httle fairy, what does it say ?" 
 
 " When you die, you be judged for the 
 deeds done in the body, for that was done in 
 yours !" 
 
 The father made no reply, and Mrs. M. took 
 her child from the room ; but years afterwards, 
 when conviction of sin brought the rebellious 
 Mr. M. to the foot of the cross, he said that
 
 30 AN AXGEL VISIT. 
 
 solemn reproof of his darling babe was the first 
 arrow which ever pierced his obdurate heart. 
 
 One evening, not long after the circumstan- 
 ces just related, a very profligate companion 
 of Mr. M. was visiting the house. On all oc- 
 casions when her Christian character was not 
 compromised in so doing, Mrs. M. endeavored 
 to act her part as the mistress of the family, by 
 tendering the rites of hospitality to her hus- 
 band's friends, however disagreeable they 
 might be to her. Politeness and grace always 
 characterized her as the Christian hostess, but 
 she never deferred a duty, or denied her prin- 
 ciples. Little Lizzie had been the pet of her 
 father and his friend for some time, but the 
 hour for her retiring drew nigh, and the maid 
 came to attire her for the night. It was not 
 long before she agam appeared dressed in her 
 flowing slip and Httle cap, both of the purest 
 white. Mrs. M. requested the young man to 
 excuse her while she would attend the devo- 
 tions of her cliild. As the little creature ad- 
 vanced to the side of her mother, the young 
 man called out to her, " What I have you be- 
 come a little parson ? ho, Lizzie ! you are
 
 AX AXGEL VISIT. 31 
 
 going to preach, are you ? why, you look like 
 a little priest." The child took no notice of 
 his "words, but giving him a single glance, 
 ■walked steadily across the room and knelt by 
 her mother's side, and Hsped out her artless 
 prayer thus : 
 
 '' Lord, teach a Httle child to pray ; — 
 Thou kno-west there is a young man here mak- 
 ing fun of me, and calling me a little priest and 
 parson ; pray forgive him his -wickedness, and 
 give him a heart of flesh, for he is very wick- 
 ed. God bless my mother, and make my fa- 
 ther a good man — amen." 
 
 When it is considered this petition was ut- 
 tered by a mere babe, who could not yet speak 
 plainly, its effect may be better imagined than 
 described. And the Lord gave Himself a wit- 
 ness in that young child, for her petition 
 reached the heart of him who had ridiculed 
 her, and left the germ of many a serious 
 thought. 
 
 That she was a child of prayer, was proved 
 not only in her ready attention to the outward 
 claims of devotion, but often even at the tender 
 age above recorded, she has been known to
 
 32 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 steal away to some retired room, and there 
 pour out her infant emotions into the bosom of 
 her Heavenly Father. Listening ears were 
 cognizant of these humble prayers, and even 
 while they were uttering, fond friends commit- 
 ted them to paper, beheving that one who so 
 enjoyed communion with God on earth, would 
 very soon be transplanted into His presence 
 forever. Such were some of the petitions re- 
 ferred to : 
 
 " Our Father, hsten to the prayer of a lit- 
 tle child, and forgive all I done wrong to-day ; 
 thank you for my victuals, and drink, and 
 clothes, and pray God bless my mother, and 
 keep her a good woman, and make my father 
 a good man. Keep us this night for Jesus' 
 sake, amen." Again : " Lord, be pleased 
 to hear a httle child pray, and teach her to 
 pray by your Spirit. Take away my stony 
 heart and give me a heart of flesh, like thine, 
 Lord, for Jesus' sake, amen." Evening 
 prayer : " Lord, hear me a httle child be- 
 fore I go to sleep ; forgive the sins of your ht- 
 tle child, and take her in your arms, and keep 
 her from bad ways, not let her be naughty to
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 33 
 
 her mother. My father, Oh God, not so good ; 
 make him a good man, amen." Agam : " Our 
 Father in heaven I pray — my mother says I 
 must pray for my father and love him ; my 
 father cross to my mother and me ; change 
 him to make him good, and us happy ; forgive 
 us all ; me wrong, make me good, good, for 
 Jesus' sake, amen." 
 
 In all these petitions, she seemed fully to 
 realize the presence of a Heavenly Friend, 
 and to converse " as seeing Him who is invis- 
 ible." Her faith led her as quickly to repose 
 her son'ows and her desires in the keeping of 
 the Lord, as to talk with her mother, or make 
 her a request. 
 
 On the occasion of one of those domestic 
 storms so frequently the result of Mr. M.'s 
 unhappy whims and ebulHtions of wrath, Lizzie 
 ran away in her fright to another part of the 
 house, and was soon overheard praying for her 
 father thus : 
 
 " Heavenly Father, a dear little child has 
 hid herself from an angry father, and come to 
 an all-searching God. When wilt thou take
 
 34 AN AXGEL VISIT. 
 
 his stony heart from him, and give him a 
 heart hke mine and thine. I am a httle child, 
 and I am frightened. Mj mother says when 
 father and mother forsake me, then the Lord 
 will take me up. Will you take me ? for 
 Jesus' sake, amen." 
 
 Oh, how many bitter tears, how many long 
 days of repentance was that father laying up 
 for himself in thus wounding a lamb of Christ's 
 flock, and an heir of His kingdom I No doubt 
 the prayers of that little one were garnered up 
 in the treasury of heaven, and the intercession 
 of a merciful High Priest rendered them ef- 
 fectual and availing. 
 
 It was subsequent to one of these trying 
 scenes referred to, that Mrs. M. was sitting 
 weeping in her sorrow, with Lizzie by her side, 
 at that time between five and six years of age. 
 Laying her little hand on her mother's arm, 
 " Look, mother !" said she. Mrs. M. turned 
 her head, saying, " What, my dear ?" " The 
 cloud, mother, and look beyond it — see the Sun 
 of Righteousness with healing in His wings." 
 The astonished mother di-ew her child to her 
 bosom, folded her in her arms, but overcome
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 35 
 
 by her emotions, wept still more. The angel 
 in her bosom inquired, " Why weep, mother, 
 'twill be ^6»oc? hye and hyeT Thus was the 
 balm of consolation poured into a heart whose 
 only earthly comfort was in the sweet monitor 
 by her side. Blessings on little children ! 
 what were this earth without them ? and " of 
 such also is the kingdom o^ heaven. ^^ 
 
 Although for several years a subject of sav- 
 ing grace, and fully convinced of the truth and 
 Divine origin of Baptist principles, Mrs. M. 
 was so completely hedged in by Episcopahan 
 barriers, that it was not until Lizzie was in her 
 fifth year that she was enabled to go forward 
 in the face of ridicule and persecution, and 
 own her Redeemer in Christian baptism. Liz- 
 zie was present on that occasion, and gazed 
 with serious wonder as she saw her mother 
 descend the baptismal font in presence of a 
 crowded congregation. She was left in the 
 care of a friend, and when her mother emerged 
 from the watery grave and retired to the ves- 
 try from her sight, she was afraid she had left 
 her entirely, and cried bitterly. But when 
 she was taken in the evening to witness the 
 3*
 
 36 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 celebration of the Lord's Supper, she seemed 
 to understand distmctlj its purpose. On her 
 return, her mother knelt in prayer with her as 
 usual, and when she received the kiss for the 
 night, she said to her mother, " You took the 
 cup of thanksgiving to-night, mother, did'nt 
 you ? you call on the name of the Lord ?" 
 Such was the understanding she had of the 
 blessed ordinance. 
 
 Mrs. M. had long since left the circles of 
 fashion, and professing Christians had begun 
 to mark her as a disciple indeed. Among 
 these was a Methodist lady, residing in an ad- 
 jacent street. Li one of her calls sometime 
 after Mrs. M.'s baptism, she expressed great 
 gratification that one of her rank should have 
 so openly left the world, and come out on the 
 Lord's side. " But one thing," said she, " has 
 marred my pleasure greatly, when seeing you 
 pass my window dressed in your sumptuous 
 attire. I feared the change was not in all 
 things what it should be. Just imagine how 
 many hungry mouths and ragged forms such 
 articles as you wear would make comfortable." 
 Mrs. M. meekly rephed that she dressed to
 
 AN AX GEL VISIT. ^ 37 
 
 please her husband ; she did not wish to dis- 
 gust him with her rehgion any further than he 
 was ah'eadj. She intended, however, as soon 
 as her costly turbans were worn out, to substi- 
 tute ui their place a plainer and cheaper style 
 of cap. Very soon Lizzie looked up to her 
 mother and made the inquiry usual with her 
 whenever company was present ; " May I 
 speak, ma ?'' And would not this habit of 
 Lizzie's convey a lesson to many little girls 
 who too often intrude their childish remarks 
 into the conversation of persons older than 
 themselves ? Let such learn from " gentle 
 Lizzie," who never spoke in the presence of 
 visitors without being first addressed, or re- 
 questing leave. On this occasion the permis- 
 sion was given. To the surprise of both her 
 mother and the lady, she turned to the latter, 
 
 saying, " Mrs. L , do you look in tJie glass 
 
 when you tie that bow in your bonnet ?" Mrs. 
 L. dressed very plainly, but exceedingly prim, 
 neat, and in perfect accordance with the laws, 
 of fashion. Lizzie had noticed that she always 
 wore her bonnet-strings tied on one side of her 
 chin, and in a very fastidious style. Her keen
 
 38 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 perceptions discerned the inconsistency of a 
 lady who was so very particular about the tie 
 of a ribbon, reproving her mother for style in 
 dress, therefore she made the inquiry we have 
 related. " Thank you for the reproof, my 
 dear;" was Mrs. L.'s Christian reply, and 
 Lizzie added, " 'Cause, Mrs. L., my mother 
 never looks in the glass when she puts on her 
 turbans." Her fihal affection was quite wound- 
 ed by the idea that her mother could do any 
 thing wrong, or needed the slightest reproof. 
 
 Another incident occurring about this time, 
 afforded proof how much her thoughts turned 
 to heavenly things. A very good and venera- 
 ble deacon of the church of which Mrs. M. 
 was a member, sometimes called on her for 
 the purpose of spiritual conversation. Durmg 
 one of these visits, the topic discussed was the 
 different measures of grace enjoyed by indi^dd- 
 uals on earth, and the degrees of blessedness 
 imparted in heaven. After hstening for a long 
 time, with interest beamuig from her young 
 face, Lizzie whispered her request to be per- 
 mitted to speak. This was granted, and the 
 dear child looked up affectionately to the old
 
 AX AXGEL VISIT. 39 
 
 gentleman, saying, " Mr. W , you a bushel, 
 
 because jou are a good old man ; Mr. S , 
 
 (their minister,) he a ^^t^c/c ; my mother, she a 
 quart; and me a teacup; because me loves 
 Jesus too; and we be all full up;" suiting 
 the action of her little hand to the words. 
 
 The good old man caught the child in his 
 arms, and embracing her fervently, said, 
 '' Bless your httle heart, and is that the way 
 you explain the measures of grace ? The Lord 
 grant that you may indeed he full up .'" 
 
 In connection with this, comes up a reminis- 
 cence of Lizzie when in her seventh year. For 
 several years an intimacy had existed between 
 
 Mrs. M.'s family and that of Dr. A , a 
 
 very powerful and popular preacher of London. 
 He was remarkably fond of children, and often 
 invited them to his house, permitting them to 
 run at large through his spacious gardens, and 
 in the midst of their plays, he would seat him- 
 self beneath some pleasant shade tree, and call 
 them around him. Then he would ask them 
 questions of a religious nature in a very invit- 
 ing form, and encourage them to inquire any 
 thin^z their childish imairinations desired. Liz-
 
 40 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 zie was often at these pleasant gatherings, and 
 would return delighted to rehearse to her mo- 
 ther the happiness she had enjoyed. On the 
 occasion to which we allude, however, she said 
 nothing concerning the conversations which 
 had taken place. A few evenings afterwards, 
 her mother took her as usual to Dr. A.'s 
 weekly lecture, as the church was very near 
 her residence. His discourse on this evening 
 was on the rehgious training of children, and 
 in connection with the subject, said "they 
 thought far more deeply on rehgious topics 
 than the generality of persons supposed." In 
 illustration, he alluded to the company of httle 
 ones who had met under his roof the few days 
 pre\ious, in this manner. 
 
 " As I was looking about on the dear little 
 forms dispersed hither and thither before me 
 in their innocent sports, and sat musing on the 
 worth of their immortal souls, a very httle girl 
 came to me, and looking up in my face with 
 
 an expression of earnestness, said, ' Dr. A , 
 
 if God could do all things, why did'nt he keep 
 Adam and Eve from sinning? then Jesus 
 Christ would'nt have been killed.' " Here Liz-
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 41 
 
 zie touched her mother's arm, and whispered, 
 " I asked that, ma." Mrs. M. bade Lizzie 
 " hush," and the preacher went on. " I said, 
 ' dear child, "wait until jou are older ; time 
 will show ;' but did any of you, my hearers, 
 ask me that question, I would reply, ' for the 
 glory of God, to manifest His glory — remember 
 to show forth His glory to all the world, and 
 to all eternity.' " Again Lizzie whispered to 
 her mother, " AMiy could'nt he tell tiie that, 
 ma? J could understand him. " 
 
 Lizzie was but six years old, when, one day 
 returning from school, she found a poor but 
 very clean looking woman in the streets, with 
 an infant in her arms about nine months old. 
 She appeared pale and very sad, and looked 
 as if she did not know which way to go, or 
 what to do. Lizzie went up to her, saying, 
 " Poor woman ! do you want any thing ?" 
 
 " Yes, dear, I want food for my three hun- 
 gry children, and sick husband at home." 
 
 " Well, come, go to my mother's house, and 
 she'll give you some. I'll show you where it 
 is — come."
 
 42 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 The distressed woman followed the little 
 prattler to the door of her home, which she 
 opened, and ran forward into the parlor full 
 speed to tell her mother, but seeing her father, 
 stopped, and very quickly left the room. Mr. 
 M., judging from her manner she had some 
 object in vieAV, stepped hghtlj after, and over- 
 heard her in a low tone talking thus : " Mj 
 father is there now — he is a very good man, 
 but not quite so good as my mother. He don't 
 like my mother to give away so much, so you 
 must come again when my father is not here, 
 for he might get angry with my mother. Now 
 don't you think my father is a bad man, for he 
 is a very good man." Then kissing the baby, 
 she says, " Oh you, you pretty baby ! you 
 sweet baby ! here's all I got," handing her 
 two farthings, " but it'll buy a roll." The 
 woman left the door, and Lizzie returned to the 
 parlor. Her father being in one of his gra- 
 cious moods that day, was highly amused at 
 the description his little daughter had given 
 of him, and immediately began to teaze her, 
 for when in a good humor he was very fond of 
 her.
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 43 
 
 "So, Miss Lizzie, ' your father is a very 
 good man, but not quite so good as your mo- 
 ther !' a fine character for a little girl to give 
 her father!" Poor Lizzie stood quite con- 
 founded, not having dreamed that her father 
 had hstened. " But however, your father is 
 on the whole a very good man — ^you thmk so, 
 Lizzie ? Well, well, I must see this poor wo- 
 man that you have frightened away because 
 your father is here. Go tell her to come back 
 again." Lizzie looked inquiringly at her mo- 
 ther, as if wondering if her father could be in 
 earnest. Mrs. M. nodded her assent, and 
 Lizzie ran to the door and looked out, but the 
 woman had gone. The child remembering 
 that she had given her money to buy a roll, 
 ran to a baker's shop which was near, and find- 
 ing her there, told her to come back, for her 
 father wanted to see her. The poor woman 
 wondering at the interest manifested in her by 
 so young a child, followed her httle guide, who 
 ran trippingly to her father, saying, " She's 
 come, father, and you can't think what a sweet 
 little baby she has ; the prettiest baby you 
 ever saw!" Mr. M. finding the woman 
 4
 
 44 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 cleanly, and her babe really interesting, had 
 her sit do^Yn, and made a minute inquiry into 
 her affairs, which seemed quite distressing. 
 Her immediate wants were reUeved, and ar- 
 rangements made for the benefit of her suffer- 
 ing family ; and the poor woman seemed from 
 that day to consider Lizzie as an angel sent 
 from heaven, while Lizzie, on her part, scarcely 
 knew bounds to her dehght.
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 45 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 IXCIDEXT3 OF SCHOOL LIFE. 
 
 A CHILD at home and a child at school, 
 must be the same in either place. The boy 
 or girl -who is respectful and obedient to pa- 
 rents, will be the same to teachers ; but a dis- 
 obedient and imruly child at home, cannot be 
 a good scholar. Lizzie was gentle and beloved 
 at home, and at school it was the same. Dili- 
 gent in her studies, and silent and respectful 
 to her teacher, you might have looked m at 
 Mrs. O.'s school at any hour, and '' gentle Liz- 
 zie " would soon have attracted your eye. 
 There she sat, with her broad, high forehead, 
 her large blue eyes resting thoughtfully on her 
 book, and her sweet lips parted, as if to ask 
 the meaning of what she read. Now, she is 
 at the head of a class of girls larger and prob-
 
 46 AN ANGEL VISIT. • 
 
 ably older than herself — ^her eye is lighted up 
 with animation, and her whole attention centres 
 in the explanation being given by her teachers. 
 Now, again, she is at play, and her innocent 
 gayety never intrudes on the happiness of her 
 schoolmates, but love shows itself in every act. 
 Is it any wonder that Lizzie M. was the pet 
 and favorite of both teacher and pupils ? 
 
 But poor Lizzie was not without her trials, 
 even at school. The best have their enemies, 
 and Lizzie was not an exception. Among 
 Mrs. O.'s pupils, was a girl of low family, vul- 
 gar manners and dull intellect. Her parents 
 had suddenly become wealthy, and supposed 
 that refinement and learning could be as quick- 
 ly obtained. This girl soon imbibed a great 
 disUke to Lizzie, because she was a general 
 favorite, and became envious of her superiority 
 in manners and learning. Though several 
 years older than Lizzie, she was not ashamed 
 to annoy her in every possible way, and en- 
 deavor to destroy her credit in the school. 
 Her whole aim was to dress in a style more 
 showy and expensive than any other girl in 
 school, and she despised Lizzie because of her
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. 47 
 
 plain and simple attire, though it was in reality 
 more genteel and tasteful than her own. 
 
 As has been said before, Mrs. M. was a lady 
 of fashion, and accustomed to spend her money 
 just as she pleased. But when she became a 
 Chi-istian, she found that the silver and gold 
 were the Lord's, and that she must account to 
 him for the manner in which she used it. She 
 saw there were Bibles needed, and missiona- 
 ries, and chm^ches, and the poor and the igno- 
 rant had to be fed, and clothed, and instructed, 
 and she dared not apply her money to any 
 unwise purpose. So, very soon after her pro- 
 fession, she adopted a system which economized 
 her expenses considerably, and left her much 
 more to spend in the cause of charity. One 
 of these methods of economy was the cutting 
 and refitting of her own partially worn dresses, 
 as school frocks for her httle daughter. This 
 fact Lizzie's enemy, Sarah Loder, had ascer- 
 tained, and made it the subject of daily annoy- 
 ance, taunting Lizzie on every occasion. It 
 was Mrs. M.'s purpose, about this time, to 
 place Lizzie at a boarding school in the coun- 
 try ; and anticipating tliis change, she made 
 4*
 
 48 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 several purchases in articles of clothing, adapt- 
 ed to the future use of her daughter. 
 
 A few days after the making of some of 
 these articles, Sarah threw at Lizzie as she 
 made her appearance on the play ground, her 
 old taunt — " Here's the girl who always wears 
 her mother's old gowns. Here's the second 
 hand clothing shop !" 
 
 " No, I don't," said Lizzie with more spirit 
 than was usual with her, " for I've got a good 
 many new frocks ; and silk ones, too." 
 
 " Yes, I s'pose they're some of your mo- 
 ther's old ones made new; ha I ha! ha!" 
 laughed the \Tilgar girl. 
 
 " No such thing ; they are new, and I shall 
 wear one of them next Sunday, and carry my 
 new parasol, too !" 
 
 " We'll see ! we'll see ! ha ! Miss Lizzie's 
 coming out !" 
 
 School adjourned at the usual hour, and be- 
 fore Lizzie had time to reach home, Sarah sud- 
 denly intruded herself into Mrs. M.'s presence, 
 and with her usual rudeness called out, " Mrs. 
 M. ; may I see Lizzie's new frocks ?" 
 
 " No, Sarah ; it if? not my habit to expose
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 49 
 
 either her wardrobe or mj own. How did you 
 know she had any new frocks ?" 
 
 ^' Oh, she told us so in school, to be sure." 
 
 " Well, you may go, for you cannot see 
 them." 
 
 Mrs. M. felt much grieved at what she sup- 
 posed a new trait in Lizzie's character, never 
 knowing her to express any particular interest 
 in such matters. When Lizzie returned and 
 took her usual seat by her side, Mrs. M. in- 
 quired, " My daughter, how came you to boast 
 of your new frocks in school, to-day ?" 
 
 " Mother, I did not boast ; but Sarah Loder 
 is always teazing me about wearing your old 
 gowns, and to-day she began again, and then 
 I said, ' Well, Sarah, I am going to wear a 
 new frock Sunday, and you'll see it.' " 
 
 No more was said ; but when Sunday came, 
 Mrs. M. purposely laid out a very neat little 
 chintz, as her daughter's dress for the day. 
 When Lizzie saw this, she inquired, " Am I 
 not going to wear my neio silk to-day, ma ?" 
 
 " No, my dear, you are to wear this chintz." 
 
 " Not my silk, mother ?" 
 
 " No, my dear."
 
 50 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 Lizzie then burst into tears. 
 
 " What are you crying for, my child ?" 
 
 " Oh, mother, I have told a story ! I told 
 Sarah Loder I should wear my new silk to-day, 
 and my parasol, and she will call me a story 
 teller:' 
 
 " Never mbid, my daughter ; all you have 
 to do, is, to obey me." 
 
 Mrs. M. never argued a case with her chil- 
 dren, but always taught them to obey without 
 asking why, or wherefore. So she dressed 
 Lizzie and took her to church, saying no more 
 on the subject. But in the afternoon, know^- 
 ing the ridicule Lizzie would have to endure 
 during the week, and being miwilhng to subject 
 her to greater temptation .than her years could 
 bear, she put on the silk dress, and also gave 
 her the parasol, thinking she had been suffi- 
 ciently punished for her boasting. During the 
 exchange of clothing, she said, " Lizzie, do you 
 know you were very, very WTong in permitting 
 any one to tempt you to boast of your fine 
 clothes ? Why should you care if they did 
 say you wore old clothes ? The money I save 
 in this way helps to clothe many a poor child
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. 51 
 
 who has nothing but rags. Your frocks are 
 quite as good as those of other children, if they 
 are made up second hand. But there is one 
 dress you forgot to boast of." 
 
 " What is that, mother ?" said Lizzie. 
 
 " Your shroud, my child." 
 
 " Shroud — what is that, ma ?" 
 
 " Have you ever seen any one in their cof- 
 fin ?" 
 
 '' No, mother." (Mrs. M. knew that she 
 had never looked on death, but made these in- 
 quiries for the purpose of instruction.) " \yhen 
 persons die, they are dressed in their grave 
 clothes, sometimes called shrouds, sometimes 
 winding sheets. This is their last dress, and 
 they wear it in the grave. This you had not 
 seen, and did not think of; but when you look 
 at your fine clothes, remember, Lizzie, you can- 
 not wear them in the grave ; and I want you 
 to learn that Uttle hymn of Dr. Watts', begin- 
 ning, 
 
 ' ATTiy should our garments, made to hide 
 Our parents' shame, provoke our pride ?' &c." 
 
 Lizzie wept freely, and in going to church 
 her dress seemed to have no share in her
 
 52 AN AXGEL VISIT. 
 
 thoughts, not even in passing the door vrhere 
 Sarah stood gaping at the passers by. But 
 Mrs. M. noticed her malicious expression of 
 countenance as she looked at Lizzie's really 
 beautiful frock, and she pitied the girl whose 
 mind cherished so base a passion. 
 
 From that time, Lizzie never showed any 
 pride in her dress. As the seasons came 
 round, and her mother would remark, " I must 
 procure Lizzie some new clothing," she never 
 inquired, " What will you get, mother ?" or 
 expressed any preference for one article more 
 than another. But w^hen the purchases were 
 made, and shown to her, she would remark, 
 " This is nice ! this will be comfortable !" and 
 similar expressions. 
 
 Often, after the afiair above mentioned, 
 would Mrs. M. take her httle daughter to walk 
 in the beautiful grave-yards, and point out to 
 her how narrow were the homes appointed for 
 all living, and how many little graves were 
 there, no larger than herself. And as funerals 
 passed their dwelling, she would explam to her 
 the nature of death, its entire cutting off from 
 earth, and the arrangements made for the body
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. 53 
 
 afterward, until Lizzie perfectly understood the 
 solemn event. 
 
 The aiFair of the new frock did not lessen 
 the desire of Lizzie's enemy at school to tor- 
 ment her, it rather added fuel to the flame. 
 It happened, not long after, the teacher missed 
 a silver thimble and a gold pencil. Search 
 was made for several days, and one morning 
 Sarah went to the teacher before school, and 
 whispered to her that she knew where her 
 things were. " And where are they, Sarah ?" 
 was the reply. 
 
 " Why, yesterday, ui recess, Lizzie Mat- 
 thews opened her desk to get something, and 
 I saw your things in the comer." 
 
 " I am not willing to beheve Lizzie has taken 
 them, but I shall have the matter searched 
 out." 
 
 When Lizzie came to school, her teacher 
 called her aside, and told her of the charge 
 laid against her. " Your things in my desk, 
 Mrs. ! I'm sure I never saw them, and how 
 can they be there ?" 
 
 '■^ Well, Lizzie, examine your desk, and then 
 we shall know."
 
 64 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 Lizzie opened her desk, lifted out her books 
 and needlework, and lo, in one corner lay the 
 thimble and pencil ! On seeing them, she 
 started with a look of horror, a flush, and then 
 a deadly paleness overspread her face, and 
 she leaned upon her desk and burst into tears. 
 The teacher remarked to Lizzie that she would 
 call on her mother, and hoped the affair would 
 prove to be an accident. 
 
 When the classes were called up for recita- 
 tion, poor Lizzie's distress was so great that 
 she could not articulate a word, and the teacher 
 told her she might go home. She reached her 
 mother's room nearly fainting, and it was some 
 time before she recovered herself sufficiently 
 to tell the story of her grief. 
 
 There was a great outcry that day when 
 pla}^ hours arrived, and the pet of the school 
 was known to have gone home in disgrace. 
 Play was forgotten in the excitement of this 
 singular event. Tumultuous voices mingled 
 their words, among which might be heard Sarah 
 Loder's, bawHng above the rest, " Great things 
 this stuck up Lizzie Matthews is — turned out
 
 AX ANGEL VISIT. 5B 
 
 a reg'Iar thief at last — -wonder -who's the best 
 in school now !" 
 
 " I'm sure /never thought her such a para- 
 gon ; I could'nt see what Mrs. 0. and the 
 girls always made such a pet of her for ;" said 
 an affected Miss just in her teens, with a curl 
 of her lip and a toss of her head. 
 
 Here several voices sung out together, " We 
 don't care I Lizzie Matthews is no thief, and 
 never will be ; should'nt wonder if somebody 
 we know was found out after a while. Guess 
 Sarah Loder knows better than Lizzie Mat- 
 thews how they got into the desk !" 
 
 Just then the bell rang, and the enraged 
 girl had only time to cast a look of defiance at 
 the speakers, as they marched in to their re- 
 spective seats. 
 
 When school adjourned for the day, Mrs. 0. 
 called on Mrs. M., and related the circum- 
 stance. When Mrs. M. acquainted her with 
 the treatment Sarah had always given to Lizzie, 
 and the recent affair of the dress, the teacher 
 could not but think Lizzie innocent. She had 
 never violated the truth in a single instance, 
 and therefore when she declared her innocence,
 
 66 AN AXGEL VISIT. 
 
 she was believed. When the teacher left, Liz- 
 zie said to her mother, " What do you think, 
 ma, I shoiild want with such things ? you al- 
 ways give me what I need, and if I did want 
 to take any thing, I should he sure Grod ivould 
 see me, and how could I do it ?" Mrs. M. told 
 Lizzie to trust in her Heavenly Father, and he 
 would make all right. She wept so much 
 about the affair that she was quite sick. 
 
 Several days after, she returned to finish 
 her term of tuition, and was gladly received by 
 the teacher and pupils, for her innocence was 
 evident. Sarah Loder had been detected in 
 the act of putting those very articles into her 
 own pocket, and the fact that she had been the 
 first to discover them when missing before, 
 rendered her guilt evident, and she was brought 
 to confess that she had accused Lizzie falsely. 
 She was sent from school in disgrace, and thus 
 ended these sore trials of Lizzie's gentle spu-it.
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 57 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CLOSING SCEXES. 
 
 The time came that Lizzie was to enter a 
 boarding school for a term of years. The mo- 
 ther had been very careful to select teachers 
 of piety and reputed kindness, and though the 
 separation was very hard for Lizzie to bear, 
 yet when convinced that it was for her im- 
 provement in health and learning, and more 
 than all, that it was the ivisli of her mother^ she 
 very cheerfully acquiesced. The hohdays oc- 
 curring but twice in a year, she saw her mo- 
 ther but seldom, but her governess frequently 
 wrote, informing her of Lizzie's health and 
 general progress. Mrs. M. also wrote fre- 
 quently to her daughter, counselling and en- 
 couraging her with all the fervency of a mo- 
 ther's love. Lizzie could not write very well
 
 58 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 when she entered the school, but her governess 
 always asked her when writing, if she had any 
 message to her mother. Her answer was al- 
 ways nearly the same. " Tell ma to pray for 
 me every day ; I pray for her ; tell her I love 
 Jesus, and I read my Bible every day." 
 
 The routine of a boarding school would not 
 afford a history particularly interesting, espe- 
 cially in the life of one so quiet as Lizzie M. 
 It was diversified only by her returns at the 
 holidays, and occasional calls from her parents. 
 There was one feature of her holiday visits to 
 which she always looked forward with pleasure 
 — the privilege of accompanying her mother in 
 her visits to the poor, and in her rounds of 
 tract distributing. Often while her mother 
 was conversmg and praying with the heads of 
 the family, would Lizzie slip into the next room, 
 or the hall, or yard, as might be, to preach 
 Christ in her childish manner to the children 
 of the family. And she never left without 
 giving them a portion of money saved for the 
 purpose. When she knew of any suffering 
 family, she would ask permission to fill her ht- 
 tle basket with provisions, and taking a bundle
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. 59 
 
 of clothing in one arm and the basket on the 
 other, trot along to dispense her charity. 
 Hence you would often see as she approached 
 the dwellings, children larger than herself 
 running to meet her, or calling to their parents, 
 "0, there is sweet httle Miss Lizzie coming !" 
 and many an aged form has called down bless- 
 ings on the head of " the little angel." 
 
 A few years passed on, Lizzie delighting her 
 mother by her improvement and her sweet 
 epistles of love, written in the overflowing of 
 filial aifection, and giving evidence that the 
 grace of God was filhng her young spirit with 
 its blessed influences. And then a change 
 drew nigh, and Lizzie was to bear a severer 
 trial tlian she had ever dreamed could cross 
 her path. 
 
 Her father's health had been gradually fail- 
 ing for many months, and as the last hope for 
 lii'e, the physicians ordered him to undertake 
 a voyage at sea. Mrs. M. and the younger 
 children were to accompany him, while Lizzie 
 should remain at school, expecting to complete 
 her term about the time of their return. 
 
 " We shall not be absent but two or three
 
 60 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 months, my daughter, and then you will come 
 home to remain with mother all the time. And 
 we hope father will be better, and if the Lord 
 pleases, we shall be very happy." 
 
 " And then, mother, my studies will be 
 completed, and I can assist you in taking care 
 of little Emma and Henry, and I can read to 
 father, you know." 
 
 Thus, with pleasant anticipations of the fu- 
 ture, did mother and daughter separate, never 
 to look upon each other again till " the sea 
 shall give up her dead, and they that are in 
 the graves shall come forth." 
 
 The noble ship set sail with fair winds and 
 dehghtful weather, and ploughed the surging 
 weaves merrily, while the company on board 
 were animated with hope for the future, and 
 happiness for the present. But alas ! in a few 
 days their pleasant skies were shrouded in 
 gloom, their fair winds changed to a tempest, 
 and such a storm beat around them, as appalled 
 the heart of their old weather beaten captain 
 himself. Tossed hither and thither at the 
 mercy of the winds and waves, human skill 
 availed them nothing in that fearful hour, and
 
 AX AXGEL VISIT. 61 
 
 thej became at last completely TN'recked on a 
 coast far from the one to which they were 
 bomid. How many prayers went up from the 
 dwellers in that doomed vessel, God alone can 
 tell, or how many in the darkness of those 
 awful nights looked to Christ as their only 
 refuge. 
 
 The long absence of the ship occasioned 
 great anxiety, but at last the news of the wreck 
 reached England, and all on board were re- 
 ported lost. We cannot describe the emotions 
 of poor Lizzie on being informed that she was 
 an orphan, and alone. Such sorrows are too 
 deep for language to depict ; but one thing is 
 certain, her faith was unshaken, or how could 
 her frail nature have sustained so great a 
 shock ? it was one which would have stunned 
 older and stouter hearts. She was but a ten- 
 der lamb, whom the rougher winds of heaven 
 had scarcely ever visited, yet no angry repin- 
 ings, no outbreaks of rebellion were hers, but 
 with the meekness of a true disciple she prayed 
 for resignation. Her teachers exerted all their 
 powers of sympathy, and released her from 
 study, using all their kindest efforts to soothe
 
 62 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 her, till time could in some measure heal the 
 wound. But though Lizzie's spirit struggled 
 to bear up, her physical frame was too frail to 
 bear the conflict. Her nights were almost 
 sleepless, and her food scarcely partaken. 
 " You must eat, Lizzie dear," said her kind 
 governess, " or you will die." " I would eat, 
 
 Mrs. , but when I try to swallow, I think 
 
 of my mother and little brothers, and it chokes 
 me so that I cannot;" was her daily reply. 
 She was taken frequently to ride, and sent to 
 friends in the neighborhood to change the 
 scene, but it was all the same. Her grief was 
 wearing out her life, and she had not strength 
 for the renewal of her energies. 
 
 Several months passed, with no improvement 
 in Lizzie's pale face and Aveary step. Her tall 
 and slender form began to droop hke a blighted 
 flower, and physicians gave it their opinion that 
 she was in a hopeless decline, from the influence 
 of mental suffering. Not long after this de- 
 cision, her teacher one day entered her apart- 
 ment with a letter in her hand, and sitting 
 doAvn, said in a kind tone, '• Lizzie, dear, I 
 hope I have good news for you. This letter is
 
 AN AXGEL VISIT. 63 
 
 from America." With a brightened eye and 
 a flushed cheek, Lizzie extended her hand to 
 receive it, but her teacher held it a moment, 
 saying, " Now, dearest, be calm, remember 
 you are not very strong." Lizzie smiled, say- 
 ing, '' I hope God will give me strength ;" but 
 when she recognized the handwriting of her 
 mother^ she was nearly overcome. On open- 
 ing the letter, she found its date more recent 
 than had yet been received, and it was very 
 brief, reading thus : 
 
 " My dearly beloved daughter, — 
 
 Long, long have I wished to hear from 
 you, my darling, and from that home which is 
 now so far distant. God has sorely afflicted 
 me, my child, but still ' He is good, He doeth 
 all things well.' If I cannot now see why He 
 has dealt thus with me, I have His promise 
 that I shall know even as I am known, when 
 my spirit reaches that world where all is light 
 and knowledge. I have written several times, 
 but not one letter have I received from you, 
 and I have almost despaired of ever seeing
 
 64 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 your handwriting again. But in the hope this 
 ■will reach ^ou, I will tell you a part of my his- 
 tory since I left the shores of dear old Eng- 
 land, and you, my darhng child. 
 
 I cannot rehearse events paii:icularly ; you 
 have probably heard that our vessel was beaten 
 about by storms and finally wrecked, with the 
 bare escape of our Hves. Clothing and money, 
 all were washed overboard. During nearly all 
 the voyage, I was so ill as to be confined to 
 my berth, and unable to attend on your father 
 or the children. We were picked up some- 
 where, I cannot tell you the place, and towed 
 into the harbor of N. The people were very 
 kind to us, and we found a home in a land of 
 strangers ; but in two weeks after our landing 
 I was a widoio, and my children fatherless. 
 Your poor father died repenting of his sins, 
 and trusting in the Lord Jesus. I cannot now 
 bring myself to write all ; I have not strengtj^ 
 I shall stay here with the little ones untitl get 
 remittances from England to enable me to re- 
 turn. Do not grieve too much, dear child, the 
 Lord win not lay upon us more than we can
 
 AX AXGEL VISIT. 65 
 
 bear, and let us hope for a liappy reunion be- 
 fore long. 
 
 Your aflfectionate mother, 
 
 E M ." 
 
 Rejoiced as Lizzie might be to read her mo- 
 ther's words and know that she was alive, there 
 was not that in her letter which could altogether 
 bind up the bruised spirit. Her thoughts 
 dwelt now on her mother's lonely situation, and 
 she sympathized too deeply to gain much good. 
 She felt, also, the loss of her father, who had 
 always been fond of her, though he had not 
 been all she could have wished. It was not 
 long before she penned a reply to the dear 
 parent she loved so well. It was a long letter 
 of love and consolation, such as an affectionate 
 and truly pious daughter only can write. She 
 said nothing of her health, except that it was 
 Jj^as usual," that she might not add to her mo- 
 "^ner'^ affliction. A few paragi'aphs shall be 
 quoted : 
 
 — '•• Do pray for me, dear mother, at ten 
 o'clock every day. Don't you remember when
 
 66 AN AXGEL VISIT. 
 
 I was at home once, and we were walking in 
 the garden and looking at the beautiful moon, 
 you said the same moon would shine on me 
 when I was at school ? And does not the same 
 Jesus hear your prayers and mine too, though 
 the great ocean is between us ? You taught 
 me to pray, dear mother, and how shall I ever 
 thank you enough ! Did poor father say any 
 thing about me before he died ? God bless 
 you, my dear mother ! God bless you, my 
 dear, dear, dear mother ! 
 
 So prays your affectionate Lizzie." 
 
 These sweet communings were the last ever 
 enjoyed by mother and daughter while in this 
 world. Not very long after these letters were 
 written, a report was brought by a vessel from 
 America, that 3Irs. M. was numbered with the 
 dead, and her little ones were in the care of 
 friends. From the day this intelligent 
 reached the already stricken child, she seemed 
 to wither daily. Her secret devotions, and 
 the perusal of her Bible were still observed, 
 but she seemed like one just waiting the Mas- 
 ter's call. Her calmness and resignation re-
 
 AN ANGEL VISIT. ' 67 
 
 solved itself into a heavenly peace, which rested 
 on her countenance, and imparted even a 
 cheerfulness to her smile. 
 
 Her governess went one morning into her 
 room, as usual, to ascertain how she had passed 
 the night, and was alarmed to find her very 
 much changed. There was no mistaking the 
 symptoms enstamped on her sweet face, and 
 the physician was summoned in all haste. But 
 all that friends or physicians could do, was of 
 no avail. " She was wanted above," and mor- 
 tahty could not longer keep her wilhng spirit. 
 She knew that she was called, and seemed re- 
 joiced that her hour had come. 
 
 " Mrs. ," said she, looking up to her 
 
 governess, J' when I am gone, please look in 
 my desk, and you will see what I would like 
 you to do with my things. Please give them 
 all as I have written it down. But don't for- 
 get the ijoor heathen^ and the Bible cause, will 
 
 you, Mrs. ?" Her teacher promised all 
 
 should be as she desired, and expressing her 
 thanks, she closed her eyes as if satisfied, and 
 soon after, Lizzie, the gentle, the pious, the
 
 68 AN ANGEL VISIT. 
 
 beloved, sunk into her last sleep, whispering, 
 '' I am goiyig to meet my dear mother. ^^ 
 
 It is not many years since " gentle Lizzie " 
 became an inhabitant of her Father's kingdom. 
 What dear child is there who would not love 
 to live as Lizzie lived, and die as Lizzie died, 
 in hope of heaven. She, though gentle, be- 
 nevolent, obedient and prayerful, knew that 
 being thus could not save her, and she leaned 
 all her hopes on the merits of Jesus, her Re- 
 deemer. We know that He has not deceived 
 her, and that " where He is, there she is also." 
 There may you be, dear reader, when you 
 have passed away from earth.
 
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