Squib and His Friends

Adler—don’t go away!

hold of one of Herr Adler’s hands as he spo

gerly. “You are grown up: you can do just

e thinking of all manner of things unknown to the world at large. “Well, perhaps you are not so far out, my little friend; for I do not only like m

tiful out here amongst the mountains; but I can’t bear to think of going b

rts of wonderful and interesting things about the great wonderful world we live in! Why, what did you say to me t

resting,” answered the little boy quickly; “but some pe

ead several times, with

. And your lessons will be just as interesting—no matter who teaches you—if you just make up your mind that you want to know. Not long ago I met in company one of the cleverest men living. It was in a very mixed gathering, and there were all sorts of very different people there. I watched this gentleman a

d eager, yet he sighed

I live in another place. If I lived always in this valley, full of such interesting things—like Seppi—I should be so happy! I should love to see the snow come down, and live in one of those queer litt

t exactly the opposite—that it was his own life which was dull, and the little English boy’s full of pleasure and variety. Herr

78the other day, asking my opinion of it. I read it out of doors last evening, and have it in my po

at mention of a story

o us,” he said eagerl

ou are Latin scholar enough to translate it. My young friend

cross and light,” said

ay of Light.’ Now, I will read you the story;

err Adle

aboured diligently to earn his daily bread. He was fatherless

men called monks, who dwelt apart from other men, and thought best to serve God by re

them holy men, and often gave to them great gifts in money or land, to be spent to the glory and honour of God. And when the monks were faithful to their vows, this money

s being built hard by the monastery walls, and it fell to the lot of the boy to labour with the ma

eavier day by day; and when he saw other children passing by, laughing and singing in their play, his heart cried out against the hardness and dreariness of his own life. Instead of look

with their own hands upon some of the beautiful carving in stone or wood with which it was to be adorned; for to these pious men there was no drudgery in work that was done for the honour and glory of God; and t

nature of the man, for Gottlieb means “the love of God;” and those who looked upon the gentle face, which bore traces of fastings an

rom his youth, and had been long resident within the walls of the monastery, the men of the city had come to love and revere him, and ev

steal into his eyes, and he would utter words which had a beautiful s

the builders’ toil, that he stood close beside the child

orthy to serve Him! Yea, thrice bles

nto the face of the monk, to

ak, holy father? Who a

a hand upon his he

ourers; for ye serve a gracious and kindly M

ld answered

and toil in the heat of the sun. Yet ofttimes he gives me harsh w

at the child with a searc

. He 182is gracious and loving, and full of compassion and tender mercy. And blessed are

nothing but thankless discontent and wonder. Father Gottlieb was gazing upward, where high up in the dazzling blue air

hou see ther

d looked, and

ilders busy a

nk answere

iling of the

nt back to the monastery, for he had his appointed work to do, a

ds, but he comprehended them not, for his heart was full of bitterness because o

ee a smile upon his face. I will no more of his 183service. To-morrow I will go forth into the

ter, and knew not that he was set in the wor

his bed, while all the world yet slum

I

themselves! drinking in the pure morning air, listening to the glad warbli

g of the appointed work given to him to do in the wonderful and mysterious realm of Nature; and the child had made a vow that he would to

ll about him, and as if he were in some sort changed, albeit in very truth that same child who had fled from the city, 184and fr

as it leaped or glided down the side of the mountain. It sang of the rocky cavern whence it came, fed by some unseen springs in the depths of the hills, of the avalanches which fell with the melting of the snow from the heights above, of the green meado

med and dashed amongst the rocky boulders, instead of choosin

makes a soft carpet! Turn aside from those cruel rocks, and linger where all is fresh and fair and sweet; and haste no

ooklet answer

Master points the way. Amid rocks and melting snows I gather strength and volume for my journey; but I may not linger to disport mysel

d waxed angr

ity, thou wouldst not talk thus. Thou wouldst turn a

service for Him. And blessed are they wh

the door of a farmhouse, he craved food at the hands of the good folk there and a night’s lodging. These, taking pity on his lonel

ng through a wide crack in the 186floor, saw that the cattle below were conversing with one another, nor did it s

s is the fashion in the country in which the child lived), “I have been yoked to the plough

se used than thou, brother; for we were up with the sun, and have been working till he set, dragging I know not how many loads of hay from the meadows to the yard. Tru

inks it is a gracious and goodly task to prepare the brown fields for the sowing of the seed, and, again, to help in the joyful ingathering. For the hearts of all men are glad with great r

thee and such as thee to talk! Thou dost not labour day af

learned to love my bondage now, and to seek happiness in service; for all that we do is done for the Master, and it is His desire that each one of His

ir heads and said, “Amen!” but

ssess! Rise up and break the bonds which bind you

stalls. Only the swallows stirred and twittered in the e

rm, for he thought, “If I stay here they 188will perchance

red, for whether he willed it or no

I

singing glad songs; or would meet them returning home at the close of the day, weary, yet rejoicing in the glorious weather, and in the bounteous harvest which God had given them. Many amon

of me;” for his heart was yet set against any sort of toil, and as he went along and saw h

he harvest-fields, but the great trees which bordered the road on either side gave a grateful shade, and from t

rer, and, pausing by the open door, seated himself upon an upturned barrow an

y he gave a nod to his companion, who disappeared for a while, and he himself came out wi

d, marking the weary and wistful face of the child, he gave him food and

r I know not thy face, albeit I have

red the child; “a city that l

; “and whither away now? For thou art ove

uddenly crimsoned, he scarce knew why, as he fe

God hath placed us?” questioned the man with gentle

ther apron afresh; then he turned into the forge and gras

aid; “surely thou wilt rest awh

his hammer, and blew up his

we fulfil our allotted tasks with the best that is in us. Look, too, at yon patient horses, waiting to be shod, and think of the loads of golden grain awaiting to be drawn homeward by them! Suppose a thunder-storm c

d about him round t

t it all belo

red the smith, “and was

not rest at thy will, si

acksmith turned upon him, a

serve a Master to whom I must give account of each day as it passes. Yet,” he added, in a gentler

e good man’s face m

pleasure, then,

lacksmith

s of silver. Ah, my child, thou hast still much to l

er;” and presently, while the smith worked, he crept away in the lengthening shadows,

V

him, else must he surely have died. But 192though his bodily needs were satisfied, a great hunger of the heart arose within him that was less easily appeas

ing glances on the toil-worn little traveller. He was never turned away from a hospitable door where he craved food or shelter, yet his loneliness grew ever greater and greater, and at last his strength began to fail him, till he ofttim

trail himself along, until it came to pass that one day

t anon there came by a man, who, when he saw the child, stopped and looked earnestly upon him, and, seeing that he was v

el of Death hovered very near to him; yet God had mercy on the boy, and raised him u

irst know, for he worked outside, and all the boy could hear was the ceaseless sound of tools, mingling often with the music of some song or chant which the worker would croon to himself. It sounded like carpentering work, the child thought, and as his strength r

some only just begun, 194and others quite or almost finished. The master of the house was not in the shed, but sitting in his garden, and in his hands he held a great piece of wood, f

timidly drew near, the good

hou put such strength and skill into a bit of wood? Is it not

mile the worke

d work too, for this cross is to bear a message of

ked the question which his lips knew not how to frame. The m

who has said, ‘If any man would follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me?’ And yet, because He hath borne the cross first, He hath 195hallowed and sweetened it for us. So tha

spoke again, pointing, as he spoke, to a little wr

of pain and suffering. But she takes it from His hand, and makes no murmur. Th

worked at the flowers on it, the child came forth and sat beside him, watching him and hearing him talk, and little by l

tage where the suffering woman lay, and he watched the light deepen in her e

ther, he stole his hand into

to bear? Is it not cruel of the

aster knows best. He gives to each his own cross, and blessed is ev

child. “I love not to bear nor to suffer.

the master of the house. “Hear His own words: ‘Come unto me all that be weary and heavy laden, and I will give you re

and how can we bear our crosses after Him when w

s hand upon the head of the child, drawing him betwe

us, wrought for Him with the best that is in us. All that we do can be done for Him. He has said so—and blessed be His name! Our daily toil is sometimes hard and cheerless of itself, but borne as t

he heard these words. He laid his hand

nst teach me. I would fain take up my cross and follow the Master. I wo

ed long and earnestly at him, an

the child gazed at him with wondering and uncomprehending eyes, he added, still very gently, “I

d great tears rolled down his cheeks as he began to 198understand that there, and there alone, lay the cross which the Master had given him to bear. But a

d toilsome journey. Long and hard did the road seem, and often his heart wellnigh failed him, but still h

ere he started in the morning by some simple act of service—cutting wood or carrying water, or even amusing a fretful child while

would the child have rejoiced to be saved the rest of that toilsome journey; but the

s the cry of his heart; “I must bea

9

ubbed his eyes and looked again. For the structure which he had left all rough and unfinished was now a beautiful and stately building, complete in every detail, and upwards into the blue air soared the tapering spire, crowned with its cross, pointing ever upward towards the heaven beyond. And from within the building came a sound of music, like to the sound of m

the kingdom of our God and of His Chris

e had shunned—to raise a 200holy house of prayer and praise that should tea

elt a touch upon his hand, and saw a hurrying thr

! the Master hath co

ce took up the

have helped to rear this tem

e ground. Yet, in spite of his grief and shame, he was borne along by the crowd, and was aware of a strange and wonderful shining, the like of which he

im, and a face looked down at him in infinite com

Arise and go in peace. Take

child smote his hands t

ant heareth!” and in

de his hodfuls of mortar beneath the unfinished walls of the church, while th

uld take up his cross and bear it in the Master’s strength, for the Master’s sake, and look f

nd his cross blossomed with flowers, for his work was done with all his might in the power of the Lord,

ale and sorrowful face, and pausing beside the

u see there be

beautiful radiance t

ining of the

ed on his way rejoicing

ll serve Him, and they shal

. Probably both entered more into its spirit than either could have explained. He

thor that two little boys have liked her s

ng breath; and then, after another fit of sile

, I will try!

o; but from the kind and gentle look that came into the good

r hands in his for the last time, and blessed them both, and kissed them before he took his way down the green slope. Squib went with him a little way

ass, still crying; but he soon

hall see him again some day. But we shall miss him so! There is nobody else lik

wered with ea

very glad!”<