The Old Helmet, Volume II

earts accurst, where no

hearts athirst for

l of beauty, as o

r duty, it might

and along the streams did not bring back one hand full of wild flowers. She dressed the house with them, getting help from the garden when necessary; botanized a good deal; and began to grow as knowing in plants almost as Mrs. Caxton herself. She would come home loaded with wild thyme and gorse and black bryony and saxifrage and orchis flowers, having scoured hill and meadow and robbed the hedge-rows for them, which also gave her great tribute of wild roses. Then later came crimson campion and eyebright, dog roses and honeysuckles, columbine and centaury, grasses

id Mrs. Caxton one day stopp

you lik

ou have got a goo

is wall spleenwort, and that is the ot

d t

p the mountain for it yesterday That is where I got those Woodsia's to

s is not com

spray of a waterfall-this and this; they are polypodie

u get these?-thes

at the Bande

hild! how could y

much risk

u ever know

there before,

never shewe

;-but Mr.

or had come to the farm. It was mentioned now with a co

gs here without a rose or two? the

tiful enough by themselves; but if you put a

smiled and

t, to be applied to for help. The microscope stood on one side apparently forgotten. It always stood there, in the sitting par

every day; though by slow degrees. She wished Eleanor would write her letters without any religion in them; for she supposed that was what her mother would not let her read; so she never had the comfort of seeing Eleanor's letters fo

true, E

everything and everybody that interests me. What mamma does not like come

y dear. I would not alter

ssoms of that later time, amidst which the eclipsed meadow-sweet came quite into favour again. Still Eleanor brought wild things from the hills and the streams, though she applied more now to Mrs. Caxton's home store in the garden; wild

he first days of October the

would be welcome; it was not too late; but if she held to her perversity, she must bear the consequences. She did not own her nor want her. She gave her up to her aunt Caxton. Her rem

. She kept on her usual way of life without any variation; but the radiant bright look of her face was permanently saddened. She was just as sweet and companionable a

t put up her work Eleanor sat gravely poring into the red coals on the hearth; those thought-provoking, life-sti

at length,-"my life seem

hat we do not understa

ally to do-papa, Julia, mamma. I feel like a banished person, I suppose; on

of such a life as M

answered, looking still into the fire. "Nothing c

ort of banish

banishment-for his Master's sake.

make their home in him. And I do

heard from hi

is almost t

year and a hal

said Mrs. Caxton. "They do not get letter

ssible to understand, that anybody should leave home and friends and comfort, and take h

understan

the coals;-"I see that Christ is all; and with him one is never alone, and under hi

o coward n

nary things, except when consci

is ove

ire, to give Mrs. Caxton a smile

ural courage," said Mrs. Caxton. "They are a des

carry the name o

devil's worst work going on there to try any tender heart; and horrors eno

d Eleanor. "Are they much worse tha

human bodies has gone on to a most wonderful extent, and the destroying them for that purpose. With all that, there is a very careful respect paid to descent and rank; but it is the observance of fear. That one fact gives you the key to th

tures!" sa

l to a person of fine sensibilities, in making a home a

he Lord will make

as Mrs. Caxton's turn to answer; and sh

t Caxton, to tell the love of Christ to thos

ve, yo

am. I wish I could do

l a little while longer and then separated for the night. But the next even

u wished you could do a great deal mor

, ma

you are discontented with your own s

as considering my own sphere of duty at all. I was thinking of the pleasure of preaching Christ-yes, and the glor

rt you are satisf

mean to be,-with any place that is given m

call, you would like i

d teach the

ng the Lord's work in one place rather than in another. I would rather teach English people than Hottentots. But if I saw that my pla

e no fear?" sa

ot. Ever since I can

I have done

. I am glad there is no prospect of it. But you are right about not choo

elderly, homely gentleman, to whom Mrs. Caxton gave a very cordial reception and whom she introduced to Elea

bbing his hands with the cold as he sat dow

ou know," Mrs. Caxton answered. "But the let

an nine or ten months ago; when h

is

says; neve

hap

Mr. Morrison.-"He had got fa

do that im

he was able to hold a service in it for the natives only a

wherever he is,"

ut there as we have it to-night," Mr. Morrison said rubbing his hands.

Mr. Rhys s

lands down there, with

d pla

self disagreeabl

ty as he turned to her,-"the place itself I do not understand to be very disagreeable; it is the character

lone on his statio

d Mrs. Lefferts. His l

being one of a certain Committee he had it in his power to bring for her perusal and pleasure more than her own letters from Mr. Rhys, and more than Mr. Rhys's own letters to the Committee.

ld birds, wanted teaching and were willing to have it; native teachers needed training, who had the will without the knowledge to aid in the service. Thirty of them, Mr. Lefferts said, he had under his care. With all this, they told of the wonderful beauty of the regions where their field of labour was. Mr. Lefferts wrote of a little journey lately taken to another part of his island, which had led him through almost every variety of natural luxuriance. Mountains and hills and valleys, rivers and little streams, rich woods and mangrove swamps. Mr. Lefferts' journey had been, like Paul's of old, to establish the native churches formed at different small places by the way. There he married couples and baptized children and met classes and told the truth. At one place where he had preached, married several couples, baptized over thirty, young and old, and met as many in classes, Mr. Lefferts told of a walk he t

eaten perhaps than anywhere else in the islands. The cruelties and the horrors were impossible to be told. A few days before he wrote, twenty-eight persons had been killed and eaten in o

derstand the report, or credit it; but presently the horrible procession came in sight, and eleven dead bodies were laid on the ground immediately before us. Eleven only were brought to this village; but great numbers are said to have been killed. Their crime was the killing of one man; and when they would have submitted themselves and made amends, all this recompense of death was demanded by the offended chief. The manner in which these

wards the missionaries. Indeed these were often able to turn the natives from their devilish purposes and save life. Not always. The old king of that part of the country had died, and all the influence and all

posite ways. She was dead, the poor victim underneath the veil, in a minute or two after the missionaries entered; and the veil being taken off they saw that it was a woman who had professed Christianity. Her sons were among those who had strangled her. Another woman came forward with great shew of bravery when her name was called; offered her hand to the missionaries as she passed them; and with great pride of bearing submitted herself to the death which probably she knew she could not avoid. Everybody was quiet and cheerful, and the whole thing went on with t

adily and in every direction. A great many had renounced heathenism; not a small number were earnest Chris

ers made him any answer. Mrs. Caxton sat opposite to him, deeply attentive but silent, with her hand always lying upon her own particular packet.

, which shews how well he has got hold of the people and how much he is regarded by the

s the chief heard that I was there, and what I had come for, he declared he would be a Christian forthwith; and four or five of his principal men followed his example. They came to me, and entered fully into my object; and it was decided that we should go on immediately to the fortress where those who wished to carry on war had intrenched themselves. We got there just as the sun was setting; and from that time till midnight I was engaged in what I saw now for the first time; a savage council of war. Grim black warriors covered with black powder sat or stood about, on a little clear spot of ground where the moon shone down; muskets and clubs and spears lay on the glass and were scattered about

did my best to make him think differently; a hundred men declared that they would die in defence of him; and at last I gained my point. Tui Mbua agreed to go to the neighbourhood of the hostile town, if I would bring its principal men to meet him at an appointed place. So we went. This chosen place was a fine plot of ground enclosed by magnificent chestnut trees. I went on to the town, with a few unarmed men. The people received us well; but it was difficult to make the old heathen, brought up o

went in I watched the chief who accompanied me. He gently bowed to Tui Mbua and approached him with due and evidently honest respect. My heart leaped at that moment. Tui Mbua looked at him keenly, sprang to his feet, and casting his arms about his enemy's neck gave hi

fying; and I returned home

ded up his packet amid a great silence. Mrs. Ca

" remarked Mr. Morrison

man to go there-fears

eve; but almost all the

m. How came Rh

as if he felt lonel

t sick, and to have no woman's hand about is something to be missed at such times. O we are all dependent. Mr. Rhys is domesticated now with B

rs. Caxton; "though he has not reached it yet.

e no idea how at times one's soul longs for a taste of England. Brother Rhys too is a man to feel

n quietly. "Then he has some b

ard when the Master comes. A man leaves everything indeed when he goes to t

ll in the

n. "He has got the ear of those wild

unbroken. The morning brought its own business; the breakfast was somewhat hurried; Mr. Morrison took his departure; and no

or?" was Mrs. Caxton's firs

dache, au

ve noticed that your e

, ma'am. I did no

y n

of those letters exci

mson which was stealing up into Eleanor's

ood work to be done her

hand in thoughtful wise. "England has had the light a great while

do the work given us-one here and one there;-and let th

nk otherwise,

to me? there is a little difference between what is sent

twice before she changed the subject and spoke of something else. She held to her offer, however; and when the green cl

ten after he had been there a good many months and had got fairly acquainted with

Eleanor answered; "

Caxto

ear f

d in Plassy again. The dear old hills rear their wild outlines before me; the green wealth of vegetation is at my feet, but cool and fresh as nothing looks to me under the northerly wind which is blowing now; and your image is so distinct, that I almost can grasp your hand, and almost hear you speak; see you speak,

ervices, of different sorts. Week days I have an English school, a writing school, one before and the other after mid-day; and later still, a school for regular native instruction. Every momen

iffiths preached. There is a new chapel, of very neat native workmanship; with a pulpit carved out of a solid piece of wood, oiled to give it colour and gloss. In the chapel the whole population of the island was assembled, dressed in new dresses, attentive, and interested. So were we, you may believe, when we remembered that only two years ago all these people were heathens. O these islands are a glorious place now and then, in spots where the devil's reign is broken. I wish you could have seen us afterwards, my dear friend, at our native feast spread on the ground under the trees; you who never saw a table set but with exact and elegant propriety. We had no table; believe me, we were too happy and hungry to mind that. I do not think you would have quarrelled with our dishes; they were no other and no worse than the thick broad glossy leaves of the banana. No fault could be found with their elegance; and our napkins we

nded preaching service. At night we slept on a mat laid for us, or tried to sleep; but my thoughts were too busy; and the clear night sky was witness to a great many restless movements, I am afraid, before I lost them in forgetfulness. The occasion of which, I suppose, was the near prospect of sending letters home to England by the ship. At any rate, England and the South Seas were very near together that night; and I was fain to remember that heaven is nearer yet. But the remembrance carne, and with it sleep. The next d

o hear them, these poor enterers into the light, who have but just passed the line of darkness. One said, 'I love the Lord, and I know he loves me; not for anything in me, or for anything I have done; but for Christ's sake alone.

g I know,-the sacred blood of

suredly that I am reconciled to God. I know of the work of God in my soul. The sacred Sp

wo of us went to see. One of us asked him if he was afraid to die? 'No,' he said, 'I am sheltered. The great Saviour died for me. The Lord's wra

be in any other place, by my own choice, for all the things in the world. I need only to be made more holy. Just in proportion as I am that, I am happy and I am useful. I want to be perfectly holy. But there is the same way of trusting for the poor Fijian and for me; and I believe in that same precious bloo

ives out, we have to draw upon the store of things needed by ourselves; and blankets and hardware come to be minus. Then, forgetting this, which it is easy to do, all the world without is a world of glorious beauty. How I wish I could shew it to you! These islands are of very various character, and many of them like the garden of Eden for natural loveliness; shewing almost every kind of scenery within a small area. Most of them are girdled more or less entirely by what is called a barrier reef-an outside and independent coral formation, sometimes narrow, sometimes miles in width,

ith him. I had my walk for nothing, so far as

d like a reed. It was, for a few moments, a scene to be remembered, and not a little terrific. The shoutings and exertions of the men, who felt the danger of their position, added to the roar and the power of the waters, which tossed us hither and thither as a thing of no consequence, made it a strange wild minute,-till we emerged from all that struggle and roar into the still beautiful quiet of the lagoon inside. Imagine it, surrounded with its border of rocky land covered with noble trees, and spotted with islets covered in like manner. The whole island is of volcanic formation, and its rocks are of black scoria. The theory is, I believe, that a volcano once occupied the whole centre of such islands; which sinking afterwards away left its place to the occupancy of a lake instead. However produced, the effect is singular in its wild beauty. The soil of this island is poor for any purpose but growing timber; the inhabitants consequently are not many, and they live on roots and fish and what we should think still poorer food-a great wood maggot, which is found in plenty. There are but four villages, two of them Christi

friend. It is mine; I can ask no bet

tentive to it; but on each cheek a spot of colour had been fixed and deepening, till now it had reached a broad flush. Silence fell as the reading ceased; Eleanor did

ngth. "It is better for a man in those far-off regions, and amids

Rhys writes as if

wants, by his writing. I am n

d not marry, like everybody

e rather difficult to please, I fancy; and that are apt enough to mee

on, than to judge by his letters he has and enjoys as he i

ou tel

said Eleanor. But her v

g the bell, my dear. And a sinner saved in England is as precious as o