2382 THE GOOD

She took great care of her little son
while he was a babe; and when he
grew older, she began to teach him
about those holy things which
parents who love God always try to
teach their children. 'The little boy
grew, and soon he could run about,
and talk, and learn many things.
One day, in harvest time, his mother

sent him into the fields where his

father was, to see the men reaping
the corn. The little boy was much
pleased to stand there by his dear
father, and looked at the beautiful
yellow corn. It was a very hot day.
The sun shone brightly, and it struck
the head of the little boy, and made
him feel very sick; and he cried to
his father, “My head, my head!”
He was in great pain, and could not
stay longer in the fields: so his kind
father called a lad, and said, “ Carry
the child to his mother.” She took
him on her lap, and nursed him,
and kissed him, and did all she
could for him; but he grew worse
and worse; and, after a few hours,
he died in her arms. Death often
comes very suddenly to little chil-
dren, and to grown-up people too.
When we awake in the morning, we
may feel well and strong; but, per-
haps, before night we may be cold
and dead. We cannot tell when we
shall die. Perhaps we may die very
soon ; perhaps we may die suddenly,
like this little boy. Are we ready
to die? Have our sins been all
washed away in Jesus’s blood? Have
our hearts been made new by the
Holy Spirit? If they have, then
we are ready: and we need not fear
even if we should die to-day, be-
cause we should go to a_ better
world where there is no more pain
nor sorrow.

 

SHUNAMMITE. »

When the mother saw that her
little boy was dead, she carried him
up into Elisha’s room, and laid him
upon the bed. ‘Then she told the
servant to saddle an ass directly, and
to ride with her to Mount Carmel.
Why? Because she wanted to see
Elisha, and to tell her sorrows to
him. This woman had great faith
in God; she knew He could raise
her child to life again if He pleased.
She took a long journey ; and when
she came near to Mount Carmel,
Elisha saw her, and sent Gehazi to
meet her. Then Gehazi ran to her,
and asked, “Is all well? Is it well
with thy husband? Is it well with
the child?” The mother answered,
“Yes, all is well.” She knew all
was right, because done by God.
Though He had taken away her
child, yet she knew all was “ well.”
When the Shunammite came to
Elisha, she ran and caught him by
the feet; she was so full of sorrow
she could not speak. Gehazi wanted
to push her away; but Elisha said,
“ No, she is unhappy, and we must
be kind and gentle to her.” Elisha
soon understood what it was that
made her sorry; and then he told
Gehazi to go before very quickly to
the Shunammite’s house, and lay his
staff upon the child’s face. Gahazi
obeyed. He went to the house, and
into the room where the little dead
boy lay, and put his master’s staff
upon the child’s face. But there
was no voice; the child could not
see, nor hear, nor speak to Gehazi.
Then Gehazi went to meet his
master, who was following slowly
with the poor mother, and said,
“'The child is not awaked.” So
Elisha came on to the house, and
then he went alone into his room,