Old Nance. 97

 

“ But the Bible says we must repent, and believe
in Jesus. Let me read you a chapter, Nance.”

She consented, and I chose the eleventh of St.
Matthew, because of its beautiful ending. This was
the first of many readings, but I never could tell
how much she took in. She always said it was
very pretty—an expression which annoyed me;
but she made no other remark, and still would
repeat that she had done nobody any harm, and
she hoped God would not be hard on her. But
she was evidently uneasy, and I became so too.
I could not feel sure that she ever prayed. I
did so in private for her, but I felt that something
more ought to be done, and yet an awkward shy-
ness kept me from speaking to anyone about it.
At last I said to Tommy, when he told me that
granny thought Nance was not going to last long,
“Tommy, somebody ought to come and see her,
don’t you think ?”

“Ts she church or chapel ?” returned Tommy,
promptly.

I could not remember her having gone to any
place of worship. I said I did not think she was
anything.

“Well, very well ; then go you and ask the parson
to come to her; you can’t be wrong there. I would
go for you with all the pleasure in life,’ added

G