CHAPTER I

A DEATH-BED SCENE

A death-bed is always a sad scene, but doubly so when it is that of a parent surrounded by his or her children, and trebly so when those children are young and helpless.

Let me introduce the reader to such a scene for a moment, for ’tis good now and again to be drawn near to death, if only for a moment, for it brings us face to face with the fleeting and uncertain nature of life, and admonishes us to be prepared.

Behold, then, a pale weak figure, in a white draped, old-fashioned, four-post bed; that figure is the figure of a dying man, that man the father of three children, a boy and two girls, who are standing around the bed clinging to their mother.

‘But if father is going away, where is he going to, mother?’ said the boy, the eldest of the three. Alas! he did not realise what was taking place. He had been told that his father was going away; but he could not realise that he would see him no more on earth, and that he would be left alone to fight the battle of life, with only a poor, poverty-stricken mother to stand between him and starvation.

‘Dear Stephen, he is going to heaven. God has called him and he must go.’

‘But may we not go with him, mother?’

‘No, my child, we may not go till God calls us.’

‘But when will He call us, mother?’

‘I do not know, dear; we must be prepared to go whenever He calls; it may be to-morrow, or it may not be for years.’

‘But when shall we see father again, mother?’

‘When God calls us to heaven, too, dear.’

‘Come near, Stephen,’ his father called to him in weak and trembling tones. ‘Steve, my son, I want to say a few words to you before I leave you. First I want you to take care of your mother and sisters as much as you can. Your mother will be weak and unprotected, and when you are grown up, you must work and support her and your sisters as best you can. Then I want you to promise to always fear God and look to Him for aid in time of need, and serve Him to the best of your ability in time of prosperity. And lastly, I want you always to be faithful to your country and your people. Remember that here we are a vassal race as yet. But thank God there are two bright spots in South Africa where our people are free, and acknowledge only one King--God--the King of kings. And if ever the time should come that you may be able to aid in bringing our people nearer to being a one and united people--free--under God’s guidance, do your best. Do you promise?’

‘Yes, father, I will do my best.’

‘I know, child, you can hardly understand these things yet, but when you are older you will understand what I mean. Your mother will write my request down for you, and when you are grown up and are a man, you will understand. Now kiss me all of you. May God bless you and be a father to you all. Amen.’