People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1895 — WAS A FAITH CURE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAS A FAITH CURE.

T WAS A GENUine day in May. The sun shone warm on the vivid, green firass, on trees blossom laden, on the red buds of the maples and the graceful tassels of the birches. How lovely all nature was, and

how cruel it seemed for everything to look so radiant when human hearts were breaking. So, at least, thought Stella Wynn, as she lay among the tall green grass, in front of the tiny white house, half hidden by the woodbine that clambered over it. In and out among the honeysuckles flew the yellow bees, making the air drowsy with their humming, and one went close to Stella’s ear, and poising himself on a flower near her buzzed loudly. The child raised her head a moment to listen. “Oh!” she cried, eagerly. “He is telling me good news! I hope it is about papa!” But when a sadder sound came from within the house, a groan of pain, Stella's tears flowed again, For her father was very ill, perhaps dying, and no one knew what to do for him.

Just seven miles away, in the city, lived the great doctor who did such wonderful cures, Stella, in the innocence of her heart, had asked her mother why he did not come and cure papa. Her mother had answered with some bitterness, “He cures rich people. my child. It would cost more dollars than we have cents to get his help. Poor people have to die when they fall sick, because they have no money.” Stella wished she could find some money or that she had something of her own that she could sell and get the money to pay the great doctor. “Jo, in ‘Little Women,’ sold her hair for her father, when he was ill,” thought she. She looked at her own little yellow pig tail in disgust. “It wouldn’t bring 25 cents!” she said aloud. In stories the heroines' grandmothers always left them some valuable jewels, which were sold «*r great prices in time of need; or the old family Bible suddenly disclosed bank bills of large denominations. But her grandmother had nothing to leave her, and she had searched the leaves of the Bible.

No, there was nothing she could do for him. Oh, if Christ were only on earth! she would walk hundreds of miles and beg of Him her father's life! Following this thought came again that of the great doctor. Indeed, she had hardly ceased to think about him all day. She once doubted that he would cure her father if he only came to him. “Oh,” thought Stella, “if mamma would only let me go to him! I know he would come, for surely a man who can cure everybody must be a good man, and must love to do it.” She thought of her good, kind father, who loved her so well, and of the walks they used to take together, when he held her hand in his firm, strong grasp and told her stories as they walked along, or explained the names and uses of the flowers along their way. What could she and mamma and baby

do without him if he died? Just then her mother came to the door looking pale and anxious. Stella sprang up and ran to her. “How is he?” she asked eagerly. “No better,” replied her mother, dejectedly. "Do you want me to take baby?” “No; he is good and his father doesn't notice him now,” replied Mrs. Wynn, the tears flowing down her cheeks as she spoke. “O, mamma!” cried Stella, clasping her hands, "Do please let me ask him to come!” "Ask who to come?” “The great doctor, mamma, do let me go to him.” “But we've no money, child!” ffi’ll tell him so and beg him to come. I'll pay him all when I am a woman.”' The mother hesitated, for the child had imparted some of her own faith to her. “Perhaps,” she thought, "he may come for a child; but then it isn’t likely, yet it will satisfy her to try.” “It is so far,” she objected; “you would get too tired, and it would be too late to come homealone again.” “Oh, the doctor will bring me with him,” said Stella, confidently. Mrs. Wynn smiled sadly. “Don't be too sure of finding him,” she replied, “or of his coming if you do find him.” '■‘Well, if I don’t find him I'll stay all night with Annie Bell,” “Go, then, dear, and God be with you," said her mother solemnly. Stella ran joyfully to get ready. Her heart was light as a feather now; for Vas she not going to bring some one who could make her papa well? She washed her face, hands and little brown feet in the brook near by,and put on her clean dress and white sunbonnet. She took a few cookies in her pocket for lunch and started off.

The child felt quite happy now and enjoyed the sunshine, the songs of birds, and the flowers along, the way. She ran briskly on, she was so eager to reach the city and find the doctor before her father grew any worse. She laughed as the light breeze stirred her hair-and she mocked the birds as she tripped along. For awhile, the houses were frequent. The air was cool the sun not too hot. Stella longed for

1 a drink of water, but would not stop to get any because of the delay it would cause her. The houses gradually grew less and less frequent and the road led over a treeles plain where the sun shone hot overhead. Our little traveler was very tired. She had not thought of her lunch or realized that she was very hungry. - When the plain was passed she came to a thick wood where the rays of the sun hardly penetrated. About in the center of this wood she espied a man lying beside the road—a dirty, ragged fellow with an evil face. Stella's heart stood still for a moment. Hotv could she pass him! “But it has to be done,” thought the child. “I must do it for papa,” She walked bravely on towards him, without looking in his direction. But just as she was about to pass him, he rose suddenly from the ground. Thrusting his face close to hers, he put out his hands to seize her. She eluded him and sped away like the wind. He followed a short space, but was soon outdistanced by Stella’s swift feet. And now her, weariness began to weigh on her spirits so that for the first time she began to consider that the doctor might be away so that she could •not see him, “But I’ll wait till he comes home,” she said, aloud. At last the doctor’s house came in sight. She walked up to the door and rang the bell with a trembling hand. A servant answered her summons. He looked so tall and grand that she thought it must be the great doctor himself. He smiled at her timid question. “No,” he replied, “what do you want of him?” “I want to see him on business,” the child replied. “I’m afraid you can’t, he is very busy this morning and is going out soon.” “Please let me see him for a moment!” “I can’t possibly.” Stella flung herself down passionately on the broad steps and burst into tears. “Oh, do, do let me see him! I’ve walked seven miles, and oh, I want to ] see him so bad!” The man had little girls of his own, and the sight of the child’s distress touched his heart. “I’ll see -what I cai* do,” he said. He went up to the doctor's office and told him that there was a little girl below | who had walked seven miles to see 1 him. “She certainly deserves to see me,” replied the doctor, “bring her in.” ! When Stella really stood before him and felt that the haven of her hopes was reached her courage suddenly left her, and not one word of the little speech she had been repeating to her- ' self all the way could she remember, i How tall and stern he looked as he towi ered above her! But the thought of her father lying there so ill unloosed her tongue, and, j clasping her hands, she cried: “Oh,, ; sir! My father is dying, and I want you to come and cure him. Oh, do come, I asked God to let you all the way. We haven't any money, but I’ll work and pay you all when I am a woman!” Dr. Reynolds knew very little about

poor people, and cared still less, but the child interested and touched him. | “Perhaps I couldn’t cure him if I went,” he said. “Oh, yes, you will,” she replied. "You are so good and so great. You cure everybody.” The doctor winced. He had his own private opinion about his goodness. Stella had passed through a great deal that day, and as she waited for his answer with her heart in her eyes ; she grew white, tottered, and would | have fallen if the doctor had not caught ! her in his arms. He remembered re--1 morsefully what his servant had told ! him. The child felt herself gently lifted ' from her feet. She hardly dared breathe when she realized that the | great man was holding her in his arms. I He carried her into a more beautiful ! room than she had ever even dreamed ! of before, and laid her on a white bed. I “I shall go with you,” he said, ”as I soon as I can. Lie and rest till I am ; ready, then I shall call you.” He left i her and soon after a motherly-looking ! woman brought her such a dainty | lunch. Stella ate it eagerly, for she ! was very hungry. She lay for awhile i looking around the beautiful room, then her eyelids closed and she fell asleep. 1 When she awoke the doctor stood beside her, and his face wore a look she did not understand. He would not let ! her walk, but took heflflh his arms

again and carried her to his beautiful carriage. j Somehow, she lost all her fear of him during that ride; she told him all the adventures she had on the way, all about her home life and her father's illness. He drew her closer to him when she told him how the tramp had followed her. 1 Great was the neighbors' surprise to see such a handsome carriage stop before Mr. Wynn's door, and to see the great doctor step out. j Mrs. Wynn waftoo anxious about her husband to be awed by his presence. She received him with a quiet dignity ! which pleased him. j He examined Mr, Wynn carefully, | asked many questions, then said: “It j is a critical case, but I think we can ‘ save him.” | And they did; never did man have ! better care than he> and when the leaves on the maples were red and gold, he was well again. Dr. Reynolds had learned many things. Stella *had grown very dear to him, and he could not bear to have her loving confidence in him shaken. So it came about that many poor people were attended by the great doctor, while some rich ones were neglected. He gained less money by the change, but more of a sweeter, truer joy than he had ever known before. Stella ofterf visited him in the handsome house, and later on became very fond of the beautiful lady he chose to be its mistress. His little children learned to love her, too, and to look for her doming. | One day, when she was sitting on his | knee, she put her arms around his neck ; and said: “ I love you, my doctor, be- | cause you cured papa.” He kissed her | softly on the forehead and he reI plied: “Indeed, Stella, I think you had as much to do with the cure as I did. ; It was, on your part, a Genuine Faith | Cure.” DORA ANNIS CHASE.

SHE ELUDED HIM.