"
"Yes, my sisters," appended the young minister, "we need often to kedge
home, to warp over the bars of life, and Hope, in ever so little an
anchor, helps a little, if we do not lose the line. Little hopes are
often better than great ones, for o'er-great hopes swamp little vessels.
Even hope must be artfully shaped and skilfully dropped to take hold of
the unseen bottoms of opportunity. All of us have entertained burdensome
hopes, heavy anchors, and they would not hold us against the breakers;
but there may be little hopes, carried in advance of us, that will draw
us into pleasant sounds and bays."
"We owe to you, Rhoda, this comforting hope," said Vesta, "and, while
you are with us, we shall teach you to read more confidently."
Vesta then sang Charles Wesley's hymn:
"'Jesus, in us thyself reveal!
The winds are hushed, the sea is still,
If in the ship Thou art.
Oh, manifest Thy power divine;
Enter this sinking church of Thine,
And dwell in every heart.'"
The sounds of her singing reached the people, rambling curiously around
on Sunday afternoon to see the principals in the surprising marriage
they had but lately heard of, and, as she ended, Mr. Milburn called her,
saying,
"It is time for you to leave me till to-morrow."
"Is that your desire?"
"It is, kind lady. I have a servant-man, Samson, used to all my work,
and you can hear of my condition through your slave girls, going and
coming.
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