Page:Adams - A Child of the Age.djvu/16

4 light and stood for a moment, brushing the knees of his corduroys with his hand: then turned, and limped towards the gates. I smiled through the tears that were in my eyes and on my cheeks. If I had been there with old Timothy, I would have put my arms round his neck and kissed him.

On he limped over the grass, through the tombs, over the sanded walk, the lantern-light passing before him; till now, he reached the gates: unlocked them: has gone out: re-locked them.—And there he goes, jogging over furrows and hollows like a Will-o'-the-wisp, up the London Road.

The clock in the square dark church-tower struck out the hour.

An impulse came to me. I went to the bed and down onto my knees; but then, remembering that He—God—was up above in the sky, I clasped my two hands together, and looked up to Him, and said:

'Dear God, You are a long, long way away from me: right up in the deep, blue sky, higher than all the darkness, and farther away than even the sun, and the moon, and the stars.—But I love You! oh, I love You! because You know everything I think about, and everything that I want to do. And I pray that You won't let me die till I am very old and have done all the things I want to do. But please help me to be a great man. Through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord, Amen.'

Then I got up, and undressed, and slipping into bed, was soon asleep.

The next morning Mr. Purchis and I came up by train to some large station, where we got out and crossed to another platform. As we were going, he, having me by the hand, told me to tie my white woollen comforter round my arm, so that 'the Colonel's man' might know me at the other end. I was put into a third-class compartment: Mr. Purchis gave me a shake by the hand, and turned and went away down the platform. I did not care to watch him more than a few yards or so. I did not care to look at the other passengers. It all seemed like a sort of dream, and I did not think I was going anywhere in particular.