A Lady of England 27

A Lady of England 27

TO MISS ‘LEILA’ HAMILTON.[10]

 

‘_March 31, 1865._

 

‘MY DEAR GOD-DAUGHTER,--I shall like to think of you

particularly to-morrow, because it is the Anniversary of the

day when your dear parents in church solemnly presented their

precious little first-born babe to God; and I stood there to

answer for her. Dear Leila, may each return of that day find

you drawing nearer and nearer to Him who said, “Suffer the

little children to come unto Me.” If we could only feel in

our hearts that He really does love us, and that He deigns to

care whether we love Him, what a motive it would be for doing

everything as in His sight! We are too apt to think of our

Saviour as very far off, and with so many to care for that

we are almost beneath His notice. But this is wrong. The Sun

shines and sparkles on every dewdrop in a field, as much as

if it were the only dewdrop in the world. He does not pass it

over, because it is little; he makes it beautiful in his light,

and then draws it up towards himself.... I wish that I could

come and pay you a visit; but I do not see how I am to leave

Grandmamma as long as dear Aunt Fanny is an invalid. I seem

wanted at home.’

 

It may have been somewhere about this year, or not very long before it,

that Charlotte wrote the following pretty and graceful lines:--

 

‘Each silver thread that glitters in the hair,

Is like a wayside landmark,--planted there

To show Earth’s pilgrims, as they onward wend,

How nearly they approach their journey’s end!’

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER X

 

A.D. 1864-1866

 

A HEAVY SHADOW

 

 

The afternoon shadows were again to darken around Charlotte Tucker; and

one blow after another had to fall. Her mother was growing old, and in no

long time would be called away. The health of her gentle sister, Fanny,

had begun to fail, never to be entirely restored. But a yet sharper

sorrow, because utterly unlooked for, was to come before the loss of

either her mother or her sister, like a flash of lightning into the midst

of clear sunshine.

 

Of all the many whom she dearly loved, none perhaps lay closer to her

heart than Letitia, the only daughter of her brother Robert,--the

youngest of ‘the Robins.’ The two boys were now out in the world,

one in India, one at sea; but Letitia hitherto had never left her,

except for visits here or there among relatives and friends. One who

knew them both well describes the contrast between aunt and niece at

this period,--Charlotte Tucker, ‘so upright and animated, very thin,

fair, with auburn hair, not very abundant, but which curled slightly,

naturally,’--and Letitia, ‘grave, with beautiful dark eyes and hair, and

rather dark complexion.’ Another speaks of Letitia as tall and handsome,

with dark eyes, dark chestnut hair, regular features, and sweet smile.

 

The gravity seems to have been a marked characteristic of this gifted

young girl. From very babyhood she was earnestly religious, and of a

peculiarly serious temperament; though at the same time energetic and

sometimes even lively. She had not her aunt’s spirit of fun; but the two

were alike in generosity and in determination. Perhaps Charlotte Tucker’s

training had especially developed these traits in her niece. A favourite

proverb of Letitia’s was--‘Perseverance conquers difficulties’;--and it

would have served equally well for A. L. O. E.

 

Letitia was also very fond of little children, and she worked much among

the poor. She was an exceedingly good and fearless rider; and at twenty

years old there was already promise of a literary gift. Her passion for

reading was so great that Hallam’s _History_ was a recreation in her

eyes. She had written at least one short story, which had found its

way into print, and many pretty, simple verses, chiefly of a religious

character. One of her hymns, composed at the age of eighteen, may be

given here:--

 

‘My soul was dark, for o’er its sight

The shades of sorrow fell;--

In Thee alone there still was light,

Jesus, Immanuel!

 

‘And all around me and above

There hung a gloomy spell;--

I should have died without Thy love,

Jesus, Immanuel!

 

‘For in my sinking heart there beat

An ever-sounding knell;--

But still I knew the “promise sweet,”

Jesus, Immanuel!

 

‘I looked to Thee through all my fears,

The pain and grief to quell;--

Thy Hand hath wiped away my tears,

Jesus, Immanuel!

 

‘I heard a low, “a still small voice,”

Soft whisper, “It is well”;--

And knew the Saviour of my choice,

Jesus, Immanuel!

 

‘And still, o’er all life’s changing sea,

In calm or stormy swell,

I’ll look in faith straight up to Thee,

Jesus, Immanuel!’

 

On November 28, 1864, Letitia left English shores, to join her uncle, Mr.

St. George Tucker and his family, in India. Letters of Charlotte Tucker,

referring to the event, have not come to hand; but she must have felt

the separation very keenly, whatever might have been the precise reasons

which led to the move. Letitia had now been practically her child for

eighteen years; and a close tie existed between the two. But no doubt

Charlotte looked upon the parting as of a very temporary nature; as

merely sending her child away for a longer visit than any preceding. The

real anguish of separation came a year later, when suddenly the young

girl was summoned to her true Home.

 

The few following extracts lie between these two dates,--the going of

Letitia to India, and the tidings of her death.

 

TO MISS ‘LEILA’ HAMILTON.

 

‘_Jan. 3, 1865._

 

‘Many thanks, my dear Leila, for your affectionate note.... There

was another nice cheerful note from my Letitia to-day. She

wrote it when on the Red Sea, which she evidently found very

warm, for she described the ship as a “hothouse,” and said that

she and her fellow-passengers would be “fine exotics” before

they arrived. There had been two Services on board on Sunday,

and Letitia had heard two excellent sermons. Mary Egerton had

her harmonium on board, which had been brought up from the

hold, so there was nice hymn-singing too. How sweet the music

must have sounded on the water! I think that, steaming over

the Red Sea, one would have liked to have raised the song of

the Israelites--

 

“Sound the loud timbrel o’er Egypt’s dark sea,

Jehovah hath triumphed, His people are free!”

 

‘My dear sailor is to leave us on the 17th or 18th for China.

I believe that he is to travel part of the journey in the

same vessel as the Cuthbert Thornhills, who were to have

taken charge of Letitia had our first arrangements held good.

They will have one Robin instead of the other. Poor dear Mrs.

Thornhill, what a sad parting is before her! I had a loving

note very lately from my Louis. He fears that he will not get

leave to see his dear sister for a twelve-month.

 

‘The weather here has been chilly. None of the ladies have

ventured out of the house since Saturday; but Charley has in

vain longed for skating. Ice forms, then melts again. Dear

Grandmamma keeps wonderfully free from cold; but then she

remains in the house.’

 

TO MRS. HAMILTON. (Undated.)

 

‘My loved boy left us yesterday, quiet and firm, shedding no

tear. We (Mamma) had a little note from him this morning,--such

a simple one,--you might have fancied that he had only left us

for a week. Dear boy! I trust that he is going into sunshine;

above all I hope and pray that his Father’s God will ever be

with him. It would not have been well for him to have remained

much longer in London with nothing particular to do. Active

life is most wholesome to a fine strong man like my Charley....

 

‘Dear Mother keeps well. Sweet Fan I cannot give so good an

account of. I have urged Mother to have further advice; and I

believe that there will be a little consultation on Friday; but

perhaps you had better not write about this, except to me.’

 

TO THE SAME.