"I think not," he replied, "you may live for weeks or months. But life
is very uncertain with us all, and I advise you to promptly make every
preparation for death and eternity."

"Dat's what I gwine do when mistiss tell me how," she groaned, with a
look of keen distress directed toward Mrs. Travilla.

"I will try to make the way plain to you," that lady returned in
compassionate tones. "It is just to come to the Lord Jesus confessing
that you are a helpless, undone sinner and asking him to help you--to
take away the love of sinning and wash you in his own precious blood.
The Bible tells us 'He is able also to save them to the uttermost that
come unto God by him.' And he says, 'Him that cometh to me I will in
no wise cast out.' So that if you come, truly seeking him with all
your heart--desiring to be saved, not only from eternal death but from
sin and the love of it--he will hear and save you."

"Won' you pray de good Lawd for dis ole darky, mistiss?" pleaded the
woman. "You knows bes' how to say de words, an' dis chile foller you
in her heart."

At that Mrs. Travilla knelt beside the bed and offered up an earnest
prayer couched in the simplest words, so that the poor ignorant
creature on the bed could readily understand and feel it all.

"Dis chile am berry much 'bliged, mistiss," she said, when Mrs.
Travilla had resumed her seat by the bedside. "I t'ink de good Lawd
hear dat prayer an open de gate ob heaben to ole Silvy when she git
dar."

"I hope so indeed," Mrs. Travilla replied. "Put all your trust in
Jesus and you will be safe; for he died to save sinners such as you
and I. We cannot do anything to save ourselves, but to all who come to
him he gives salvation without money and without price. Don't think
you can do anything to earn it; it is his free gift."

"But de Lawd's chillens got to be good, mistiss, aint dey?"

"Yes; they are not his children if they do not try to know and do all
his holy will. Jesus said, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.' 'Ye
are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.' We have no right
to consider ourselves Christians if we do not try earnestly to keep
all his commands, and do all his holy will."

Harold had sat there listening quietly to all his mother said and had
knelt with her when she prayed. Now, when she paused for a little, he
questioned Aunt Silvy about her ailments, gave her directions for
taking some medicine, and said he would send it presently from the