“Of course there are woods,” said Nan.
“Mother can’t live without trees and
I can’t, so what would be the use of going to
heaven if there weren’t any trees?”
“There are cities, too,” said the young
dreamer, “splendid cities—coloured
just like the sunset, with sapphire towers and rainbow
domes. They are built of gold and diamonds—whole
streets of diamonds, flashing like the sun. In
the squares there are crystal fountains kissed by
the light, and everywhere the asphodel blooms—the
flower of heaven.”
“Fancy!” said Mary. “I saw
the main street in Charlottetown once and I thought
it was real grand, but I s’pose it’s nothing
to heaven. Well, it all sounds gorgeous the
way you tell it, but won’t it be kind of dull,
too?”
“Oh, I guess we can have some fun when the angels’
backs are turned,” said Faith comfortably.
“Heaven is all fun,” declared Di.
“The Bible doesn’t say so,” cried
Mary, who had read so much of the Bible on Sunday
afternoons under Miss Cornelia’s eye that she
now considered herself quite an authority on it.
“Mother says the Bible language is figurative,”
said Nan.
“Does that mean that it isn’t true?”
asked Mary hopefully.
“No—not exactly—but I
think it means that heaven will be just like what
you’d like it to be.”
“I’d like it to be just like Rainbow Valley,”
said Mary, “with all you kids to gas and play
with. That’s good enough for me.
Anyhow, we can’t go to heaven till we’re
dead and maybe not then, so what’s the use of
worrying? Here’s Jem with a string of trout
and it’s my turn to fry them.”
“We ought to know more about heaven than Walter
does when we’re the minister’s family,”
said Una, as they walked home that night.
“We know just as much, but Walter can imagine,”
said Faith. “Mrs. Elliott says he gets
it from his mother.”
“I do wish we hadn’t made that mistake
about Sunday,” sighed Una.
“Don’t worry over that. I’ve
thought of a great plan to explain so that everybody
will know,” said Faith. “Just wait
till to-morrow night.”
The Rev. Dr. Cooper preached in Glen St. Mary the
next evening and the Presbyterian Church was crowded
with people from near and far. The Reverend
Doctor was reputed to be a very eloquent speaker;
and, bearing in mind the old dictum that a minister
should take his best clothes to the city and his best
sermons to the country, he delivered a very scholarly
and impressive discourse. But when the folks
went home that night it was not of Dr. Cooper’s
sermon they talked. They had completely forgotten
all about it.
