Euthanasy

by Mary Roberts Rinehart

　　

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"You remember Anna May, who sewed for you about a year ago?" saidone fashionably-dressed lady to another."That pale, quiet girl, who made up dresses for the children?""The one I sent you.""Oh yes; very well. I had forgotten her name. What has become ofher? If I remember rightly, I engaged her for a week or two in thefall; but she did not keep her engagement.""Poor thing!" said the first lady, whose name was Mrs. Bell, "she'llkeep no more engagements of that kind.""Why so? Is she dead?" The tone in which these brief questions wereasked, evinced no lively interest in the fate of the poorsewing-girl."Not dead; but very near the end of life's weary pilgrimage.""Ah, well! we must all die, I suppose--though it's no pleasant thingto think about. But I am glad you called in this morning"--thelady's voice rose into a more cheerful tone--"I was just aboutputting on my things to go down to Mrs. Bobinet's opening. Youintend going, of course. I shall be so delighted to have you along,for I want to consult your taste about a bonnet.""I came out for a different purpose altogether, Mrs. Ellis," saidMrs. Bell, "and have called to ask you to go with me.""Where?""To see Anna May.""What!--that poor seamstress of whom you just spoke?" There was alook of unfeigned surprise in the lady's countenance."Yes; the poor seamstress, Anna May. Her days in this world arenearly numbered. I was to see her yesterday, and found her very low.She cannot long remain on this side the river of death. I am now onmy way to her mother's house. Will you not go with me?""No, no," replied Mrs. Ellis, quickly, while a shadow fell over herface; "why should I go? I never took any particular interest in thegirl. And as for dying, every thing in relation thereto isunpleasant to me. I can't bear to think of death: it makes meshudder all over.""You have never looked in the face of death," said Mrs. Lee."And never wish to," replied Mrs. Ellis, feelingly. "Oh, if itwasn't for this terrible consummation, what a joyful thing lifemight be!""Anna May has looked death in the face; but does not find his aspectso appalling. She calls him a beautiful angel, who is about to takeher by the hand, and lead her up gently and lovingly to her Father'shouse."There came into the face of Mrs. Ellis a sudden look of wonder."Are you in earnest, Mrs. Bell?""Altogether in earnest.""The mind of the girl is unbalanced.""No, Mrs. Ellis; never was it more evenly poised. Come with me: itwill do you good.""Don't urge me, Mrs. Bell. If I go, it will make me sad for a week.Is the sick girl in want any comfort?--I will freely ministerthereto. But I do not wish to look upon death.""In this aspect it is beautiful to look upon. Go with me, then. Theexperience will be something accompany you through life. The imageof frightful monster is in your mind; you may now have it displacedby the form of an angel.""How strangely you talk, Mrs. Bell! How can death be an angel? Isany thing more terrible than death?""The phantom called death, which a diseased imagination conjures up,may be terrible to look upon; but death itself is a kind messenger,whose it is to summon us from this world of shadows and changes, toa world of eternal light and unfading beauty. But come, Mrs. Ellis;I must urge you to go with me. Do not fear a shock to your feelings,for none will be experienced."So earnest were Mrs. Bell's persuasions, that her friend at lastconsented to go with her. At no great distance from the elegantresidence of Mrs. Ellis, in an obscure neighbourhood, was a smallhouse, humble in exterior, and modestly, yet neatly attired within.At the door of this house the ladies paused, and were admitted by awoman somewhat advanced in years, on whose mild face sorrow and holyresignation were beautifully blended."How is your daughter?" inquired Mrs. Bell, as soon as they wereseated in the small, neat parlour."Not so strong as when you were here yesterday," was answered, witha faint smile. "She is sinking hourly.""But continues in the same tranquil, heavenly state?""Oh yes." There was a sweet, yet touching earnestness in themother's voice. "Dear child! Her life has been pure and unselfish;and now, when her change is about to come, all is peace, and hope,and patient waiting for the time when she will be clothed upon withimmortality.""Is she strong enough to see any one?" asked Mrs. Bell."The presence of others in no way disturbs her. Will you walk upinto her chamber, friends?"The two ladies ascended the narrow stairs, and Mrs. Ellis foundherself, for the first time in many years, in the presence of oneabout to die. A slender girl, with large, mild eyes, and face almostas white as the pillow it pressed, was before her. The unmistakablesigns of speedy dissolution were on the pale, shrunken features; notbeautiful, in the ordinary acceptation of beauty, but from the purespirit within. Radiant with heavenly light was the smile thatinstantly played upon her lips."How are you to-day, Anna?" kindly inquired Mrs. Bell, as she tookthe shadowy hand of the dying girl."Weaker in body than when you were here yesterday," was answered;"but stronger in spirit.""I have brought Mrs. Ellis to see you. You remember Mrs. Ellis?"Anna lifted her bright eyes to the face of Mrs. Ellis, and said--"Oh yes, very well;" and she feebly extended her hand. The ladytouched her hand with an emotion akin to awe. As yet, the sceneoppressed and bewildered her. There was something about it that wasdreamlike and unreal. "Death! death!" she questioned with herself;"can this be dying?""Your day will soon close, Anna," said Mrs. Bell, in a cheerfultone."Or, as we say," quickly replied Anna, smiling, "my morning willsoon break. It is only a kind of twilight here. I am waiting for theday-dawn.""My dear young lady," said Mrs. Ellis, with much earnestness,bending over the dying girl as she spoke--the newness andstrangeness of the scene had so wrought upon her feelings, that shecould not repress their utterance--"Is all indeed as you say? Areyou inwardly so calm, so hopeful, so confident of the morning?Forgive me such a question, at such a moment. But the thought ofdeath has ever been terrible to me; and now, to see a fellow-mortalstanding, as you are, so near the grave, and yet speaking incheerful tones of the last agony, fills me with wonder. Is it allreal? Are you so full of heavenly tranquillity?"Was the light dimmed in Anna's eyes by such pressing questions? Didthey turn her thoughts too realizingly upon the "last agony?" Oh no!Even in the waning hours of life, her quickest impulse was to renderservice to another. Earnest, therefore, was her desire to removefrom the lady's mind this fear of death, even though she felt thewaters of Jordan already touching her own descending feet."God is love," she said, and with an emphasis that gave to the mindof Mrs. Ellis a new appreciation of the words. "In his love he madeus, that he might bless us with infinite and eternal blessings, andthese await us in heaven. And now that he sends an angel to take meby the hand and lead me up to my heavenly home, shall I tremble andfear to accompany the celestial messenger? Does the child, longseparated from a loving parent, shrink at the thought of going home,or ask the hours to linger? Oh no!""But all is so uncertain," said Mrs. Ellis, eager to penetratefurther into the mystery."Uncertain!" There was something of surprise in the voice of AnnaMay. "God is truth as well as love; and both in his love and truthhe is unchangeable. When, as Divine Truth, he came to our earth, andspake as never man spake, he said, 'In my Father's house are manymansions. I go to prepare a place for you.' The heavens and theearth may pass away, Mrs. Ellis, but not a jot or tittle of thedivine word can fail.""Ah! but the preparation for those heavenly mansions!" said Mrs.Ellis. "The preparation, Anna! Who may be certain of this?"The eyes of the sick girl closed, the long lashes resting like adark fringe on her snowy cheek. For more than a moment she laysilent and motionless; then looking up, she answered--"God is love. If we would be with him, we must be like him.""How are we to be like him, Anna?" asked Mrs. Ellis."He is love; but not a love of himself. He loves and seeks to blessothers. We must do the same.""And have you, Anna"--But the words died on the lips of the speaker. Again had thedrooping lashes fallen, and the pale lids closed over the beautifuleyes. And now a sudden light shone through the transparent tissue ofthat wan face--a light, the rays of which none who saw them neededto be told were but gleams of the heavenly morning just breaking forthe mortal sleeper.How hushed the room--how motionless the group that bent forwardtoward the one just passing away! Was it the rustle of angelsgarments that penetrated the inward sense of hearing?It is over! The pure spirit of that humble girl, who, in her sphere,was loving, and true, and faithful, hath ascended to the God inwhose infinite love she reposed a childlike and unwaveringconfidence. Calmly and sweetly she went to sleep, like an infant onits mother's bosom, knowing that the everlasting arms were beneathand around her.And thus, in the by-ways and obscure places of life, are dailypassing away the humble, loving, true-hearted ones. The worldesteems them lightly; but they are precious in the sight of God.When the time of their departure comes, they shrink not back infear, but lift their hands trustingly to the angel messenger, whomtheir Father sends to lead them up to their home in heaven. Withthem is the true "Euthanasy.""Is not that a new experience in life?" said Mrs. Bell, as the twoladies walked slowly homeward. With a deep sigh, the otheranswered--"New and wonderful. I scarcely comprehend what I have seen. Such alesson from such a source! How lightly I thought of that poorsewing-girl, who came and went so unobtrusively! How little dreamedI that so rich a jewel was in so plain a casket! Ah! I shall bewiser for this--wiser, and I may hope, better. Oh, to be able to dieas she has died!--what of mere earthly good would I not cheerfullysacrifice!""It is for us all," calmly answered Mrs. Bell. "The secret we havejust heard--we must be like God.""How--how?""He loves others out of himself, and seeks their good. If we wouldbe like him, we must do the same."Yes; this is the secret of an easy death, and the only true secret.

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