Katharine's Yesterday (4 page)

“Better stop it, then, Miss
Katharine
. But I don’t see it that way. There’s that their pretty game you play out on my green lawn that I mowed so nice for you the other day, where you have a fishnet, strung up, and knock little white balls over it. I can’t play it myself, but I like to see it, an’ I feel every time when I see more of you young folks out there playin’, and a-seemin’ to enjoy it all so much, that that’s just what our Father wants us to do. I can think o’ lots o’ ways that there game might be made to come inside the vineyard. There ain’t nothin’ at all to prevent. I s’ppose you could find a whole lot in this very town that would give their two eyes to get a chance at that there bat an’ ball, an’ be allowed to skip ’round on that pretty grass. Then you know we were told to go fishin’ after other folks, an’ bring ’em into the kingdom; an’ it ’ppears to me that there game could make jus’ the best kind of bait. You young folks all seem to enjoy it so much, that it stands to reason other young folks would too; an’ if they could be given a chance, perhaps, ’twould give you a hold on ’em, an’ then the way o’ the Lord would open wide enough, an’ you would find the harvest in your corner of the vineyard bigger than you could tend to all by yourself, and you’d have to call in someone to help you. But I must be a-goin’ now; I’ve got warm. You jus’ try that game, Miss
Katharine
, an’ see ef it don’t make good bait. Good-mornin’.”

Katharine
was astonished over those part of the conversation. It had not occurred to her as possible that she could work by means of her pleasures. She had sorrowfully packed her rackets away in flannel only a day or two before, thinking that she should have no more tennis until the next summer. Hers was the only tennis court in the village, and she was the only one of the young people living there who played or understood the game at all. Now a new thought had come to her. Perhaps she might make her tennis help. She was very quiet at the breakfast table, thinking about it, but coming to no conclusion
until she heard her brother say, “It’s dreadfully boring nowadays. I wish there was a circus or a county fair or a baseball game to see, or something going on”; and he yawned and scowled, and looked out of the window in a hopelessly dreary way.

A thought came to Katharine. She waited a minute, considering it before she spoke, and then said, “John, suppose you come up this afternoon about half-past three, and play tennis with me.”

It was said in a pleasant tone, and there was actually a smile on Katharine’s face. John looked at her with amazement a moment, and then decided to take it all as a joke, and replied in a gruff tone, “I can’t play tennis.”

“Well, it’s very easy to learn. I think I can teach you in a little while so that you can beat me. Boys always play better than girls after they get a start,” said Katharine pleasantly.

“Do you mean it, really?” said John, looking pleased, and beginning to take an interest. “I always thought I’d like to play, but never could get a chance to get the hang of the thing when there wasn’t anyone around watching. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself, and none of them seemed to want me, anyway; so I kept out of the way.”

It was strange what an effect this had upon Katharine. She felt ashamed and glad and sorry, all in one. To think that her brother had wanted to join in her pleasure, and had
been kept out partly by herself! Perhaps he might have
been as good a player as anyone, and have learned many things from associations with the others. She was gleeful, too, to think that the “bait”
,
as Andy had called it, had taken so well at the start. She resolved to do her best toward making her brother John love tennis as well as she did.

“But I haven’t any racket,” said John, a dismayed look coming over his face, as he suddenly thought of a new objection. But then he smiled.

“Oh, yes! There’s one. Cousin Hetty left hers. She said it wasn’t of any use to take it home, because she wouldn’t be where she could play all the fall, and she expected to be back here early in the spring. She said I could use it whenever I wanted to.”

Katharine went about her work after breakfast with a lighter heart than she had carried since her friends left. There was something very pleasant in anticipating a game of tennis, considering that she had not played for nearly a week, and that she had not played for nearly a week, and that she had supposed that pleasure over for the summer. Then it was interesting to try to teach her brother. But beneath it all was a joy which she had scarcely begun to understand yet
-
the joy of doing work of Christ.

The game of tennis was quite successful. John proved an apt scholar, and before long could hit the ball in a very commendable manner. Then, too, he gained a new respect for his sister when he found she could strike and place a ball so that he could not reach it. He made up his mind to become a good player, and be equal with her. So he put his will to it, and straightway won a game from her. They played on till called to tea, and then came in with bright eyes and glowing cheeks, laughing and talking together as their mother had not seen them do since they were little children. Katharine felt proud of John, and told with glee some comical remark of his to her father and mother at the supper table. Her father looked at her in a pleased way, and the mother dropped her anxious, worried expression. Altogether it was a very happy evening. John stayed at home, and Katharine spent some time in explaining to him the intricacies of a game with four players; and they decided that after he had a little more practice they would try to get some of the other young people in town to purchase rackets and learn the game, so that they might have a full set. Really, John was growing almost as enthusiastic over it as Katharine. It was quiet a new order of things for him to take such interest in home amusements, and it made his mother’s troubled heart glad.

It became the rule now to play tennis every afternoon; and soon two other young people came to learn. The autumn was stretched out much beyond its usual length; and many days that were, strictly speaking, early winter, were warm enough to be delightful for tennis. There was no mistaking the fact that tennis had taken a firm hold on John Bowman, and was rapidly growing popular with several other young people in the village. Katharine, who had always been so reserved, and had kept much to herself when her summer friends were not with her, was becoming the center of attraction. She was rather astonished when she realized it herself, and remembered Andy’s words, “I think that there game would make good bait.” It was very evident that the bait was good, but she began to question whether she were using it in the right way. She had gone for several weeks to the young people’s prayer meeting, and was becoming quite interested in it. She had even timidly ventured to recite a Bible verse once or twice; but she had never invited John since that first night in which he had repulsed her. Now she began to think about the matter again. He had not been to church since that Sunday when the sermon had so impressed her. She was much troubled about him. She was beginning to love him in a different, more interested way than she had ever loved him before. Indeed, she had been praying for him not a little lately, but in that mind timid, half-unbelieving way in which we sometimes pray for our friends, feeling that God has told us to do it. We wish them to be different, but we cannot see how it is possible that they can be changed. The wished-for alteration may come in the distant future, but in some mysterious, gradual way. Therefore, we feel no need for undue haste or earnestness.

Katharine had been thinking it over one morning, and had resolved that she would make another attempt to get John to the young people’s meeting. She had just decided how she would introduce the subject, and was smiling over the way in which she thought her brother would reply, when she heard a ring at the doorbell, and went to answer it.

It was a young lady, a little older that Katharine, a member of the young people’s society. She had come to see if Katharine would lead the next Sunday evening’s meeting. She asked it in a quiet, matter-of-fact tone, as is she supposed, of course, it would be the most natural thing in the world for Katharine to say “Yes.” But Katharine’s heart came up and stood in her mouth in amazement and horror. She lead a meeting? No, indeed! She could not possibly do it! She was sorry they had thought of such a thing. She never could lead a meeting; she would break down.

Then the young woman looked at her kindly, and said, “Dear Miss Bowman, do you think it is right for a child of the heavenly Father to feel that way?”

“Right?” said Katharine in amazement.

“Yes, right. You have no physical inability. You are perfectly able to conduct the meeting. You help us in everything else. In all our socials and concerts and entertainments you are willing to take prominent parts. Why should you be unwilling, then, to lead the meeting? We all take our turn; why should you not do it too? You surely are not ashamed of your Savior?”

“No,” said Katharine, with burning cheeks and eyes cast done; “but I’m sure I never could do that. I’m not good enough. Why, I’ve only just begun myself!”

“We do not any of us feel that we have much goodness, Miss Bowman; and I think you will find that even if you have just started out, this will be a help to you. It was to me. I felt stronger after I had done something like this. It is witnessing for him, you know. And really I think you exaggerate the duties of a leader. It is nothing so very difficult that you have to do. We usually open with singing once or twice, and then prayer and the reading of the Bible. The topic is selected on our cards, you know; and you can say a few words about the verses, or not, as you like. After that there are usually several short players. Why, the meeting will run itself; it only needs a head. But we want you very much to join in with us and help. Can’t you do it for Christ’s sake? He has done so much for us, you know; it seems a small thing for us to do for him.”

But it required much more persuasion and argument before Katharine, with almost trembling
lips, and eyes that were brimful
of tears, murmured a low, “I will try.”

Her heart trembled many times for the next few days over what she had promised to do, and she wished again and again that she could take back her promise. She spent many hours over her Bible, studying what she should say; but she did not carry out her plan for inviting her brother to attend the meeting. That was more than flesh and blood could stand, she though, to lead a meeting, and have one’s brother there besides.

Sunday morning came at last, and Katharine compromised with her conscience by asking John to go to church in the morning. He surely ought to do that; and it was not to be expected that it would be possible to get him to go twice in one day. John went to church, and really seemed to listen part of the time. Katharine spent the whole afternoon in her room with her Bible, and much of the time she was upon her knees asking God’s Spirit to help her. She seemed to come nearer to her heavenly Father that afternoon than ever before, and to feel his hand upon her, and to hear his voice saying, “Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersover thou goest.”

When the she came downstairs, ready for meeting, there was a more peaceful expression on her face, and her heart felt a little more assured over the new duty which she was going out to perform.

But her brother John met her in the hall below. “Where are you going, Kathie?” he asked. “To that meeting? Guess I’ll go with you, and see what it’s like.”

The Katharine of other days might have told him coldly that she did not wish his company, or preferred to go alone or something of that sort; but she did not dare to do so now, after wishing so long that he would go.

They walked out the door and down the street in silence, the sister’s heart throbbing painfully. How could she lead that meeting with her brother there? All her past inconsistencies and disagreeableness arose before her, and threatened to kill her head in the darkness, and tried to press back the tears that were n the verge of rolling down her cheeks. At last she made a desperate effort at self-control, and said in rapid, trembling voice, “John, perhaps you won’t like it if I don’t tell you beforehand. I’m going to lead that meeting tonight.”

It was out now; and she shuddered to think how hard it had been, and hoped with her whole heart that John would say that he guessed he had better not go, that it might be embarrassing, or something of the sort. But no; he only drew a long whistle, and said, “The dickens, you are! Well, I’m glad I picked out tonight to sample it, then. I didn’t know you ever did that sort of thing.”

“I never did before, John. I don’t know how I shall get on. But I am trying to please Christ now. I am almost afraid to have you go, because you will think I am not in earnest about it. I am afraid you will remember how many times I have been cross and ugly to you.”

The tears had actually come now, and her voice was trembling.

“Why, Kathie,” said her brother, almost tenderly, touched and embarrassed, and scarcely knowing what to say to this unusual outburst, “you’re just splendid now! You don’t get cross anymore - much. I wondered what it was about. But you can lead a meeting better than the whole lot of them put together, I’ll bet. Don’t you worry.”

Her brother’s words, spoken in that new tone of disguised tenderness, helped Katharine wonderfully. She went up to the leader’s seat by the little table with a feeling that she one friend in the room at least. It was new to look to her brother for anything, and the last thing that was to be expected from his was encouragement. Could it be possible that he had learned this from her own helpful encouragement of him when he made a blunder in tennis? Katharine did not think of this as she took her seat and opened the hymnbook; she only knew that it was very pleasant to have her brother speak that way to her, and she felt a longing to have this meeting such as would help him to find Christ.