The Project Gutenberg eBook of The warning clock
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Title: The warning clock
or, The voice of the new year
Author: Mrs. Cameron
Release date: March 8, 2026 [eBook #78137]
Language: English
Original publication: London: Houlston and Co, 1823
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/78137
Credits: Charlene Taylor, Elias Jackson and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WARNING CLOCK ***
[Illustration: Nurse encourages Diligence and Indolence to wake up and
get ready for their journey _See Page 5._]
THE WARNING CLOCK; OR, THE VOICE OF THE _New Year_.
[Illustration: Divider]
BY MRS. CAMERON, _Author of “Margaret Whyte,” &c. &c._
[Illustration: Divider]
_NEW EDITION._
* * * * *
LONDON: PRINTED FOR HOULSTON AND CO. 65, Paternoster-Row.
THE WARNING CLOCK.
Many years ago, two little children disobliged a tender father very
highly, by their rebellious and undutiful conduct; so much so that he
banished them to a distance from himself: but as he had still thoughts
of pity towards them, he placed over them a faithful nurse, whose
business it was to watch their behaviour, and to report faithfully to
them such messages as he might vouchsafe from time to time to send to
them.
Early one fine morning, as these two little children were sleeping side
by side, their nurse came into their room; and she said, “Arise, my
little children, you have a long journey to take to-day, and you must
lose no more time in sleep.”
“Where are we going?” asked one of the little girls, whose name was
Diligence.
“You are going home; and I hope you will reach your father’s house
before night: for your elder brother has sent you word that your father
desires to see you this very day; and when you return, he will kill for
you the fatted calf, and there will be music and dancing!”
“And is our father willing to forgive us?” said Diligence, earnestly.
“Yes,” answered the nurse; “your elder brother has interceded for you,
and you are no more to be banished from his house: and even now, your
father is looking for you, and, no doubt, when you are yet a great way
off, he will run and fall on your neck, and kiss you.”
Then Diligence rose in great haste from her bed, and put on her
clothes; and when she was dressed, she called to her sister, and she
said, “Sister, are you not rising?”
Then Indolence rubbed her eyes, and she answered, faintly, “I was
dreaming so pleasantly; why do you awake me?”
_Diligence._ I awake you to tell you the good news; our father has sent
for us!
_Indolence._ I am coming, but I cannot open my eyes yet.
_Diligence._ But we must be at our father’s house by night.
_Indolence._ There are many hours till night; I cannot get up yet,
I must have a little more sleep. (So she shut her eyes, and turned
herself round, and was asleep again in a few moments.)
Then the nurse said to Diligence, “You must not lose any more time;
gird yourself for your journey, and here is a staff which your father
has sent you, and I have with me certain other refreshments, provided
by his kindness for you to eat and drink by the way, and to strengthen
you, for the journey is long.”
“Oh!” answered Diligence, “I cannot leave my sister behind me! must she
never see my father’s house? Oh! Indolence, my sister.” Then Diligence
awoke Indolence, and she said to her, “My sister, my beloved sister,
awake, and come with me. I am going to the land that is very far off:
we have lived in the house of our banishment together, O let us live
together in our father’s mansions.”
Indolence opened her eyes, and stared vacantly at Diligence. “I will
sleep one more hour, and then I will follow you,” she said. So she
slept again, and Diligence tried in vain to awaken her.
Just then the clock struck; and the nurse said to Diligence, “You must
wait no longer, the time is urgent. I will strive to waken your sister
when you are gone.”
Then she put into the hands of Diligence her staff and the sweet
refreshments prepared for her, and she gave her directions for the
journey, and pointed her way to the Everlasting Hills, among which her
father’s palace stood.
[Illustration: Diligence holding her staff looking towards the hills]
So Diligence gave a last farewell look at her sleeping sister, and
turned her face towards her father’s house. The shadows of the morning
were long, and the dew was on the grass, when the little pilgrim set
off. She began her journey betimes, her steps were light and cheerful,
and the innocent gaiety of childhood was sanctified and nourished by
holy hope and love.
In the mean time, Indolence lay sleeping on her bed of down. Again the
clock struck, and the nurse knocked loudly at her door. But she faintly
answered, “I will get up presently.” Again she slept--and slept till
the nurse knocked more loudly; and she started up just in time to count
the clock striking twelve. Its deep and solemn sound struck her ear,
and she recollected that her sister had been set off nearly six hours.
“How shall I overtake her?” said she. “It is impossible.”
The nurse just at that moment came in, and rejoicing to find her awake,
she affectionately repeated all her father’s tender invitations, she
dwelt upon the great things her elder brother had done for her, and she
earnestly entreated and urged her to arise.
At length she prevailed with her so far, that she began to put on some
of her clothes; and she promised the nurse that she would make haste
to dress herself. But her faithful adviser had scarcely left the room,
when a fit of drowsiness coming on, she persuaded herself that it would
be better for her just to take one little nap, before she undertook her
long and fatiguing journey.
The noon had passed and the afternoon was fast wearing away, when the
nurse, who had been waiting below with a staff and refreshments for
Indolence, came up again into her room, and to her great grief found
her still asleep. Again she awoke her, and in an angry voice bade her
count the hour of six. “It is twelve hours since your sister set out,”
said the nurse, “and she has probably reached her father’s house in
peace, while you are still sleeping here. How many times has that clock
vainly called unto you, ‘Up, and be doing!’”
[Illustration: Nurse wakes Indolence]
“It is not yet too late,” answered Indolence: “many travellers begin
their journey at a later hour than this.”
“It is true,” replied the nurse, “that this is sometimes the case;
but it is rarely so: for it is very hazardous and very fatiguing to
travel through bad roads, when the freshness of the morning is past,
and the light of the day is fading away. The twilight of morning is
the forerunner of the sun, and we walk by that twilight in sweet
expectation; but the twilight of evening is succeeded by the darkness
of night. But come, it is better late than never. Lose no time, lose
not an instant to begin your journey. Awake! awake!”
“When the clock strikes seven I will set off,” answered Indolence: “I
shall then have several hours before midnight; and it will be cooler
at that time, and I shall travel with greater ease: at present, the
sultriness of the evening is insupportable.”
The nurse shook her head, and withdrew; for Indolence had closed her
eyes, and closed them in eternal sleep. For the clock tolled the hour
of seven, and eight, and nine, and ten, and Indolence awoke not; and
before the hour of eleven had struck, a messenger arrived at the
house where Indolence was asleep: and he was in haste, and would brook
no delay, and his errand was this--to say that Diligence was arrived
safely at her father’s house, that she was clothed in white, and had
rings upon her hand and shoes upon her feet; that she rested herself
after her journey in the presence of her father and her brother, and
refreshed herself with their smiles and the tokens of their love. He
had also to say to Indolence, that her day of grace was passed for
ever, and the doors of her father’s house were closed against her.
The commission of the messenger was, further,--to convey Indolence to
the dark and dreadful abode of the slothful and unprofitable servant,
to the abode of _outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing,
and gnashing of teeth: where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched_.
[Illustration: Messenger knocks on the door]
Then was it fulfilled, that the child that loveth his life shall lose
it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life
eternal.
L.
FINIS.
_By the same Author._
EMMA and her NURSE. Price 2_s._ 6_d._
The WORKHOUSE. Price 1_s._ 6_d._
MARTEN and his SCHOLARS. Price 1_s._ 6_d._
FIDELITY and PROFESSION. Price 1_s._
MARGARET WHYTE. Price 6_d._
The RAVEN and the DOVE. Price 6_d._
The HOLIDAY QUEEN. Price 6_d._
The CASKETS. Price 6_d._
The LOST CHILD. Price 6_d._
The POLITE CHILDREN. Price 6_d._
The MOTHER’S GRAVE. Price 6_d._
DIALOGUES for Youth. Part the First. Price 3_d._
Ditto, Part the Second. Price 4_d._
The TWO LAMBS. Price 3_d._
The THREE FLOWER-POTS. Price 2_d._
The LITTLE DOG FLORA, with her Silver Bell. Price 1_d._
The NOSEGAY of HONEYSUCKLES. Price 1_d._
The KIND LITTLE BOY. Price 1_d._
The STRAWBERRY-GATHERERS. Price 1_d._
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
Illustrations (except the frontispiece) have been moved
to the end of paragraphs that they depict.
Italic words are marked with _underscores_.
Thought breaks are marked with five spaced asterisks, like so.
* * * * *
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WARNING CLOCK ***
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