There seemed to be a link of communion between her mother and
her that was wanting before. The promise, written and believed
in by the one, realized and rejoiced in by the other, was a
dear something in common, though one had in the meanwhile
removed to heaven, and the other was still a lingerer on the
earth. Ellen bound the words upon her heart.
Another time, when they came to the last scene of Christian's
journey, Ellen's tears ran very fast. John asked if he should
pass it over, if it distressed her? She said, "Oh, no, it did
not distress her;" she wanted him to go on, and he went on,
though himself much distressed, and Alice was near as bad as
Ellen. But the next evening, to his surprise, Ellen begged
that before he went on to the second part, he would read that
piece over again. And when he lent her the book, with only the
charge that she should not go further than he had been, she
pored over that scene with untiring pleasure, till she almost
had it by heart. In short, never was a child more comforted
and contented with a book than Ellen was with the _Pilgrim's
Progress_. That was a blessed visit of John's. Alice said he
had come like a sunbeam into the house; she dreaded to think
what would be when he went away.
She wrote, him, however, when he had been gone a few weeks,
that his will seemed to carry all before it, present or
absent.
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