Taken or Left is a novel written by Mrs. Walton and published in 1885. The story revolves around the life of a young girl named Maud, who is orphaned and left in the care of her uncle and aunt. Maud's uncle is a wealthy businessman who is more interested in his own affairs than in taking care of his niece. Maud's aunt, on the other hand, is kind and caring but has no say in the household. Maud is left to fend for herself and is often mistreated by her uncle. As Maud grows up, she falls in love with a young man named Frank. However, her uncle disapproves of the match and forbids her from seeing Frank. Maud is torn between her love for Frank and her duty to obey her uncle. Eventually, Maud's uncle dies, and she is left with a large inheritance. This gives her the freedom to marry Frank and start a new life. The novel explores themes of love, duty, and the struggle for independence. It also provides a glimpse into the social norms and expectations of the time period in which it was written. Overall, Taken or Left is a compelling story of a young woman's journey to find happiness and fulfillment in a world that is often unjust and unforgiving.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
"The Master may come any day," I heard her say once, when some one was urging her not to go out in the rain to see a dying woman; "there is no time to lose." Over the dining-room chimney-piece there was this verse, which my mistress had illuminated herself: "The time is shorthow short we cannot tell, Or clearly understand; But those who read the King's directions well, Think it is close at hand! Lord, is it so? Then grant that we May lose no time, but work for Thee." And the same thought which stirred my mistress up to work, was also her great comfort in her sorrow. There was a beautiful picture of her husband hanging in her room, and underneath it, on a white scroll, I read these words: "O comfort ye your hearts; If ye could only know How few the days Ere that glad day arrives, Ye could but praise! Then wipe your weeping eyes, and joyful say, 'It may be that the King will come to-day.'" My chief pleasure and delight was in drawing Master
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Reggie out in his little carriage. Each morning we went together to feed his children, and he soon became almost as dear to me as my little Salome. Nearly every day he would ask me the same question: "Peter," he would say, "do you think Jesus will come to-
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" And when I answered, "I don't know, Master Reggie; we can't tell," he would say, "Oh, I do hope He will come today!" "Do you know, Peter," he said once, "when Jesus comes I shall walk as well as you do, and run and skip and jump! Oh, Peter, won't it be nice?" And the poor little boy, who had never been able to walk or skip or jump, had tears in his eyes as he said it. Often he would bring his new Bible out with him, and ask me to read aloud to him out of it. He looked out all the stories about St. Peter, and made me read these to him very often. The story of Peter's walking on the sea was a great favorite of his; but whenever we read about Peter's fall, and his denying his Master, he would take hold of my hand, and say: "It wasn't you, Peter, you know. You would have called out, 'I do know Him;' wouldn't you, Peter?"
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Sometimes, when the days grew damp and cold, and when he could not go out so much or so often, he would send for me to come and see him in his nursery, and would show me his toys and picture-books. So a whole year passed away, and Salome's birthday came round again, and my mistress was so kind as to give me a holiday, that I might go over and see her. Master Reggie did not half like my being away on his birthday; but he comforted himself with his mother's promise that I should come up to the nursery the next day to see all his presents, and to tell him about Salome. I went over by an early train, and took them all by surprise. They gave me a warm welcome, and Salome danced for joy, and was delighted with the present I had brought her, a little rose-bush, covered with tiny dwarf roses, and a pot of forget-me-nots. Bagot had given them to me when they were quite young plants, and I had reared them for Salome's birthday. There was so much for me to tell, and for them to hear,
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