IV.
_THE QUARREL._
Mr. Jones had another errand to do when he went to the post-office,which was to go to the railway station for Harry and Fred, whosevacation had begun. Grandmamma and Aunt Annie came with them, but theywent to the hotel, and Maggie and Bessie did not see them till the nextmorning. How glad the little girls were to have their brothers withthem; and what a pleasure it was to take them round the next day andshow them all that was to be seen!
"Maggie and Bessie," said Harry, "I saw a great friend of yours onSaturday; guess who it was."
"Grandpa Hall," said Maggie.
"No; guess again. We went out to Riverside to spend the day, and itwas there we saw him."
"Oh, I know!" said Bessie, "it was lame Jemmy."
"Yes, it was lame Jemmy, and he was as chirp as a grasshopper. He wassitting up in his chair out under the trees; and you never saw a fellowso happy, for all he is lame. Why, if I was like him, and couldn't goabout, I should be as cross as a bear."
"Oh, no, you wouldn't, Harry," said Bessie; "not if you knew it was Godwho made you lame."
"Oh, but I should, though; I'm not half as good as he is."
"But you could ask Jesus to make you good and patient like Jemmy, andthen He would."
"Well," said Harry, "he's mighty good, anyhow; and Fred and I gave hima first-rate ride in his chair ever so far up the road. He liked it, Ican tell you; and he asked such lots of questions about you two. Andwhat do you think he is learning to do?"
"What?" asked both his little sisters.
"To knit stockings for the soldiers."
"What! a boy?" said Maggie.
"Yes; Aunt Helen sent some yarn to his mother to knit socks; and Jemmywanted to learn so that he could do something for his country, if hewas a lame boy, he said. Aunt Helen pays Mrs. Bent for those she makes,but Jemmy told her if he might use some of her yarn he would like to doit without pay, and she gave him leave; so his mother is teaching him,and you would think he is a girl to see how nicely he takes to it. Heis not a bit ashamed of it either, if it is girl's work."
"And so he oughtn't," said Bessie. "Girl's work is very nice work."
"So it is, Queen Bess; and girls are very nice things when they arelike our Midget and Bess."
"I don't think boys are half as nice as girls," said Maggie, "exceptyou and Tom, Harry."
"And I," said Fred.
"Well, yes, Fred; when you don't tease I love you; but then you dotease, you know. But Mamie Stone is not nice if she is a girl; she iscross, and she did a shocking thing, Harry. She pinched Bessie's arm soit's all black and blue. But she was served right for it, 'cause I justgave her a good slap."
"But that was naughty in you," said Tom, who was standing by; "youshould return good for evil."
"I sha'n't, if she evils my Bessie," said Maggie, stoutly. "If shehurts me I won't do anything to her, but if she hurts Bessie I will,and I don't believe it's any harm. I'm sure there's a verse in theBible about it."
"About what, Maggie?"
"About, about,--why about my loving Bessie and not letting any one hurther. I'll ask papa to find one for me. He can find a verse in the Bibleabout everything. Oh, now I remember one myself. It's--little childrenlove each other."
"And so you should," said Tom; "and it is very sweet to see two littlesisters always so kind and loving to each other as you and Bessieare. But, Maggie, that verse does not mean that you should get into aquarrel with your other playmates for Bessie's sake; it means that youshould love all little children. Of course you need not love Mamie asmuch as Bessie, but you ought to love her enough to make you kind toher. And there's another verse,--'blessed are the peace-makers.' Youwere not a peace-maker when you slapped Mamie."
"I sha'n't be Mamie's peace-maker," said Maggie; "and, Tom, you oughtto take my side and Bessie's; you are very unkind."
"Now don't be vexed, Midget," said Tom, sitting down on a large stone,and pulling Maggie on his knee. "I only want to show you that it didnot make things any better for you to slap Mamie when she pinchedBessie. What happened next after you slapped her?"
"She slapped me," said Maggie; "and then I slapped her again, and Lilyslapped her, too; it was just good enough for her."
"And what then?" asked Tom.
"Why Mamie screamed and ran and told her mother, and Mrs. Stone cameand scolded us; and Jane showed her Bessie's arm, and she said shedidn't believe Mamie meant to hurt Bessie."
"What a jolly row!" said Fred. "I wish I had been there to see."
"Nurse said she wished she had been there," said Maggie, "and she wouldhave told Mrs. Stone--"
"Never mind that," said Tom; "there were quite enough in the quarrelwithout nurse. Now, Maggie, would it not have been far better if youhad taken Bessie quietly away when Mamie hurt her?"
"No," said Maggie, "because then she wouldn't have been slapped, andshe ought to be."
"Well, I think with you that Mamie was a very naughty girl, anddeserved to be punished; but then it was not your place to do it."
"But her mother would not do it," said Maggie; "she is a weak, foolishwoman, and is ruining that child."
The boys laughed, when Maggie said this with such a grand air.
"Who did you hear say that?" asked Harry.
"Papa," said Maggie,--"so it's true. I guess he didn't mean me to hearit, but I did."
"Oh, you little pitcher!" cried Harry; and Tom said, "Maggie dear,things may be quite right for your father to say, that would not beproper for us; because Mrs. Stone is a great deal older than we are;but since we all know that she does not take much pains to make Mamiea good and pleasant child, do you not think that this ought to make usmore patient with her when she is fretful and quarrelsome?"
"No," said Maggie; "if her mother don't make her behave, some one elseought to. I will hurt her if she hurts Bessie."
"Maggie," said Tom, "when wicked men came to take Jesus Christ andcarry him away to suffer a dreadful death on the cross, do you rememberwhat one of the disciples did?"
"No; tell me," said Maggie.
"He drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of those wicked men; notbecause he was doing anything to him, but because he was ill-treatingthe dear Lord whom he loved."
"I'm glad of it," said Maggie; "it was just good enough for that badman, and I love that disciple."
"But the Saviour was not glad," said Tom, "for he reproved thedisciple, and told him to put up his sword; and he reached out his handand healed the man's ear."
"That was because he was Jesus," said Maggie. "I couldn't be so good asJesus."
"No, we cannot be as holy and good as Jesus, for he was without sin;but we can try to be like him, and then he will love us and be pleasedwith what he knows we wish to do. Maggie, the other day I heard yousaying to your mother that pretty hymn, 'I am Jesus' Little Lamb;' now,if you are really one of Jesus' little lambs you will also be one ofhis blessed peace-makers. I think if you and Lily had not struck Mamie,she would have felt much more sorry and ashamed than she does now, whenshe thinks that you have hurt her as much as she hurt Bessie."
"Do you want me to be a peace-maker with Mamie, now?" asked Maggie.
"Yes, if you are not friends with her yet."
"Oh, no, we are not friends at all," said Maggie; "for she runs awayevery time she sees Lily or me; and we make faces at her."
"And do you like to have it so?"
"Yes," said Maggie slowly, "I think I do; I like to see her run."
"And do you think it is like Jesus' little lamb for you to feel so."
"No, I suppose not; I guess it's pretty naughty, and I won't make facesat her anymore. What shall I do to make friends, Tom?"
"Well," said Tom, "I cannot tell exactly; but suppose the next timethat Mamie runs away from you, you call her to come and play with you;will not that show her that you wish to be at peace again?"
"Yes," said Maggie; "and if you think Jesus would want me to, I'll doit; but, Tom, we'll be very sorry if she comes. You don't know
what anuncomfortable child she is to play with; she's as cross as--as crossas--_nine_ sticks."
"Perhaps you'll find some other way," said Tom, who could not helpsmiling. "If we wish for a chance to do good to a person we cangenerally find one. But I must go, for there is father beckoning to meto come out in the boat with him. You will think of what I have said,will you not, Maggie?"
"Oh, yes I will, and I will do it too, Tom; and if Mamie pinches Bessieagain, I won't slap her, but only give her a good push, and then we'llrun away from her."
Tom did not think that this was exactly the way to make friends, but hehad not time to say anything more, for his father was waiting.