CHAPTER III.
"You are waiting for me, are you, Ellie?" said Miss Layton, as shelocked the school-room door, and turning to go, saw the little girlstanding near, while her young companions were nearly all already outof sight.
"Yes, ma'am," replied Ella; "I would rather walk with you, if you willlet me."
"Certainly, my dear child; I am always pleased to have your company.You have done well to-day, my dear little girl; your lessons were wellrecited, and your behaviour has been all that I could wish; and indeed,I might say almost as much of all the days since your bad day, whichwas nearly three weeks ago. I am very glad to be able to praise you."
Ella coloured with delight. "I have remembered what you said, MissLayton," said she, "and as soon as I get home, I always take my books,and go away up stairs, where I can be quite alone, and study hard,until I am sure that I know my lessons perfectly, and it doesn't takenearly so long as I thought it would, and I have plenty of time toplay afterwards. And I do think it is the best plan, Miss Layton; forsometimes we have company come in, in the evenings, and then I'm alwaysso glad that my lessons are all done and out of the way."
"Yes, my dear, you will find, all through life, that it always is bestto attend immediately to any duty you have to perform; you will neverhave cause to regret it. Duty first and pleasure after, is a very goodmotto for both children and grown up people."
"And I remember what you said about praying with my heart," said Ella,"and when I kneel down to say my prayers, I say the words slowly, andtry to think of the meaning, and to really want what I ask for; and soI find it easy to be good, and now I think I have found out how, andthat I shall be good always."
"Ah, my child," replied her teacher, "beware of self confidence. TheBible says, 'Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest hefall.' I don't like to hear you talk of it being _easy_ to be good, forI fear if you think it so easy, you will trust in your own strength,and forget to ask help of God, and then you will be _sure_ to fall.Remember how sure Peter was, that he would never deny his Master, andyet how soon he committed that very sin.
"When we begin to trust in our own strength, God often leaves us toourselves, and suffers us to fall, that we may learn that our ownstrength is perfect weakness. The Bible tells us that 'the heart isdeceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,' and so true isthis of the unrenewed heart, that we find it has naturally no love forwhat is good and holy, but, on the contrary, a constant inclinationto that which is evil; so much so, that we cannot of ourselves resistany temptation to sin, or even so much as think a good thought; we areprone to do evil, and averse to what is good; our goodness is as themorning cloud and the early dew which vanisheth away. Our only safety,Ella, is in remembering our own weakness, and crying with David, 'Holdthou me up, and I shall be safe.' You know Paul says, 'When I am weak,then am I strong,' no doubt meaning, when I feel my own weakness andlook to God for strength, he strengthens me."
"Miss Layton," said Ella, "it is a great deal easier to be good atschool than at home; for you praise me when I am good, and seempleased to see me trying to do right, but aunt Prudence never does.She says people don't deserve to be praised for doing their duty, andno matter how hard I try to please her, she always finds something toscold me for."
"I think your aunt is partly right and partly wrong," said Miss Layton."It certainly is true, in one sense, that people don't deserve praisefor doing only what it is their duty to do, but none of us would havemany blessings if we received only what we deserve, and I think it isright and best to give praise because it encourages people in trying todo well. But, Ella, though it is quite right that you should desire toplease your aunt, and your undoubted duty to do so, for she stands toyou in the place of your parents, whom God has commanded you to honour,yet your highest motive should ever be to please God; and, though youraunt may not notice your efforts, you may rest assured that not oneof your struggles to conquer your temper, or overcome your habits ofcarelessness and indolence, remains unnoticed by him."
"Well, Miss Layton, I haven't been in a real passion for more than twoweeks, and I'm nearly sure I never will get into such a fit of rage, asaunt Prudence calls it, again."
"Ah, Ella, don't be too confident," replied her teacher.
"Oh I'm _sure_ I won't, Miss Layton. I can't help getting a _little_angry sometimes, but I'm certain almost that I never will get so_dreadfully_ angry as I used to, for I know it is so ugly, and sowicked."
Miss Layton shook her head doubtingly. "Time will show, Ella. Badhabits are not so easily got rid of. But good bye, child," she added,stooping and kissing the little girl's cheek, "you know you have toturn off here."
"Good bye, Miss Layton," said Ella, "I mean to have real good lessonsto-morrow."
"Oh, Ella, how pretty your flowers are! won't you give me one?"exclaimed a little girl who overtook Ella just as she was passing downthe lane which bounded that part of her aunt's grounds where her ownlittle garden was situated. Ella was naturally a very generous child.
"Yes, a good many more than one, Lucy," said she, "if you will waittill I can get round to them, for you know the gate is round on theother side."
"Oh, I'm in a dreadful hurry, Ellie," replied Lucy, "Mother told me notto stop a minute, and I'm all out of breath with running. Can't youclimb the fence?"
"Well, if you're in such a _very_ great hurry I suppose I must foronce, though aunt Prudence wouldn't like it very much; but then shealways scolds me, and I guess she might about as well scold for onething as another," said Ella, and as she spoke, she threw her satchelof books over, and then climbed the fence. In a moment she was on theother side, and had gathered a handful of flowers and reached themthrough the fence to Lucy, who still stood on the outside. Lucy ran on,and Ella picked up her satchel and walked into the house.
Now it happened that Miss Prudence was in an unusually bad humour.Everything had seemed to go wrong with her that day. A neighbour's boyhad left the garden gate open, and before it was noticed some pigshad got in and destroyed a great many of her choicest vegetables andflowers, and while she and Sallie, her maid, were engaged in chasingthem out, the cakes in the oven had nearly burnt to a cinder; and,to crown all, Sallie, flurried by the scolding of her mistress, hadlet fall and broken a much valued dish of old-fashioned china. Inconsequence of these various mishaps Miss Prudence was in one of hervery _worst_ humours, which is saying a good deal, as she was not atany time remarkably sweet-tempered.
"Your dress torn again, miss!" she exclaimed, the instant she caughtsight of her niece. "You've been climbing fences again, hey?"
"I didn't know it was torn," said Ella, looking down. "Where, auntPrudence? I don't see it."
"There! what do you call that?" said Miss Prudence, fiercely, takinghold of the skirt of Ella's dress, and showing a small slit torn in oneof the breadths.
"Oh, that is only a _little_ hole, aunt Prudence," said Ella.
"A _little_ hole? Yes, but I'd like to know if you aren't _always_tearing your clothes, and if you'd torn it all the way round, it wouldhave been all the same to you."
Ella's temper was rising, more from the tone than the words her aunthad used, "I ain't _always_ tearing my clothes," said she, angrily,"you _know_ I haven't torn one for a good while, and it's ever so longsince I climbed a fence till to-day."
"How dare you contradict me, you impertinent little hussy!" said auntPrudence, catching hold of her and shaking her violently, and boxingher ears, then pushing her from her with such violence as to throw herdown.
"You're just the crossest woman in the world," exclaimed Ella,--nowthoroughly roused as soon as she recovered her breath sufficiently tospeak, "I don't care if I _do_ tear my clothes! I don't care if I tearthem all to pieces, and I shan't try to please you any more, for you'rejust as cross as you can be; you're always scolding me, and neverpraise me a bit when I try just as hard as I can to please you."
"Just walk right up stairs, and don't let me hear another word out ofyour mouth, or see your face again to-da
y," said aunt Prudence; "ifI served you right I'd give you a good switching, and may be I'll doit yet; but just walk straight up stairs, and stay there; for not amouthful of supper shall you have to-night."
"I won't!" said Ella, "I ain't going to be shut up in that hot room allthe afternoon. I'll stay out of doors," and she ran out as she spoke.
"We'll soon see that," said aunt Prudence, "we'll soon see who'smistress," catching her by the arm and dragging her into the house.Ella resisted with all the strength of passion; but in vain; her auntproved the stronger, and after a desperate battle succeeded in forcingher up stairs and into her own room, where she shut her in, and lockedthe door upon her, and then, putting the key in her pocket, walked downstairs; while Ella, mad with rage, assailed the door with a shower ofkicks and blows, in the vain attempt to regain her liberty, at the sametime screaming at the top of her voice.
At length, completely exhausted by her own violence, she desisted, andsitting down on the floor, she laid her head on a chair, and criedherself to sleep.
When Ella waked, the moon was shining in at the window, everythingabout the house was perfectly still, and feeling frightened at thesilence, and chilly from the night wind, which had been blowing on her,she crept into bed without undressing, and soon fell asleep again.
It was long past her usual rising hour, when she waked again with aconfused feeling that something was wrong. She lay quiet a moment,trying to collect her thoughts. Suddenly, she remembered her lessons;she had not looked at them. Instantly springing from the bed, shehastily washed her face, combed her hair, and smoothed her rumpleddress as well as she could, and then tried the door. It was fast; shewas still a prisoner, and her satchel of books had been left in thehall below. What should she do? she tried the door again and again; shecalled aunt Prudence as loud as she could, but there was no answer, andsitting down on the floor, she cried bitterly.
In about half an hour, aunt Prudence came, and unlocking the door,ordered her niece to walk down stairs and eat her breakfast, whichcommand Ella very gladly obeyed, as she was very hungry; but, troubledabout her lessons, she hurried through her meal as fast as possible,and as soon as she had finished, requested permission of her aunt toleave the table, and get her books.
"No," replied Miss Prudence, sharply, "how often must I tell that it isvery bad manners to leave the table until every one has finished? Justsit still and behave yourself; you'll not gain anything from me by thatvulgar habit you have of eating so fast."
It was almost more than Ella could bear, to have to sit there and watchher aunt, who seemed to eat more slowly than she had ever known herto do before, when she knew that she had scarcely time to learn herlessons before the hour for school. At last, aunt Prudence pushed backher chair, and rose from the table; Ella rose too, and hurried into thehall to get her books.
"Come back here!" called out aunt Prudence. "What are you going to do?"
"I was just going to get my books, to learn my lessons."
"You'll do no such thing, till you've mended that dress. Get yourthimble, and sit down here alongside of me, and darn it. If you willtear your clothes, I'm determined you shall mend them; and mind and doit well, or I'll make you pick every stitch of it out, and do it over."
Poor Ella was in despair. "O aunt Prudence," said she, bursting intotears, "I won't know my lessons, and Miss Layton will be so angry.Mayn't I learn them now, and mend my dress when I come home fromschool? Oh, do _please_ let me."
"No; I tell you, you shall mend it _just now_. I don't care if MissLayton _is_ angry. I only hope she'll give you a right good whipping,for if you had behaved yourself last night, you might have had plentyof time to learn your lessons."
Ella wiped away her tears, and commenced her work, for she knew thatcrying was of no use, and would only hinder her from doing her workquickly and well. She took a great deal of pains, and was very carefulnot to make a single long stitch, and at last it was done, and verynicely too, she thought, but when she showed it to her aunt, she wastold that it was puckered a little, and must all come out again.
"I can't do it a bit better, and I won't," said Ella, throwing thedress on the floor.
"You shall," said her aunt. "Pick up that dress this minute, and do asI bid you."
Ella neither moved to obey, nor answered a word.
"Sallie," called out Miss Prudence to the servant girl, who was in thenext room washing up the breakfast dishes, "bring me a switch, till Imake this child mind me."
"Yes, ma'am," replied Sallie; and the next minute she appeared at thedoor with a switch, which she had just cut from the willow tree in theyard.
"Pick up that dress," said Miss Prudence again, flourishing the switch.Ella stood still, mute and obstinate. Aunt Prudence seized her by thearm, and laid the switch over her shoulders with all her strength. Ellabore it without a word.
"Now, will you mind me?" again inquired her aunt, pausing for breath.
"No!" said Ella.
"You'll not go one step to school till you do," said her aunt.
"I don't care; I don't want to go, when I don't know my lessons."
"Then you _shall_ go! Just take your bonnet, and start this minute.I'll make you do something I bid you," said her aunt.
Ella obeyed, only too glad to get rid of doing her work over again;though she had spoken truly in saying that she did not care to go toschool without knowing her lessons.
"The most high-tempered, obstinate child that ever breathed," said auntPrudence, turning away from the window, where she had been standing towatch Ella out of the gate.
"Now," said Ella, talking to herself, as she had a habit of doing, asshe walked slowly along: "I can't get to school in time, and I'll besure to get a bad mark for attendance anyhow, so I may just as wellwalk a little slower, and get my spelling lesson as I go along."
Ella had a very retentive memory, and was quite a good speller for achild of her age, and as the lesson happened to be an easy one, she hadlearned it quite perfectly by the time she had reached the school-housedoor. The opening exercises were quite over when Ella entered the room.Miss Layton looked up as she came in, and motioned to her to come toher.
"How has it happened that you are so late this morning, my child?" saidshe.
"I couldn't help it, Miss Layton; aunt Prudence made me stay to mend mydress."
"That is a sufficient excuse," replied her teacher, "I am very glad,Ella, that I can always believe what you say."
"I couldn't have got here quite in time, Miss Layton," said Ella, "butI might have come a little sooner if I hadn't walked slowly, so as tolearn my spelling lesson on the way."
Miss Layton looked surprised, but made no remark, as it was now timeto call a class. Ella recited her spelling lesson perfectly, but madeseveral mistakes in her geography, which would indeed have been a totalfailure, as she had not looked at her lesson, if it had not been theday for reviewing that study, so that the lesson was one which shehad learned only a short time before, and had not entirely forgotten.Grammar was the lesson she dreaded most, as she had only latelycommenced the study, and often found it difficult to understand andcommit it to memory. But that was not to be recited until after recess,and she determined to spend her playtime in studying it.
Accordingly when the bell tapped for recess, she took her book inher hand and slipped away to a corner of the play-ground where,concealed by some bushes, she thought she might remain unnoticed by hercompanions. But Ella was a favourite with most of her school-fellows,and it was not long ere she was missed, and "Where's Ella?" "Where'sElla?" "Didn't she come out?" "Do you know where she went to?" were thequestions which passed from mouth to mouth amongst a group of girls whowere preparing to commence a game of romps.
"What's the matter? what are you all talking about?" asked SallieBarnes, coming up to them.
"We're going to play 'Chickeny-crany-crow,' and we want Ella to be theold witch, but we can't find her; do you know where she is?"
"Yes," said Sallie, "I saw her go behind those bushes. Come
alonggirls, and let's see what she's about. Some mischief, I'll be bound."
Half a dozen girls started at once on a full run across the play-groundto the spot pointed out by Sallie.
"Why, Ellie, what _are_ you doing here? why don't you come and play?"exclaimed Kate Townley pushing aside the bushes. "We want you thisminute."
"I'm learning my grammar," replied Ella, without looking up from herbook, "so don't talk to me, please, for I'm in a great hurry, becauseit comes right away after recess, you know."
"Getting your lesson! getting it _now_, when it's almost time to sayit! I wonder if this is the pattern good girl, that always learns herlessons just as soon as she gets home, and never allows herself a bitof play till she knows them perfectly!" said Sallie, in a mocking tone.
"I do _almost_ always, Sallie, but I didn't last night, and so pleasego away, and let me learn it now."
"Oh ho, now I remember this pattern girl missed quite a number ofquestions in her geography, and if it had been that naughty girl SallieBarnes, she would have been kept in. Ah, it's a fine thing to be afavourite, a very nice thing to be the teacher's pet!"
"It's no such thing," said Ella, angrily, "you know very well that MissLayton doesn't pet me; she treats us all alike."
"You're right, Ellie, so she does, at least according to the way webehave," said Mary Young.
"What a shame of you to talk so, Sallie! you know Ellie didn't missmore than two, and Miss Layton doesn't keep us in for that much," saidKate.
"Well _I_ say she missed three or four," said Sallie, "and I'll bebound she'll miss more than that in the grammar, for I happen to knowthat it's pretty hard, and she'll be kept after school for that; andthen I hope Miss Layton will give her as good a whipping as she didonce before."
"She didn't; she never struck me in her life," said Ella.
"I know better; she did," said Sallie.
"That's a lie, and you know it is," said Ella, growing very angry.
"So I suppose you'll go and tell _dear_ Miss Layton, that Sallie Barneshas been telling lies about you."
"No, I'll _not_," said Ella. "You know I won't, or you wouldn't dare totalk so. I don't tell lies nor tales either; I would not stoop to doanything so mean and wicked."
"So you mean to say I'm mean and wicked, a liar and a tell-tale! Nevermind, miss, I'll pay you for your impudence, one of these days."
"I don't think your stories hang together very well, Sallie," saidMary Young. "First you say Miss Layton pets Ella, and then you say shewhipped her for what I know she wouldn't whip any other scholar for."
Sallie was saved the necessity of replying, for at that instant thebell rang, and all hastened to the house.
"You have all recited very well excepting Ella," said Miss Layton, asshe dismissed the grammar class to their seats. "Ella, you must learnthis lesson over and recite it to me after school is dismissed."
"Ah, ha! I told you so!" whispered Sallie in Ella's ear.
Ella answered only with an angry look--it was against the rules tospeak, but Sallie did not care for that, for though she would have beenvery ready to tell of Ella, she knew that Ella was much too honourableto tell tales of her. As soon as the others had all gone, Ella tookher book to Miss Layton, and this time she recited her lesson quiteperfectly.
"You know it very well, now," said her teacher, handing the book backto her. "What is it, my dear?" she asked, seeing the child hesitate."Had you something to say to me? Don't be afraid to tell me all that isin your heart. If you are in trouble, perhaps I can help you, and ifyou have done wrong, I will not judge you harshly," she added, drawingthe little girl towards her.
Ella threw her arms round her teacher's neck, and hiding her face onher shoulder, burst into tears. Miss Layton stroked her hair, andtalked soothingly to her. Her heart yearned over the little motherlesschild, who had no one to love her.
"O Miss Layton, I can never, never be good. It's no use to try," sobbedthe poor child.
"What new difficulty have you found, my darling? you told me it wasvery easy last night."
"I'm afraid you will hate me, Miss Layton, if I tell you how wicked Ihave been last night and this morning."
"Hate you, my child! far from it. I will love you the better foracknowledging your faults. Tell me all about it, and perhaps I may beable to help you to do better."
Ella related all the occurrences of that morning and the previousevening, without attempting any palliation of her own conduct.
"I am very sorry, indeed, to hear all this, Ella," said Miss Layton."You have really been very naughty. In the first place, you ought notto have climbed the fence; that was very wrong, because you knew thatyour aunt had forbidden it."
"But Lucy wanted the flowers, and couldn't wait for me to go round tothe gate. What could I do, Miss Layton?"
"It would have been much better to let Lucy go without the flowers thanto disobey your aunt."
"But, Miss Layton, she _always_ scolds me! I can _never_ please her,and I don't mean to try any more."
"O Ella, Ella! is this the end of all your good resolutions? Who is itthat says, 'Honour thy father and thy mother?'"
"But aunt Prudence isn't my mother," said Ella.
"No, my dear, but she occupies the place of a parent to you, and thespirit of the command requires you to obey her."
"I can't please her, Miss Layton. I've tried and tried and tried, andwhat's the use of trying any more?"
"Ah, Ella, if you had a new heart, if you were a child of God, youwould try to do right that you might please _him_; and you would notgive up in despair, though no one else noticed your efforts, or lookedupon you with approval. I am afraid, my child, that you love praise toowell; that you 'love the praise of men more than the praise of God.'"
"I don't _like_ to mind aunt Prudence! I wish I _didn't_ have to!"
"'This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and hiscommandments are not grievous.' There is the test, Ella; by your fruitsyou are to be known. God commands you to honour and obey your aunt, andif that command is grievous to you, does it not show that you are notone of his children?"
"I know I'm not, Miss Layton," said Ella, sadly. "I'm afraid I _never_shall be a Christian, for I'm so very, very wicked, and I can't makemyself any better, for I've tried so hard, and I only seem to grow moreand more wicked, the more I try to be good."
"I am glad to hear you say so, Ella. I had much rather hear you talkin that way, than as you did last night, because I know that a senseof your own helplessness, of your own utter inability to make yourselfany better, is the first step towards feeling your need of the Saviour;for as long as you think that there is any hope that you can healyourself, you will not apply to the Great Physician. 'Come unto me allye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take myyoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, andye shall find rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burdenis light!' That invitation is addressed to you, Ella, if you do, as Ihope, feel your sins to be a burden."
"I'm afraid it doesn't mean me, Miss Layton, for I'm afraid I don't_want_ to be good. I feel just like giving it up and not trying anymore."
"Then, Ella, pray to God to _give_ you the desire; to make you want tobe good. Jesus said, 'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst afterrighteousness, for they shall be filled.'"
"Won't you pray for me, Miss Layton?"
"I do, dear child, and will," said Miss Layton, kissing her; "but youmust pray for yourself; I cannot do the work for you--no one can; youmust pray and repent and believe for yourself."
"O Miss Layton, I wish I could live with you!" exclaimed Ella, "forthen I think I could be good."
Miss Layton smiled. "I am coming to live at your house, my dear; didn'tyou know it? didn't your aunt tell you?"
"Oh no, ma'am; but are you, _really_? Oh, I am so glad, _so_ glad!" andElla clapped her hands, and fairly danced up and down with delight.
"Yes; Mrs. Price is tired of boarding me, and your aunt has agreed totak
e me for the rest of the time that I shall be here."
"And when will you come, Miss Layton? Oh, do come soon!"
"To-morrow evening, my dear; but, Ella, I shall not like to live withyou, if you are going to be such a naughty girl as you were last nightand this morning."
"Oh no, indeed, I'll not; I should be ashamed to be so bad before you."
"And do you feel more respect for _me_--a weak, sinful mortal--than forthe great God? more ashamed and afraid to do wrong in my presence, thanin his?"
"O Miss Layton, I can't see him, and I forget that he sees me."
"Do you think that that excuse will avail you in the judgment-day,Ella? The Bible tells us, 'The wicked shall be turned into hell, andall they that forget God.' O Ella, when you are tempted to do wrong,remember these words: 'Thou God seest me;' and O my child, never, neverdare to do in his presence, what you would be ashamed or afraid to dobefore any earthly being."
"I'm very sorry I was so naughty," said Ella, "and I'll tell auntPrudence so, and ask her to forgive me, and I'll do as she bids me, andmend the dress over again if she says I must; though I'm sure I can'tdo it any better."
"Ask forgiveness of God too, Ella."
"Yes, ma'am, I will."
* * * * *
"I'm sorry I was so naughty and so impertinent to you last night andthis morning, aunt Prudence," said Ella, coming up to her aunt, on herreturn from school. "Will you please to forgive me, and I'll try tomind you next time."
"Oh yes, it's all very well to say you're sorry now, but it'll be justthe very same thing again, the very next time you're in a bad humour."
"Shall I rip that darn out, and do it over now, aunt Prudence?"
"No; I've had bother enough with it already; let it alone."