"_We are invited for a long automobile ride_."]
"Are we to carry luncheon?" asked Gracie, lazily, not making any sign ofgetting out of the hammock.
"Yes. Mrs. Jackson said we'd carry luncheon. She said she would takesandwiches, cookies, and jelly. We can supply something else. Suppose wehave some boiled eggs. And I'll run to our favorite baker's and get anice cake--one of those delicious white ones, you know. Won't it besplendid?"
"What shall you wear?" asked Gracie, now bestirring herself a bit.
"My pink lawn, I guess," replied Norma. "But I shall have to hurry, forthe eggs must be boiled at once, so as to give them time to get cold andsolid in the ice box. Otherwise, they wouldn't be fit for the lunchbasket."
And away ran busy Norma to the kitchen to put the eggs to boil.
Within a short time Norma had the eggs nicely boiled and cooling in theice box while she was getting her frock, shoes, hat, and otheraccessories to her afternoon attire, laid out all ready to wear.
But Gracie was not quite so energetic. She had left the hammock and goneto her own room to look over her frocks to see which one might be fit towear. A blue dimity was selected as being in the best wearing condition,but in looking it over she found a rent in the skirt and two buttonsgone. "Oh, just my luck," she declared petulantly. "I never have a frockin shape to put right on. I do believe I'll ask mamma--if she hasreturned--to sew on the buttons and mend the rent. Let me see--the laceis all torn in places on my white lawn. The buttons are off my checkedbatiste. Yes, this blue dimity will be the best." So taking it in herarms, she went down stairs to the sitting room.
Mrs. Wilson had just returned from making some calls and was listeningto Norma's explanation of the good time in store for Gracie and herselfthat afternoon and evening. "I knew you would not mind our going mamma,"Norma was saying, "so I just accepted at the moment."
"No, indeed, I shall not object," said Mrs. Wilson. "On the other hand,I am delighted that Mrs. Jackson has invited you to go with her and herlovely children. You will have a splendid time, I know. And how aboutyour luncheon? Have you everything ready?"
"I am just going to prepare some eggs this very minute," explainedNorma. "And," turning to Gracie, "won't you go after some cake and somefruit, sister?"
Gracie frowned. "I'll not have the time." she complained. "And,"appealing to her mother, "mamma, will you be good enough to fix thisfrock for me to wear? I've got to wash and comb and do ever so manythings."
Mrs. Wilson shook her head. "Gracie, you must have your lesson first orlast. Now is a very good time for it. You must fix your own frock, mychild. I have urged you, time and again, to keep your clothes neatlymended. If you let your things go--well, you must suffer theconsequences. And, you must assist Norma in preparing the luncheon. Itis not fair that she should have the bulk of the work of preparation todo. You must shoulder your share of it."
Gracie, her face aflame with shame, went upstairs and began to fix herfrock. But hardly had she begun when her mother's voice called to her:"You would better go for the cake, daughter, before sitting down tomend. If by any chance you should not be ready to go when Mrs. Jacksoncalls for you, Norma must not be disappointed and shall have her basketof luncheon ready."
Gracie began to beg off, but her mother was firm. "Do as I say,daughter, and start at once to the baker's for the cake. Stop on the wayback and buy a bag of nice fruit."
Gracie had to obey, but did it reluctantly. She feared she would not beready to go when four o'clock arrived, for there was so much to be donein preparation. She hurried to the baker's and got the cake; stopped onthe way back home and bought a bag of fruit. But she saw by the townclock that it wanted only forty-five minutes till time to start on theirautomobile outing.
For a moment she felt very much out of sorts over the fact that she hadbeen obliged to go after the cake and fruit, but the longer she thoughtof it the clearer became her own fault. Yes, she had been veryindifferent about her work. And if she missed getting the trip--well, itwould be her lesson.
As soon as Gracie gave the cake and fruit into Norma's hands she ran upstairs to fix her frock. Norma was all ready, looking as sweet in herfresh lawn frock as could be. The basket was prepared for the luncheon,lined with a soft white napkin.
Into the basket Norma put a dozen nicely prepared eggs, wrapped aboutwith white paper. Then came the cake, also appetizingly fixed in daintyfashion; then the yellow oranges, luscious, pink peaches and goldenyellow pears.
At precisely ten minutes before four Norma was waiting on the porch. Atexactly four Mrs. Jackson's automobile came dashing round the corner,Flora and Tommy in the rear seat and their mother in front beside thechauffeur. Room for Norma and Gracie was in the big back seat besideFlora and Tommy.
_The Automobile Ride_]
"All ready?" called out Mrs. Jackson.
Just as Norma was about to offer some excuse for her tardy sister, hermother came upon the porch, and, after chatting in a cordial manner fora few moments with Mrs. Jackson, she told Norma to take her basket andgo to the automobile. "It is Gracie's own fault that she is delayed thisway, and she'll have a lesson to-day that she will profit by. I amquite sure she'll never miss another picnic through her own idleness."
Then, while Norma was getting into the automobile, Mrs. Wilson spoke inlow tones to Mrs. Jackson, explaining why Gracie would not be able to goon the outing that day. Although all expressed regrets that Gracie wasto be left behind, they knew it was for the best that she be taught alesson through disappointment.
As the big auto rolled off down the road toward Blake Island, carryingthe happy picnic party, Gracie, with tears in her eyes, stood lookingfrom the window after them. And in her heart she knew that herdisappointment was due to her own shortcomings. And she vowed to turnover a new leaf from that day.
"_Are you going to whip Eunice_, sir?"]
VICARIOUS PUNISHMENT
This is the term applied to such punishment as that which Christ borewhen he suffered on the cross, the just for the unjust. You do not quiteknow what it means, do you? I think I hear you say, "Oh, we do not wantto know what such long words mean."
But stop a moment, I have a story to tell.
It was a warm summer afternoon; a lazy breeze stole through the windowsof a little district schoolhouse, lifting the curtains, and rustling theleaves of the copy-books that lay open on all the desks.
Thirty or forty scholars of all ages were bending over their writing,quiet and busy; the voice of the master, as he passed about among thewriters, was the only sound.
Perhaps you might not have thought it possible, but I assure you, thatthis hot little schoolroom has its heroes and heroines as certainly asmany another place which might have seemed far more pretending.
The bell rang for the writing to be laid by; and now came the lastexercise of the day, the spelling, in which nearly all the schooljoined. At the head of the class was a delicate little girl, whosebright eyes and attentive air showed that she prized her place, andmeant to keep it.
Presently a word which had passed all the lower end of the class, cameto Eunice. The word was _privilege_. "P-r-i-v, priv--i, privi--l-e-g-e,lege, privilege," spelt Eunice. But the teacher, vexed with the mistakesof the other end of the class, misunderstood and passed it. The littlegirl looked amazed, the bright color came into her cheeks, and shelistened eagerly to the next person, who spelt it again as she had done.
"Right," said the teacher; "take your place."
"I spelt it so," whispered Eunice partly to herself; the tears springingto her eyes as she passed down. But too timid to speak to the master,she remained in her place, determining soon to get up again. But hertrials were not yet over.
Many expedients had been tried in the school to keep out that arch-enemyof all teachers--whispering. At length the following plan was adopted:--
The first whisperer was stood upon the floor in front of the teacher'sdesk. Here he acted as a monitor; as soon as he detected anotherwhispering, he took his seat, and
the next offender kept a sharp lookoutto find some one to take _his_ place; for, at the close of school, thescholar who had the whisperer's place was punished very severely.
This plan appeared to operate very well; every one dreaded to be foundlast on the floor; but, though it secured an orderly school, many of theparents and scholars doubted its justice.
The boy who was on the floor when Eunice lost her place, was an unruly,surly fellow, who had often before smarted for his faults; and as schooldrew near its close, he began to tremble. The instant Eunice's whisperedcomplaint reached his ear, his face brightened up; he was safe now. Andwhen the class was dismissed, he said, "Eunice whispered, sir."
Eunice rose, and in a trembling voice related what she had said; but theteacher saw no excuse in it, and she was called to take the place of theungenerous boy who had told of her.
The books were put away, and the waiting school looked on in sorrow asEunice left her seat to take the dreaded punishment. She was one of thebest scholars; bright, faithful, sweet-tempered, and a general favorite.
Every one felt that it was unjust; and many angry glances were cast atthe boy who was mean enough to get a little girl whipped. Overcome withshame and fear, she stood by the side of the desk crying bitterly, whilethe teacher was preparing to inflict the punishment.
At this moment a tall boy stepped out of his seat, and going to thedesk, said:--
"Are you going to whip Eunice, sir?"
"Yes; I never break my rules!" the teacher answered.
"We will not see her whipped!" said the boy in an excited voice; "thereis not a boy here but _that_ one, who would see her whipped! Whip me,sir, and keep your rule, if you must, but don't touch this little girl!"
The master paused; the school looked on tearfully.
"Do you mean to say you will take her punishment?" asked the teacher.
"I do sir," was the bold reply.
The sobbing little girl was sent to her seat, and without flinching, herfriend stood and received the punishment that was to have fallen uponher. The school was dismissed, and the boys paid him in admiration andpraise for all he had suffered.
This was vicarious punishment,--one suffering from his own free will thepunishment that was to have been borne by another.
You see, do you not, that this is just what He did who bore our sins inHis own body upon the tree--the Saviour of men? What He suffered wecannot know in this life; but God laid on Him the iniquity of us all;and this He willingly bore to save us from death. With His stripes weare healed. How great the gratitude each of us owes such a Friend.
"Love so amazing, so divine,Demands my soul, my life, my all."
"_I'm awake, mother, come in_."]
PATTY'S SECRET
Mrs. Lomax softly opened the nursery door and peeped in. "I'm awake,mother," said a voice from the white cot; "come in."
The lady quickly poked the smoldering fire into a blaze and opened theblinds. It was a bitter cold day, and Jack Frost had decorated thewindowpanes with silver pictures of forests and castles.
"What wakened you so early, Patty, dear?" asked her mother, coming overto sit on the edge of the bed. To her surprise the young face waswreathed in bright smiles.
"I had such a strange, sweet dream," said Patty, her eyes shining. "Ithink it must have been my dream that waked me."
"What was it, love?" But Patty was silent. "You don't want to tell meyour dream, little daughter?"
"I think I'd rather not, mother, if you don't mind."
"No, I don't mind."
"Well, then, I won't tell it."
Patty's mother had no dream of her own to tell, for she had hardlyslept a single one of the many hours between dark and dawn. Many of themshe had spent on her knees beside her bed, pouring out her heart inprayer for her darling who was, with the returning day, to undergo apainful and dangerous surgical operation.
For days Patty herself had been in a sad state of nervousness anddepression; it had been necessary, for certain reasons, that she shouldknow what was before her, and though she bore up bravely for her years,it could not but be to her like entering a dark cloud.
And yet there was the smile on her lips and the light in her eye, thoughthe hour of trial had come!
The weeks slipped away, each one leaving little Patty stronger than itfound her, and nearer to the end of her prison-life behind window panes.For the great trial was safely passed, and the surgeon said one reasonthat the little girl came so safely through it, without fever orinflammation of any sort, was that she was so quiet and brave, anddidn't excite or fret herself.
When Patty heard these praises she only smiled and said, "That's mysecret." Though she did not ask, Patty's mother sometimes wondered whatshe meant and why she would not tell her secret.
But one day Patty overheard a visitor speaking of another child who wasto undergo an operation. This visitor was one of the managers of St.Luke's Hospital, and the child she spoke of was a charity patient, apoor, little deformed girl in the public ward. She was an orphan, andhad no friends except the kind people at the orphanage where she hadbeen put when only a few months old.
Patty was very quiet until the visitor left; but when her mother turnedto her sofa, she found her little daughter eager to tell her something.
"Oh, mother!" she cried, "I must see that little girl; I have somethingto tell her."
"I'll see her for you, dear," said Mrs. Lomax, "and tell her anythingyou say."
But Patty, who had been so reasonable and obedient, did not seem able tolisten to reason. She wept, and entreated to be carried to the hospital,until at last her mother consented to let her go in a closed carriagewith her father to lift her in and out, and carry her every step up anddown the halls and stairway. "Only father," she said: "I'd rather haveonly father."
After all, the drive did not seem to hurt Patty at all; when she hadtaken off her wraps in the waiting room, and was being carried up to theward, she whispered a little nervously: "Can I see the little girl allby myself, father?"
Mr. Lomax felt troubled at this almost stubborn secrecy. "I think not,daughter," he said gravely; "the nurse would hardly leave her patient inthe hands of such a little girl as you. Why is it that you can't trustme to hear what you have to say?"
Patty hesitated a minute, and then said, "I'm so afraid that you mightlaugh at it, or say it was just a fancy; and, oh, I couldn't standanybody's laughing, because it helped me so."
"Dear little girl," he said to himself. Then he answered Patty in a verygentle voice: "You need have no fear of that, darling. Now that I knowhow you feel about it, whatever you have to say will be very precious tome."
"_Will you ask for me? I don't know Him very well._"]
Nothing more was said, but the little arms tightened about his neck, andhe heard a little sigh of content.
Laugh at her! No listener could have smiled at Patty's secret, except asone might smile in glad surprise if an angel spoke.
In very simple speech, as one child uses to another, Patty told thislittle hospital patient of her long time of suffering and disease; howshe had felt that she could not stand the surgeon's table, the knife,the stitches and all the horrors of an operation.
"But the night before it was to happen," said Patty, "after I had prayedwith all my might to our Saviour to help me bear the pain I fell asleep,and dreamed that I saw Him.
"Oh, I wish you could know how He looked! Just as if He was all ourmothers and fathers in one person. I did not hear Him speak, but I knewfrom His smile that He was going to be with me. And then I waked up andremembered what He said when He was going back to heaven, 'Lo, I am withyou alway,' and I wasn't afraid any more after that."
"And did it hurt very much?" eagerly asked the child in the cot.
"I don't know," said Patty, looking rather puzzled, "maybe it did. Thedoctor couldn't give me as much of the go-to-sleep stuff as he will you;and part of the time I knew what he was doing, and felt the pain. But Idid not mind it; I said to myself, 'Why, I can easily stand it; j
ust aslong as I must.' You see Jesus had answered my prayer, and He willanswer yours, too. Don't forget, what He said about 'Lo, I am withyou.'"
"Will you ask for me?" said the little stranger; "I don't know Him verywell."
And Patty promised.
"_I don't believe sugar-sticks are good for little girls._"]
MOPSEY'S MISTAKE
Uncle came in one cold evening, looking for all the world like a bear,Louie thought, in his big overcoat. He caught Louie up and gave her areal bear-hug, too.
"Hello, Mopsey! where's Popsey?" he asked.
Popsey was Louie's baby sister, two years old, and her name wasn'tPopsey any more than Louie's name was Mopsey, but Uncle Jack was all thetime calling folks funny names, Louie thought.
"Her's gone to bed," she said.
Then Uncle Jack put his hand in his pocket and made a great rustlingwith paper for a minute before he pulled out two red-and-whitesugar-sticks and gave them to Louie. "It's too bad that Popsey'sasleep," said he. But I'm afraid Louie was rather glad of it.
"Aren't you going to save one stick for Grace?" asked mama. Popsey'sreal name was Grace.