Joanna H. Mathews

“ It was a street which ran beside a great railroad depot. Porters, carmen, and hackmen were calling, shouting, and swearing; passengers were hurrying by to catch the trains which were starting every few minutes; carriages driving up with their loads of ladies and children; and farther down the street were great trucks laden with freight, and express-wagons filled with baggage, which the railroad porters were unloading with a great amount of noise and crash; and amongst it all was Daisy, standing opposite the door of the ladies' entrance. ”

“ Only Daisy's eyes always look sorry except when she is laughing or speaking, and that little girl's were so full of mischief and laughing."
"How big was she?" asked Lola.
"Oh, about as large as your sister Bertie. Not near old enough to come to school."
"I s'pose there are no other children but her," said Fanny Delisle. "Willie saw the family come yesterday; and he said there were only the lady and gentleman, and the little girl and servants. If there are no children as old as us, maybe it won't come into their heads to let us see the aviary again." ”

“ Daisy felt rather lonely when he was gone, in spite of Miss Collins' kind look, Lily's tight clasp of the hand, and Violet's, "We have real nice times in school. Don't be afraid." For she was far more shy with children than she was with grown people, probably because she had never had any companions of her own age; and the number of young faces, most of them strange, about her, made her long to be back again at Mrs. Forster's side. ”

“ But although she was still called Daisy Forster by all in Glenwood, it was a satisfaction to herself and to the kind friends who had taken her up and cared for her, to know the name which rightly belonged to her.
However, days and weeks and months went by, and still no one came to seek the Daisy blossom which had been transplanted to such [195] pleasant soil. And there it grew and flourished, and did its Master's work; proving how much even such a simple floweret can do by its own modest example and teaching to win others to honor Him. ”

“ Daisy could not be more than eight years old,—and particularly so for one who had had little teaching for some time. It was easy to see that Daisy had received careful training at one time, and that the lessons then learned had taken deep root and were not yet forgotten in spite of the long separation from her home and friends.
It had been intended, as General Forster told Betty, to send the little girl to boarding-school at Miss Collins'; but she soon grew so closely to the hearts of her new friends that they felt as if they could not bear to part with her ”

“ Daisy always tells the truth, and never does what she says she won't; at least, we never knew her to do it: did we, girls?"
A chorus of young voices was raised in Daisy's favor.
"And yet you cannot trust her unless she swears to what she promises," said Mr. Ward.
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"Swears, sir!" said Minnie. "I'm sure I don't want her to swear! 'Word and honor' are not bad words, are they?"
"Not in themselves, certainly;" answered Mr. Ward. "Many a thing which is good in itself when properly used, becomes bad and hurtful if put to a wrong purpose. ”

“ Lily being satisfied with the fate of Moses, all the rest were so; and the bell now ringing, the little group turned towards the house. Daisy wondering, as well she might, that a matter which was so easily settled [96] should call for such violent expressions of distress and alarm as she had heard from two of the little girls.
"Why, Miss Collins," said General Forster, as that lady met them at the door, "what a bouquet of flowers you have here! A Rose, a Violet, a Daisy, and a Lily; as choice a nosegay as one could wish for." ”

“ The grass about the mock River Nile was quite too short for that purpose, trampled on as it was through each day's playtime by at least twenty pairs of little feet; and the willow twigs which Lola Swan planted would not stand up straight enough to make a shade for the ark.
"There isn't time to plant them deep enough," said Lola; "the school-bell will ring in a few moments, and then we'll have to leave it."
"And the sun will go and come [90] round here before recess," said Lily, in a tone of distress, "and Moses will be all sunburned. ”

“ The flower-girl looked after them and sighed,—a long, weary sigh, as she watched the frolicsome Lily.
"Most all little girls have their fathers and mothers," she said softly to herself; "but I don't have either. I wonder why God did take both of [20] mine away; if He didn't know how lonesome I would be, or why He didn't take me too. I don't see what good I can be to Him all alone by myself, except Betty and Jack. ”

“ Please give me the slate again, Aunt Gertrude," she added, [113] as Mrs. Forster laid it beyond her reach.
"No, dear. I do not wish you to study out of school. I am glad you want to improve, but you have as much to do there as is good for you; and at home I want you to have rest and play. You are improving quite as fast as could be expected, and for a time you must be content to go on with those who are younger than yourself."
"But it makes me ashamed," pleaded Daisy, again.
"There is no reason for that," said Mrs. Forster, patting the hot cheek she raised towards her. ”

“ But don't you know that the Irish often say saacy when they mean proud?"
"Oh, yes. I have often noticed it in people of Betty's class," answered [190] the General; "but what has that to do with Daisy's friends?"
"Is it not possible that their name is Proudfoot or Proudfit, and that 'Saacyfut' is Betty's way of calling it?"
The General laughed heartily.
"Hardly, I think," he said; "and yet—I do not know. It may be. But it never struck me. It took a woman's wit to think of that."
"We will ask Daisy when she comes," said Mrs. Forster. ”

“ Besides, it isn't a bit real: they never leave babies lying out in the sun."
"Put him out on the grass and turn the ark upside-down over him till we come out again," said Susy.
But Lily scouted the idea of having her Moses treated in this way; and all began at once to deepen the holes for the willow twigs before the bell should ring.
But suddenly a bright thought struck Lily.
"Let's play Moses' mother and Miriam put a pyramid over him," she said. "We could do that pretty quick, and it will be nice and shady [91] for him, and very real too, 'cause they did have pyramids in Egypt." ”

“ And yet Daisy was mistaken. If she had asked Minnie's parents, teacher, or playmates, they would all have told her that Minnie was an uncommonly good and pleasant little girl; truthful, obedient, industrious, and generous and obliging towards others. She had no thought now that she was breaking one of God's commandments ”

“ And the good influence spread far and wide. Since the little ones were so careful, their parents and older friends felt that they, too, must take heed lest they offended in this way; and so it came to pass that among the families of Glenwood God's name and word came to be held in such true reverence and honor as had never been before.
And so nearly a year passed by, and brought the Daisy and her sister-flowerets to another spring. ”

“ I don't believe He'd bother Himself with knowing about a worn-out old cushion what has a hole in the cover, and such things."
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"Yes, He does, too," said Cora, laughing; "are not the very hairs of our head numbered?"
"Now, I know you ought to be 'shamed," said Lily. "You're talking Bible; and that is not right, is it, Daisy?"
"No," said Daisy, as boldly as Lily herself could have done, for quoting Scripture in a careless manner was also a habit of many in the school.
"You two saucy monkeys! correcting your elders," said Cora, much amused. ”

“ I thought it was Margaret."
"They call me Margaret, sir,—Betty and Jack; but Daisy is my own, own name, that papa and mamma called me," she answered, recovering herself a little.
"And where are your papa and mamma?" he asked. "I thought the woman who keeps the fruit-stall at the corner was your mother."
"Oh, no, sir!" she said. "She is only Betty. She is very good to me, but she is not mamma. Mamma was [45] a lady," she added, with simple, childish dignity, which told that she was a lady herself. ”

“ I know it's not right to talk Bible that kind of a way. Papa says so, and he tells us not to do it."
"Your papa's saying so does not make a thing right or wrong," said Cora.
"Yes, it does, too!" said Lily. "My papa knows a whole lot, and he wouldn't tell a story for any thing. Cora, you'd better go to your music lesson: I 'speck Miss Emily wants you." ”

“ DAISY A TEACHER.
ONE morning just after school commenced, a heavy shower came up; and when it was time for the recess, which was always given to the infant class at eleven o'clock, the ground was still so wet that the little ones were forced to find amusement within doors or upon the piazza.
"What shall we play?" asked Rosie Pierson.
"Lady Queen Fair," said Bessie Norton: "we'll go out on the piazza and play it."
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"Yes," said Violet; "and Lily shall be Lady Queen Fair, and we'll dress her up a little. ”

“ A child who idles away her time when she should be studying, and does not care whether or no she learns as much as is fit for her, is a dunce: not a little girl who really wishes to be industrious, but does not know quite as much as others of her own age only because God has not given her the same advantages in [115] time past. ”

“ Ward; "and to do it falsely is considered even by men to be a great crime. This is called perjury; and if any one is found guilty of it, he is severely punished by the law. Now it may be wise, and even necessary, for a man to take an oath at such a time as this, when the very life of another may depend on whether he tells the truth or no; but it can hardly be necessary for one little girl at play with another to make her promise sure by swearing to it. For to say 'by your sacred word and honor' is neither more nor [167] less than a sort of swearing or taking an oath that what you say is true." ”

“ And Lily Ward, the pet and darling of the school, the youngest child, and till that day the newest scholar there, had brought that morning a tiny doll's bath-tub, with a doll to match lying in it, saying it was to be "Moses in the bulrushes, for it couldn't be a real land of Egypt without a Moses." ”

“ Cora laughed again.
"Everybody must mind their p's and q's before you: mustn't they, Lily?" and away she ran to her music lesson.
"Here's the cushion," said Rosie Pierson, running out from the school-room. "I found it in the closet under the shelf where those careless big girls left it, I s'pose."
The cushion was put behind Lily's shoulders, but still the little queen fidgeted on her throne and declared she was not yet "comfortal." ”

“ Betty sighed and shook her head mournfully as she answered,—
"I've always looked to give her up, sir, if them Saacyfuts, or whatever their name'll be, turned up, and if it was for her good, sorra a word [64] would they hear out of me, though I won't say but it would go hard with me and Jack. But ye'll not be tellin' me ye've been findin' her friends since last night, sir?"
"Not the people she belongs to, certainly, Betty; but I have found those who will be friends to her, and provide for her, if you will consent. She should go to school and be well taught: do you not think so?" ”

“ Ward.
"Yes: they will, papa. They want to know about it, and I think we'd better make a swearing party of this. I b'lieve it would do those big girls good too. They swear, oh, dreadfully! and they don't seem to think they do, least Cora don't. Mamma, let's make a rule we won't have any swearing in this house: won't you?"
"Certainly," said mamma, smiling; "and I think we must find out what swearing is, and be careful not to break the rule."
"If one is going to call 'goodness' and 'mercy,' and such things, swearing, one might as well give up talking altogether," said Ella. ”

“ All Miss Collins' young scholars, however, thought themselves very much concerned in the letting of [207] Beechgrove, and with good reason. For a large aviary belonged to the place, containing many rare and beautiful birds, and the former owner, who was fond of children, often used to invite the young people of Glenwood to see these birds, and to amuse themselves in other ways about his grounds. But since Dr. Harding had had the care of the place, not a child had been suffered to come within sight or hearing of the aviary, which had a new charm for them since it was a forbidden pleasure. ”

“ Ward.
"I'd be very provoked with them," answered Lily, "and I think I wouldn't love them any more, 'cept it was you, papa, or mamma, or Elly, or any one of my own that I have to love; and then I'd cry, and ask you not to serve my Jesus' letter so."
"You mean the Bible is Jesus' letter to us: don't you, sir?" asked Daisy.
"Yes; and, dear children, our Lord's presence is here among us as much as if He were in man's form which He once wore on earth. His ear is as quick to hear our words of love and praise, or those of carelessness and disrespect, as it was then ”

“ Ward, "you may each ask six of your most intimate friends."
"Can Walter and I ask some of the fellows?" said Ned.
"Oh, mercy! no," said Ella: "we don't want any boys. It is not to be a regular party, Ned. I just want the [153] girls to spend the afternoon and drink tea; and it makes more fuss to have boys too."
"Goodness me! You needn't get into such a way about it," said Ned.
"Children," said Lily, her brother's and sister's words bringing back to her what Daisy had said, "children, you needn't either of you swear about it." ”