Madeline Leslie

“ She threw her pile of books into a chair, tossed her hat on another, and, passing through the common sitting-room, asked in a complaining tone,—
"Isn't dinner most ready?"
"Oh, Matilda!" said her mother, [32] "you're just in time; run back as quick as you can to the store, and ask Mr. Pratt to cut you a thick slice of ham. Your father will be home in ten minutes, and be angry if dinner isn't ready. There, catch up your hat, and run quick."
"It's always the way," pouted Matilda, snatching the plate her mother held toward her. ”

“ I don't think Matilda is very happy." [56]
Sallie shook her head, but presently asked,—
"What makes you always want people to forgive? I don't see how it will make you any happier."
"Oh, yes indeed it will! It seems dreadful to me to see two school-mates feeling unkindly to each other; and then, you know," she added with a deeper blush, "who has said, 'Be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with [57] you;' don't you remember what a blessing is promised to the peace-makers?" ”

“ She's the best friend I have, any way. I never get angry when I'm with her."
"I didn't mean to say a word against her, I'm sure. I like her first-rate." [19]
"Well, I shouldn't think you liked me first-rate, if I heard that you called me unfeeling and proud."
Sallie drew her arm from her companion, and walked on by herself in a dignified manner. Before long, Matilda reached her own home, and, with a pleasant good-bye, ran inside the gate. ”

“ Mother, is Edward going with us?"
"He's been gone with Ethel for an hour. He has a chance to sell a bushel, if he can pick them." [53]
"I hope Matilda wont be there," said Sallie. "If she is, I sha'n't speak to her."
"I shall," added Hatty in a decided tone; "because, though I'm afraid she's done wrong, I don't think that would be the way to cure her, I think it would be best to let her see that we all love each other too well to allow a few hasty words to make us quarrel."
"I hate people who are always making a fuss." ”

“ Every day that you indulge in these evil passions, you will grow worse and worse. Try to reform. Begin to-day, and take this verse for your motto: 'If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.'"
"That is Hatty's rule," exclaimed [63] Matilda, starting from her seat. "I'll try it. I'm sorry now, I told Sallie that Cynthia didn't like her dress. I'm afraid there'll be a fuss about that. Sallie wont speak; and her cousin will find out what I said, and then the blame will all come on me." ”

“ Sallie sobbed so violently that her mother became alarmed; but for some time she tried in vain to soothe her.
"They'll all blame me. I never shall dare to see uncle Oliver or Esther again. They can't live without her. Oh, oh dear! I wish she never had come. Mother, do please go over there quick, and tell them how very sorry I [105] am. Hatty taught me to love the Saviour, and how can I let her die?"
To please her child the widow went. Hatty lay in the bedroom adjoining the sitting-room, which was usually occupied by uncle Oliver. ”

“ From her chamber window she saw Hatty and Sallie walk on, arm in arm, swinging their baskets; and conscience whispered,—"They will talk of you, and you have no one but yourself to blame for all your wretchedness."
Disgusted with herself, she still sat gazing from the window, when serious thoughts began to arise.
"Why can't I be happy?" she asked herself. "I have a better [61] home than either of those girls. That is, the rooms look better, and father has more money. But things never go right. Mother always wants errands done so quick; and father gets angry and cross ”

“ Esther's countenance changed, and at last she said,—
"I'm afraid to have sister go; the fever is very contagious." [88]
"Well, I wont deny that; but perhaps if she ties a bag of camfire round her neck, she wont catch it, I've got one round mine this blessed minute; and I've made Sarah Ann wear one ever since the fever come into town."
"Hatty'll want to go," suggested uncle Oliver. "'Twill be just like her not to think a mite of herself. It's 'stonishing what harum-scarum creaters girls be. They don't valley their own lives a mite, if they want to do anything." ”

“ The reason Matilda was unwilling her companion should explain why she looked feverish, was because she well knew Hatty's character as a peace-maker; and her conscience loudly whispered that she had told much more than was true. [30]
After the girls parted, and she went into her own home, do you think she was happy? Are quarrelsome people generally so? ”

“ I mean that if we're ever so good, as you call it, we couldn't get [96] into heaven without Jesus. Our goodness is badness in God's sight, because he is so much holier than we are; but if we love Jesus, for his sake, God will forgive our sins."
"How can I love him? Mother has been telling me I must accept him as my Saviour, but I don't know how. Oh! I wish somebody would tell me! I'm dying, and I can't find out anything."
"Sallie, listen to me a minute. In my last Sabbath school paper [97] was an account of a little heathen girl, who felt as you do. ”

“ You know," she added with a merry laugh, "when the fashion is a sensible one, we ought to follow it."
"But Hatty, Matilda says, Cynthia talked horridly about my [51] dress. I got awfully angry about it, and said I wouldn't speak to her again this term."
"Oh, Sallie! that would be unkind and unforgiving, even if she had done all that Matilda says; but I do really think, Matilda is mistaken; I heard Cynthia praise the dress myself."
"No, she was not mistaken," cried Sallie in great excitement. "She meant to make a fuss. She's always trying to get people into a quarrel. ”

“ Hatty went on, after bringing from the cellar a dish of cold meat and a plate of large cucumber pickles, "the girls are going nutting. Do you suppose I could go? Ethel Frost says chestnuts and shagbarks are [38] ever so thick. There's one reason, specially, why I want to go to-day."
Esther quite laughed this time.
"You know I tell you everything," Hatty went on, her face growing a little anxious. "Sallie Munson is in trouble. I want to make her feel better; and I guess I can."
"Well, my dear peace-maker, you can go as well as not. You know uncle Oliver likes nuts in winter. ”

“ She did not think it right to tell even Esther that her school-mate had tried to make hard feeling between cousins; but she did tell her heavenly Father, and asked his blessing on her effort to make peace between them.
[47]
Then with a parting kiss to Esther, who sat patiently at her sewing, she ran off to call for Sallie before Matilda joined the party.
"I've come begging," she said, laughing gayly, as she found her friend lingering over her afternoon task of picking beans for her mother to bake. "Here, let me help you; and I'll tell you what I want. You and I are just the same size ”

“ At last, one day when she was able to sit up, her mother told her Hatty had taken the [103] fever the day she visited her, and now she was very sick.
"Who will take care of her?" asked Sallie, beginning to cry.
"They sent for her aunt, who has never been near them since their mother died, and she's there now. She has money, and she says the poor child shall not want for anything that money will buy."
"Oh, mother! to think that I have killed her! I feel almost sure she will die. She's so good, [104] I used to tell the girls, she ought to go to heaven ”

“ Her father was so angry at her tardiness in bringing the ham for his dinner that he forbade her the pleasure. She passed the afternoon in a very unhappy state of mind, continually quarrelling with her brothers and sisters, [60] and stirring up strife in the whole household. ”