Maria Elizabeth Budden

“ But what can be done for one, who would take no advice, and profit by no kindness? The mind and the body depend much on each other; when the one droops, the other soon sinks. The senses of the mourner became weak and clouded, and his reason seemed shaken. He had one child, but he would never see her; he said, the sight of her would kill him, she was so like her dear mother. ”

“ Why am I not a man of fortune?"—"How many daily utter that same wish!" said Paul: "all cannot be wealthy."—"If I had but a thousand pounds!" cried Clement impatiently pacing the room. "Two hundred would suffice," said Paul, "if you are thinking only of Fanny."—"Certainly, of whom, or of what else should I be thinking?"—"Well, then—here, in a postscript"—"The best part of a lady's letter," interposed Clement. "Here, my mother says, that Frank Pelham might form a very advantageous engagement, could he but command two hundred pounds."—"I will go beg, borrow or steal, the sum!" cried Clement. ”

“ Eve used to laugh when her mother told her, that if she desired to grow up in goodness, she must avoid the smallest faults; "for, my dear Eve, people do not become bad all at once. No, they begin with thoughts of evil, and making excuses for evil, and doing little things that are not quite right, and so go on in error, till all their virtue is fled." ”

“ The sad story of guilt and grief had so much hurt the two girls, that for some days they could think of nothing else; and they became grave and mournful. To revive their [Pg 56] spirits, their Aunt took them to walk in the noble gardens of Lord Glenmore. Among the beds of flowers, was a plot of tulips of the finest forms, and the brightest colours: one of the tulips the Aunt plucked, and gave to Kate. It was a double one, of snowy brightness, with the edges tinted in shades of the richest crimson: nothing could be more lovely; and Kate said she would draw and paint it, as soon as she got home. ”

“ The Aunt waited to hear the meaning of all this, and the woman began a speech; but as it was plain she did not speak the truth, the Aunt shook her head, told her to give up her wicked course, and left her.
"My dear girls," said the good Aunt, "this woman's cunning is a proof that all who beg do not deserve, or require relief. But as there is much real distress in the world, those who truly desire to relieve it must not fail to visit the scenes of sorrow named to them, that so they may serve the unfortunate and detect the guilty." ”

“ What instinct!" cried the girls, charmed with the scene; "how useful her bill is to her!"—"Yes, it is her third hand," said the Aunt; "with her bill she will daily turn each egg, so that each part shall be duly warmed; and she will never quit her nest for more than a few minutes at a time, for fear her eggs should be harmed by the cold."—"Oh! the good creature!" cried Kate. ”

“ I am glad we joined them: are not you, Aunt?"—"Yes, my dear, very glad. Be happy and make happy, [Pg 42] is, you know, my merry motto."—"I thought you meant to soothe woe and relieve distress, when you talked of making happy."—"That is one of the modes by which we can dispense gladness, to be sure; but it is not the only one. I am a great friend to harmless mirth; it gladdens the human breast, and opens the heart of man to man. To be cheerful together, is a sure and pleasant way of joining ourselves to our neighbours and friends. He who made the world so smiling, formed us also to be gay." ”

“ THE TRUE BEGGAR.
"Another tale of woe, Aunt,"—cried Kate, a few weeks after the visit to the false beggar. "But I suppose, this also is not true, and therefore you will not give any help."—"My dear Kate, all persons claim our belief till we have proved their falsehood. This may be true, though the other was false; never let us decide till we have found out the real truth, which can only be done by going to the spot." ”

“ The harper and his aged wife were seated by their blazing fire, and the ladies were soon seated with them. Both looked cheerful and happy, though both had known much sorrow; but, just ready to finish the journey of life, they said they had done [Pg 49] with this world's care. Nothing can be more cheering than the sight of a gay old age! It seems to speak a long and blameless life; it seems to speak, a body unhurt by vice and folly, a mind unstained by crime or guilty thoughts. ”

“ Such is often the fate of good advice. It is hoped the advice given in this little book will not so soon pass away; but that all those who read of Kate and Blanche, and their good Aunt, will bear in mind their sayings and their doings; and then, like them, they will learn to profit by what happens around them. They will learn to turn each event of life to some good purpose, either for themselves or others, and thus earn that cheerful old age, which they have just had described to them in the Harper's tale. ”

“ How much worse off is he, than our weeping old woman!"—"Aunt," said Kate, "I had been thinking with envy of Miss Glenmore; her toys, her books, her fine dress;—but I shall do so no more; for, oh! how well am I off, when I compare my lot to the poor children we have been clothing."—"You are right, Kate; be grateful for your lot, and reflect, that all have their share of good; what we do not prize is perhaps a joy and a pleasure to those who are below us in life ”

“ Eve very often asked for more fruit than her mamma chose to give her. "There is plenty, mamma, why may I not have more?"—"My dear Eve, learn to restrain your wishes even when you can indulge them. Learn to see things you like, without wanting them, that you may be able to govern your desires. Thus, when you grow older, you will find it easy to exert self-control when needful." ”

“ Bridget had a pretty baby sister, and her first purpose was to find some toy for her. When she had bought a book full of pictures for the little Alice, she began to think what she should like best herself: after much thinking and looking, she settled to have either a workbox, or a lovely dressed droll. As she looked at the charming doll, which the woman held in her hand, she heard a plaintive voice behind her; and, turning round, she saw a very very old man. ”

“ I agree with you, that Belle has a fair chance of comfort here; she will have much to do, and much to enjoy."—"That you often tell us is the best chance to be happy," said Blanche, "to have much to do, and much to enjoy."— [Pg 39] "I can enjoy nothing when I am idle," cried Kate. "Because you have been taught to be busy, Kate," said her Aunt; "and it is perhaps happy for you, that you are forced to employ yourself; your state in life demands it. Those, whose fate does not oblige them to work, are often wretched, because they are idle ”

“ But, Edith, I think our greatest pleasure, to-day, was taking the broth, and clothes, to that poor widow."—"Yes, that to be sure was one of our best jobs, and I had not forgot it; nor, dearest Clare, have I forgot the little girl, who gave her only sixpence to the widow's sickly baby." Clare blushed, for it was she who had given the sixpence. "I am thinking," said she, "for people who have been so lucky all the day as we have been, there is one duty above all others to perform." "I know what you mean, Clare," said Edith ”

“ Janet, when she found herself alone in the world, was very sad, but she had no time for sorrow, she had to take care of her dear little ones, teach them, work for them, [Pg 62] play with them; she hired a small neat room in which they all lived; and the smiles and kisses of Paul and Jessy were her sweetest comfort and reward. She used to rise early; and, whilst they yet slept, she was busy. Jessy was very proud, when she could do anything to help her dear sister; and Paul was all joy, when he had a job to do for her, or an errand to run on. The neighbours were very kind to the orphans ”

“ Come to my cottage, lady; my dame will welcome you, and you will see what comfort my young Lord has heaped on me. He is young and gay, but he does not forget his poor tenants; he has the power and the will to do good ”

“ The fact darted on his mind. "Alas! there must be human beings here, perhaps perishing." His strong arms soon made a way into the cottage. What a sight did he see on his entrance! Little Jessy [Pg 127] nestled into the bosom of her mother, and both looking as if asleep! It would have been the sleep of death, but for this providential rescue. The sportsman had food and wine in his wallet; and Jessy was soon laughing,—and her mother soon weeping,—safe and alive in his arms!
MONEY.
"What can I do with all this money?" said little Andrew, looking at a shilling his papa had given him. ”

“ In one moment, joy may be changed into mourning; but let us never forget that, in one moment, also, mourning may be turned into joy! I will tell you a story to the point.
A woodman, called Wilfred, had an only son, named Maurice. Maurice was the comfort of his father, and the delight of all his friends. He was humane, active, cheerful; [Pg 70] where he worked, labour was soothed by mirth; where he was present, leisure was cheered by sport. He always hoped the best, and was ready for the worst; gay, yet prudent ”

“ Their Aunt kindly said, she would wait a little; but the poor girls were in sad distress. They went slowly and sorrowfully up stairs, to mend their tattered dresses. "To have no other frocks clean, this day of all the year," cried Ethel sullenly.—"But, sister, see how easily the rents can be mended," said Patty, setting herself to work.—"A pretty business, to be sure, after stitching [Pg 116] all the morning; just when all the nasty work was done, to have more to do," said Ethel.—"Oh! so very little! Look, Ethel, it is a mere trifle," exclaimed Patty.—"Yours may be; but mine—" said Ethel. ”

“ By seeing them with our own eyes, we know what is most wanted. It is seldom wise to give money to the poor; they don't know how to make the best of it; and by not giving to all, we have more to give to a few."
[Pg 26]
HOW TO DO THE MOST GOOD.
"You see, Kate, to do real good, one must not mind some trouble; for, you know, my love, it is our duty to detect and prevent error, as much as it is our duty to cherish virtue."—"But, Aunt, when one inquires too closely, one finds out sad faults."—"Right, my dear, and we do good even by that discovery. ”

“ Oh! he is a dear good boy."
The happy parents were never tired of talking of this loved child; and Kate and Blanche smiled and wept, as they heard of the comfort and joy, which a kind son could dispense to his aged parents. As they slowly [Pg 50] walked home, they spoke of all they had seen and felt, and the good Aunt made many remarks. "You see, my dears, how the pains and weakness of old age can be soothed, by the love and duty of tender children; you see that when all other feelings have passed away a parent's love survives. Ah! nor time nor absence can destroy a parent's love! ”

“ It was a bleak stormy autumn day, Clare could not be found—Constance too was missing—Where could they be?
We searched the gardens, the village lanes, the fields; nothing could be discovered of them. They were not used to wander. Every body became anxious. I joined in the search, and bent my way towards a neighbouring wood. The villagers were sure the little girls were not there. ”

“ Ruth brought back the warm thanks of the poor she had been sent to cheer; joy is good for the heart, it is said so in the first and best of books: grief may help to cure faults, but mirth tends to nurse good thoughts, and to cheer good hearts.
[Pg 12]
LOVE, THE SOURCE OF JOY.
The two girls were good friends, and it was rare for them to frown or scold: one day, to be sure, they had a few harsh words, and Kate gave Blanche a blow on the face. The blow hurt Kate's heart more than it did the cheek of Blanche, for she was sad all the rest of the day, and so was her poor friend ”

“ The friends now both laughed, and owned the folly of their [Pg 84] fancies. "What a sad thing is fear!" said Matthew; "when once we let it come over us, how quickly it masters us! Fear made a tender oakspray seem to crackle with horrid sound! Fear made a timid bird seem to utter dreadful notes! Well, we shall be wiser the next time: and think, and look, and feel, before we yield ourselves to fear, and on such a glorious night too!"
SPEAK THE TRUTH.
"It is my doll, and he wants it," cried Susan, running to her papa and mamma, all in tears and anger. ”

“ The girls talked of the difference between all they saw at Castle Glenmore, and what they saw at the shop. "Yes," said the Aunt, "and you may also observe how little alike is the life of a rich lord and our poor dame. He and his lady have no care, but to please and amuse themselves just as the humour takes them, from morning till night; whilst dame Hodge has, even in old age, to [Pg 36] work for her food, and to cook it before she eats it. She must make her bed before she can sleep in it; in short, she must labour before she can possess any one thing. ”

“ The girls were quite hurt at themselves, and began to declare how fond they were of Ruth, and how civil and kind she always was to them. "I quite agree with you, that she [Pg 34] deserves your favour; but do not let caprice make you sometimes behave well to her and sometimes ill; a steady system of kindness does more to gain friends than all the ardour and warmth in the world. Nothing is so bad in our intercourse with our fellow-creatures,—nothing so bad as caprice!" ”