PLEASE, aunt Fanny, I am going to tell you a secret, a real secret, you know. Hilda says she likes stories about girls best, so I am going to ask you to tell us about some of the girls you have known.”
"No, it is not a secret at all, Wilfrid," put in Hilda, laughing. "I like all aunt Fanny's stories, but perhaps those about girls do interest me most, though it was very kind of you to think of it, Wilfrid. But we have not said our text yet.”
Aunt Fanny smiled, and a very real thanksgiving to the Lord went up from her heart that the two children so dear to her were being taught of Him to love one another.
The text having been repeated, aunt Fanny began the conversation by telling a story.
“‘I wish you to make haste home from school this afternoon, girls,' Mrs. James said one morning, as her two daughters, Bella and Nellie, lunch baskets in hand, and quite ready for their walk to school, entered the kitchen where she was busy, to give mother her good-morning kiss.
"Nellie, the younger of the two, said cheerfully, ‘Yes, mother, we will be sure to remember.' But the elder sister, Bella, did not look at all pleased, and answered crossly, ‘Oh, mother, how tiresome!
Charlotte Wills wants us to go to her house after school; her mother said we might go if we liked, and Charlotte wants to show us all her birthday presents. She had so many, and some are such beauties. Why must we make haste home? Is any one coming to-day? Have you had a letter from uncle Harold?'
“Mrs. James looked troubled; it was not the first time the willful spirit of her eldest daughter had given her pain. But she only said gently, Because your mother wishes it, Bella, will, I think, be a sufficient reason for the obedience of an affectionate child. You may tell Charlotte Wills that, if convenient to her mother, I can spare Nellie and you to-morrow evening, but I shall expect you home early to-day. Run away now, or you will be late for school.'
“The two girls were soon on their way to school. Bella seemed out of temper, and did not care to talk much. At last she said, in a fretful, complaining tone, I think mother might just as well have let us go home with Charlotte to-day as tomorrow. It can't make any difference to her, or she might have told us why we are to make haste home. I say it is a shame we can never do as we like.'
“Tears were in Nellie's eyes as she answered in a low, grieved voice, ‘Oh, Bella, how can you say such dreadful things about our own darling mother? you know she is always good and kind to us. Don't you remember when you were so ill last winter, how she was always nursing and caring for you, and how she used to sit up at nights and never even say she was tired? And I don't think we should make a trouble of doing any little thing that will please mother, even if we don't know exactly why she wishes it.'
“Bella knew her sister was right, but as she still wanted to have her own way she replied, ' I have no doubt you find it easy to do as you are told, but then you are not clever, I heard Miss Ayres say so, and you know you never get any of the best prizes. I took the French prize last year, and am almost sure of getting one for English history this year.'
“Nellie's answer was a gentle, Yes, Bella, I know sometimes I find it very hard to learn my lessons, but when we were at school last Sunday, and Miss Cooper was speaking to us about that verse in our scripture lesson, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" (Eph. 6:11Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)), and telling us that if we love the Lord Jesus we are to show it by being obedient and gentle at home, I felt quite pleased to know there was just one thing not at all hard for me to understand or remember. Perhaps God had it written in His word to help and comfort all the dull girls like me, who can seldom learn more than one or two easy verses.'
“But as the sisters were within sight of the schoolhouse, and the ringing of the bell warned them it was time to enter, they stopped talking and quickened their steps.
“Nellie was not in the same class as her sister, and did not see much of her during the morning, but at lunch time noticed that Bella did not look happy, and that instead of joining the other girls she spent most of her recess in a corner of the playground, talking in low tones to Charlotte Wills. Afternoon school was over, and most of the girls set out for their homes, though a few still lingered for just one more game at ball. Nellie waited almost impatiently for Bella. She came at last, but not alone; Charlotte Wills, who seemed to have made up her mind not to lose sight of her for a moment, was by her side and said, ‘Run home, little Nellie, but don't run too fast. Bella is going round my way; she will be at home nearly as soon as you are, and if mother should ask any questions, all you need say is that Bella's coming.'
“‘But I must make haste home,' Nellie answered bravely. ‘And oh, Bella, dear Bella, do come too; you remember what mother said, don't you?'
“‘Yes, I remember, and I am coming, only I don't want you to wait for me; there now, don't be silly and begin to cry about it like a baby,' Bella continued, as the light from a street lamp fell on poor Nellie's tearful face.
“Without another word Nellie turned homewards, feeling very anxious and unhappy. She could not believe that Bella really intended to disobey her mother, and yet why did she not hasten home?
“So thinking, Nellie reached home; as she opened the door the sight that met her eyes was enough, for the time at least, to make her forget even Bella, as with a cry of joy she sprang forward in her father's arms.
“Yes, the husband and father who had been many months absent at sea had returned to his home some weeks earlier than had been expected, and very loving and joyous was the welcome he received.
“‘And so my little Nellie is the first to welcome father home,' he said, kissing her tenderly. ‘Mother had a letter this morning telling her it was just possible I might see you all to-day, but as I knew that many things might come in to hinder, I wrote, "Please don't say a word to the girls, for I know how disappointed they will be; I may not be able to get leave, and I should not like to think that my little daughters had cried themselves to sleep because father could not come home." But where is Bella?' Mr. James asked.
“‘She is coming, father,' Nellie answered almost in a whisper, but as at that moment her mother called them to tea, no more was said.
“The meal was almost over when Bella arrived, looking very much ashamed of herself. Her mother, who would not cast a shadow over the joy of her husband's return, forebore asking Bella any questions, or reproving her for conduct she felt so undutiful.
“Tea had been cleared away, and the family gathered round the fire to enjoy a quiet talk, when Mr. James, taking a small Bible neatly bound in purple velvet from its paper wrappings, held it up, saying, I am not going to ask which of my little daughters is most clever, or who has got most prizes to show father; my reward is for the one of whom mother can say, she is dutiful and obedient.'
“There was a moment's silence, broken by Bella saying, ‘Please, father, give it to Nellie; she deserves it, but I don't. I have been a very naughty girl to-day, and disobeyed mother. But indeed, mother,' she continued, after a pause, ‘I did not go home with Charlotte Wills. I only went with her as far as West Street, just to look at a muff her uncle Edward has promised to buy for her.'
“‘Bella is right, and the reward of obedience is fairly Nellie's,' Mrs. James said in answer to a look from her husband.
“So the Bible, on the fly-leaf of which Mr. James wrote under his little daughter's name the words, ‘Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure and whether it be right' (Pro. 20:1111Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. (Proverbs 20:11)), was placed in Nellie's hands, while her father added a few wise, loving words of encouragement and counsel.
"‘I am not a bit jealous, Nellie dear,' Bella said with a kiss, when the two girls were alone in their room that night. But I want you to help me to obey mother, even when I can't quite see the reason for what I am told to do or not to do.'
"‘Shall we read in my new Bible about how when the Lord Jesus was twelve years old He obeyed His mother?' was Nellie's answer as she placed the precious volume in her sister's hand.”