A friend of mine, who was a student, and was staying in a boarding house, received one day in the mail a little box containing a good slice of wedding cake. When he came home at night, he put it on the mantlepiece, intending to eat some of it in the morning.
However, he forgot all about it for about a week. Then he remembered it again, and took down the box expecting to eat his cake. What was his surprise to find only a few crumbs left!
So he rang the bell, and his landlady appeared, and he told her what had happened.
“Oh, I am afraid it must be my little Nelly, as she comes here before breakfast to dust your room, sir.”
When Nelly, who was ten years old, came back from school, her mother spoke to her about the cake, and said: “I am so sorry, my child; I fear you must have stolen the cake.”
“Oh, no, Mother,” said the naughty girl, “it must have been a mouse that took it.”
However, on Sunday morning there was a tap at the door, and my friend called out “Come in.” There little Nelly stood in the doorway, looking very much ashamed, and, with the tears trickling down her cheeks, she said: “Please, Sir, I was the mouse that took the cake.” And then she confessed how she opened the box, and took just a very little bit, but the next morning a bigger piece, and so on, till at last it was nearly all gone. My friend, who was a goodhearted fellow, forgave Nelly for she was quite sorry and repentant, and after a little talk together they had a word of prayer. I don’t think Nelly will forget the talk and prayer that morning.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
ML 04/26/1959