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diff --git a/30681-h/30681-h.htm b/30681-h/30681-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cbec844 --- /dev/null +++ b/30681-h/30681-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2612 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Nanny Merry, by Anonymous</title> +<style type="text/css"> + body {background:#fdfdfd; + color:black; + font-size: large; + margin-top:100px; + margin-left:15%; + margin-right:15%; + text-align:justify; } + h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {text-align: center; } + hr.narrow { width: 40%; + text-align: center; } + hr.minimal { width: 25%; + text-align: center; } + hr { width: 100%; } + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 3px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + table {font-size: large; } + table.sm {font-size: medium; } + p {text-indent: 3%; } + p.noindent { text-indent: 0%; } + .caption { font-size: small; + font-weight: bold; } + .center { text-align: center; } + img { border: 0; } + .figleft {float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 0; + margin-top: 0; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center;} + .nowrap { white-space: nowrap; } + .small { font-size: 70%; } + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red; + text-decoration: underline; } + + hr.pg { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 70%;} +</style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Nanny Merry, by Anonymous</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Nanny Merry</p> +<p> or, What Made the Difference</p> +<p>Author: Anonymous</p> +<p>Release Date: December 14, 2009 [eBook #30681]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NANNY MERRY***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Delphine Lettau<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (http://www.pgdp.net)</h3> +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="center"> +<table style="margin: 0 auto" cellpadding="4" summary="Illustration"> + <tr> + <td align="center"> + <a href="images/coversm.jpg"> + <img src="images/coversm.jpg" height="400" + alt="BOOK COVER" /></a> + </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align="center"> + <span class="caption">Click to <a href="images/coverlg.jpg">ENLARGE</a></span> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<table style="margin: 0 auto" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="2" summary="Contents"> +<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left" valign="top"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img001.jpg" width="150" alt="" /> +</div> +<h1>NANNY MERRY.</h1> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img002.jpg" width="150" alt="" /> +</div> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<table style="margin: 0 auto" cellpadding="4" summary="Illustration"> + <tr> + <td align="center"> + <a href="images/frontislg.jpg"> + <img src="images/frontislg.jpg" height="550" + alt="CROWNING THE QUEEN" /></a> + </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td align="center"> + <span class="caption">Crowning the Queen<br /> +Click to <a href="images/frontislg.jpg">ENLARGE</a></span> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> +<p> </p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img004.jpg" width="450" alt="" /> +</div> +<p> </p> +<h2><span class="wide">NANNY MERRY;</span></h2> + +<h6>OR,</h6> + +<h4>WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE?</h4> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img005.jpg" width="250" alt="" /> +</div> + +<h4>LONDON:</h4> +<h5>T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;</h5> +<h6>EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.</h6> +<h5>1872.</h5> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img006.jpg" width="500" alt="" /> +</div> +<p> </p> +<h1><span class="wide">NANNIE MERRY</span>.</h1> +<p> </p> +<hr class="minimal" /> +<p> </p> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h3> + +<h4>IN WHICH NANNIE IS INTRODUCED.</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;"> +<img src="images/img007.jpg" width="75" alt="A" title="" /> +</div><div class="unindent">little brown house, with an old +elm-tree before it, a frame of lattice-work +around the door, with a broad +stone for a step—this is where old +Grannie Burt lives. And there she +is sitting in the doorway with her +Bible in her lap. She can't read it, for she is +blind; but she likes to have it by her; she +likes the "feeling of it," she says. "When my +Bible is away," Grannie Burt says, "I am sometimes +troubled and worried; but if I can only +touch it, my troubles are all gone; for what +harm can any trouble do us when we are going +to heaven at last?"</div> + +<p>But grannie doesn't always have to <i>feel</i> her +Bible. Sometimes—very often—a little girl comes +down the path to the brown house, and sitting +down close by grannie, on that cricket that you +see there now, takes the good book and reads the +blessed words to her, till the tears trickle down +grannie's wrinkled face, and laying her trembling +hand on the little girl's head, she says, "God +bless thee, my child."</p> + +<p>I think she is expecting her now; for, see +the cricket is all ready, and on the little table is +a pitcher of cool water from the old well that +you see just behind the house; and here is the +little girl herself.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, grannie; are you waiting +for me? I couldn't come any sooner, because +mamma wanted me to play with Charlie; and +here are some peaches mamma sent you,—she +thought you would like them;" and Nannie, +quite out of breath with her walk and her talk, +stops a minute, which gives Grannie Burt a +chance to answer her questions and to thank +her for her peaches. "Now shall I read, +grannie?" said Nannie, as, taking a long draught +from the little pitcher, she sat down on the +cricket.</p> + +<p>"Eat this peach first," said grannie, picking +out the softest and handing it to her; "I know +you must be warm from your long walk, and this +will cool you."</p> + +<p>The peach looked so tempting that Nannie +looked at it wishfully. Her mother had only +given her one, and she had sent grannie a whole +basketful. It was only for a moment that +Nannie let these selfish thoughts trouble her. +"Grannie never has any of her own, and in a +few weeks I can have as many as I want," she +thought; so taking up the Bible she said, "No, +grannie, thank you; the water has cooled me +enough; where shall I begin?"</p> + +<p>"Read about heaven, Nannie; you know I +like to hear about that best."</p> + +<p>Softly the little voice began: "And I saw a +new heaven and a new earth." Then she read +of the tree of life, whose leaves are for the healing +of the nations; and of the water of life, that +flows near the jasper throne.</p> + +<p>When she had finished, she said, "What +makes you like to hear of heaven so much, +grannie?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm going there, Nannie! When you +read about the beautiful things, the pearly gates, +and the golden streets, I think, 'I shall see them, +for there will be no night there; not even in +these poor old eyes of mine.' And when you +read, 'the Lamb is the light thereof,' then I +think Jesus will be there, and that's what I like +best of all."</p> + +<p>"Where <i>is</i> heaven, grannie?"</p> + +<p>"Up there, I suppose," she said, pointing to +the bright sky above.</p> + +<p>"But, grannie, there was a gentleman at our +house yesterday, and I heard him talking with +my father, and he said he thought heaven was +in the sun. So I thought I would ask you, because +you always know so much about it. Do +you think it is in the sun?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think anything about it. I don't +think it makes much difference <i>where</i> it is, if we +only get there at last."</p> + +<p>"Sister Mary said she thought heaven would +be where God was."</p> + +<p>"So I think, child; and I don't think it's the +pearls, and gold, and all those things you read +about, that make it either; for I think any place +would be heaven, if we found Jesus there. This +old room has been pretty near it, sometimes."</p> + +<p>Nannie turned to the 14th chapter of John, +which she knew grannie loved to hear, and commenced +reading.</p> + +<p>While she is reading, let us go down the street +to the lane—bordered with trees—walk up the +narrow footpath, and over the stile just by the +blackberry-bushes, across the field to the little +marigolds, to the white cottage where Nannie +lives. You can come to it by the street, if you +choose, and you may come in under the great +elm-tree, by the gate; but then the street is so +dusty, and you miss seeing the little garden with +its bright flowers; and the blossoms in the lane +smell so sweetly, that it is quite worth while +going that way. But here we are, before the +door, on which we read, in bright letters, "Dr. +Merry;" for Nannie's name is Nannie Merry, +and Nannie's father is a doctor. He is doctor +in a pleasant little town that is situated on the +banks of a narrow river. I don't think you +could find either the town or the river on your +maps, if you should try; so there would be no +use in telling you their names. It was a pleasant +town, however, with its large elm-trees, and +pretty white cottages, with here and there a +large house, where the grandest people lived.</p> + +<p>But Nannie's father was only a country doctor, +and didn't live in a very large house. You +can see for yourself that it is only a white cottage, +with green blinds, and a long porch in +front, covered with sweetbriar and honeysuckle. +But the people that live in the house are quite +as pleasant as the house itself, or even as the +people that live in the large brick house. After +Dr. Merry comes Mrs. Merry, or Nannie's +mother, who is, like most mothers, very kind +and good; then sister Mary, who is grown up, +and Nannie thinks the best sister ever was; then +Belle, who is very pretty, and about twelve +years old; John and Charlie, who are, like most +boys, great teasers, and Nannie sometimes thinks +a good deal worse than most boys—but then, +Charlie is only four years old, so there is some +excuse for him. Lastly, we have Nannie herself, +who is—well, we shall find out what she is +before our story is finished. She is nine years +old, "nearly ten," and would feel offended if we +left that out. But here she comes from Grannie +Burt's, so we must stop talking about her. She +is coming by the lane just as we did, running at +first, then a little slower, till at last she stops, +for her sister Mary is weeding one of the pretty +borders in the little garden.</p> + +<p>"O Mary! grannie thinks just as you do +about heaven; I don't think Mr. Brown knows +so much about it as she does."</p> + +<p>"Why not, Nannie?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, because grannie is almost there, Mary,—she +ought to know!"</p> + +<p>"What makes you think grannie is almost +there?"</p> + +<p>"Why, she said so; and then she loves to hear +about heaven, just as I did about home when I +was at Aunt Sarah's."</p> + +<p>"Do <i>you</i> like to hear about heaven, Nannie?"</p> + +<p>"Sometimes," she answered, while with her +little shoe she played with the pebbles.</p> + +<p>"Not always! Nannie; when don't you like +to hear about it?"</p> + +<p>Nannie played with the pebbles a good while. +At last she said, "I like to hear <i>some</i> things +about it always, but not everything."</p> + +<p>"And what do you like to hear about it always?"</p> + +<p>"I like to hear about golden streets, and the +beautiful water, and the trees, and the harps of +the angels, and their golden crowns."</p> + +<p>"And what don't you like to hear about?"</p> + +<p>The little foot moved backwards and forwards +a good while, and when Nannie did speak, she +spoke almost as if she were afraid to do so.</p> + +<p>"I don't like to hear about its always being +Sunday there."</p> + +<p>"Why, Nannie, don't you like Sunday here?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, always once a week; but that's +not like <i>always</i>. I don't think I should like to +go to church <i>every</i> day, and learn the Catechism, +and have a cold dinner, and not play at all."</p> + +<p>"Maybe I can help you a little, Nannie. Do +you ever get tired of loving father?"</p> + +<p>"Why, no; I should never get tired of that, +I'm sure he never gets tired of loving me."</p> + +<p>"Do you get tired of showing you love him +by trying to please him?"</p> + +<p>"No, Mary; but—"</p> + +<p>"Never mind the 'buts' till I have done. +Now, God is 'Our Father,' and all we have to +do in heaven is to love him, and to show how +very much we love him by trying to do all we +can to please him. Do you think you'll get +tired of that?"</p> + +<p>"No. But that isn't like Sunday."</p> + +<p>"What do we do on Sunday, Nannie?"</p> + +<p>"Why, go to church and—"</p> + +<p>"Yes; but what do we go to church for?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see now!" said Nannie, her face +brightening up,—"oh, I see! We worship God +on Sunday, and that's what we'll do always in +heaven; isn't it, Mary?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's why we say it's always Sunday +there; and we shall love God so much better +there than we do now, that we can only be +happy in praising him. Even now, when we +think how good he is to us, and how he loves +us, it seems as if we <i>must</i> praise him; but then +we shall see him always, and never forget what +he has done for us. Do you think we can help +praising him, or that it will be hard work to +join with the angels in singing, 'Holy, holy, +Lord God Almighty'—'Worthy is the Lamb +that was slain'? Do you think you understand +now, Nannie, and will like to hear about heaven +as much as Grannie Burt does?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes! I felt very sorry, because I knew +I ought to love to think about heaven! And +so I think I do. But Belle said they did +nothing but sing hymns there, and she didn't see +what there was so very pleasant in that."</p> + +<p>"Belle ought not to talk so. But what did +you say to her?"</p> + +<p>"I said," Nannie answered, holding down her +head, "I thought the reason she didn't like it +was because she was not good; because all good +people liked to hear about heaven."</p> + +<p>"That's the reason, I think," said sister Mary, +as she gathered up her weeds for Nannie to take +away. Nannie carried them off, thinking all the +time, "Oh dear, I wish I were as good as sister +Mary!" If wishes would make any one good, +Nannie would have been very good long before +this time. "At anyrate," said Nannie, as she +emptied the weeds into the ash-heap, "I will +try. Father says there are weeds in our hearts, +and we can pull them up. I mean to try."</p> + +<p>We shall see in the next chapter how Nannie +succeeds in pulling up the weeds.</p> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="minimal" /> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img008.jpg" width="500" alt="" /> +</div> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h3> + +<h4>"IF THY BROTHER SIN AGAINST THEE,<br /> +FORGIVE HIM."</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;"> +<img src="images/img009.jpg" width="75" alt="O" title="" /> +</div><div class="unindent">ne bright sunshiny day, just when the +snow had commenced melting, the +children started in high glee to take +advantage of its softened state to make +a snow-man. This was a favourite +occupation of the children. Two or +three times every year they adorned the front +yard with a giant figure resembling a man, which +was allowed to stand until Jack and Charlie +snowballed it down, or the spring sun melted +it away.</div> + +<p>"Here's a nice place," said Jack, stopping +under the old elm-tree by the gate. "He'll do +for a sentinel here, and we'll arm him with a +gun."</p> + +<p>"Or a porter," said Belle; "and we'll give +him a key."</p> + +<p>"Here, Nannie, come this way," he said, as he +saw Nannie and Charlie walking off in the other +direction.</p> + +<p>"Charlie and I are going to make one by +ourselves," said Nannie.</p> + +<p>"You can't do it," said Jack; "you don't +know how."</p> + +<p>"We know how as well as you," said Charlie +indignantly.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll beat you then. Come, hurry, +Belle."</p> + +<p>So they set to work, rolling their balls, +sometimes running across each other's track, +when Master Charlie must always leave his +work to throw a ball at Jack. Jack, however, +was too busy to return them.</p> + +<p>"Don't, Charlie, keep stopping so," said +Nannie; "we shall not get it done."</p> + +<p>"I want to snowball Jack," said Charlie.</p> + +<p>"But we want to finish the snow-man first."</p> + +<p>Then Charlie would stick to his work a few +minutes; but whenever Jack came in sight, +rolling his now huge ball, Charlie couldn't +resist the temptation, and would fill his hands +full of snow, and let fly at Jack. He yielded +to the temptation the more easily, as he found +Jack was too busy to pay him back.</p> + +<p>Belle and Jack now could move their ball no +longer, and so they proceeded to make a smaller +one for the head, and to shape out the arms. +Jack made the hat to crown him, while Belle +shaped his coat and marked out the buttons. +Soon Charlie, who was more interested in theirs +than his own, cried out, "Oh, he's putting his +hat on!"</p> + +<p>Belle and Jack gave three cheers, and introduced +Nannie and Charlie to Mr. James +Snow.</p> + +<p>Mr. James Snow was a very remarkable-looking +old man, with a long white beard, who +looked as if he had much better been leaning on +a staff, than raising the gun with which Jack +had armed him.</p> + +<p>"You had better come with us," said Belle; +"you can't make one by yourselves."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we can," said Nannie. "Can't we, +Charlie?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we can," said Charlie. "Nicer than +that one too."</p> + +<p>"And we'll call ours Jack Frost," said +Nannie, as they hurried off to their work.</p> + +<p>But Charlie was more trouble than help, and +Nannie began to grow tired. Belle and Jack +stood by, looking on and teasing her. Charlie +stopped working, and began to defend their +workmanship with snowballs, which Jack and +Belle were not slow to return. At last, just as +Nannie had fashioned a most uncomfortable-looking +nose, and had succeeded with great difficulty +in inducing it to stay in its right place, +Jack's mischievous nature overcame him, and +seizing a lump of snow, he threw it straight at +the unfortunate nose. This was more than +Nannie could bear.</p> + +<p>"You naughty, ill-natured boy," she said; +"I'll never speak to you again."</p> + +<p>"O Nannie, I'm really sorry. I was only in +fun;" for Jack, like most boys, thought "only +in fun" excuse enough for anything. "Come +back, and I'll help you to make it."</p> + +<p>Nannie paid no attention to him, but walked +off in a very dignified manner. Jack whistled +a tune, and walked off in no very pleasant +humour, while Belle and Charlie went into the +house. Their pleasure was all gone for want of +"<i>the soft answer which turneth away wrath</i>."</p> + +<p>Nannie came in and sat down by the fire and +began to read. She was very much interested in +the book she was reading; but, somehow, to-day +she did not like it as well as usual. She turned +over the leaves, and read a little here and there; +but it didn't please her. She got up from her +chair, went to the window, and began drumming +on the window-pane.</p> + +<p>"Be still, Nannie," said her father, who was +sitting in the room, reading. She sat down +again, and sat looking into the fire.</p> + +<p>"I don't care," she thought; "Jack had no +business to do it. I think he was very unkind, +and I'll do the same to him another time. Yes, +I will," she said to herself more determinedly, +because there was something within which said, +<i>"If thy brother sin against thee, forgive him."</i> +Nannie wouldn't listen, but kept cherishing the +angry thoughts.</p> + +<p>"He may be thankful it wasn't Belle instead +of me, for she would have told father of him in +a minute. Jack is always teasing me. He +spoiled all my card-houses yesterday. Forgiving +him then didn't do him any good."</p> + +<p>The little voice within whispered, <i>"Lord, how +oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive +him? till seven times? Jesus saith, Until seventy +times seven."</i></p> + +<p>Nannie heard it again, but still wouldn't +listen, and went on,—"And the other day he +tore my prettiest paper doll, just for fun. I'd +like to know how he'd like to have me tear his +things 'just for fun.'</p> + +<p>"And the other day he hurt poor pussy's +ears."</p> + +<p>The little voice whispered,—"And the other +day, when you were sick, he stayed away from +the nutting party, and showed you pictures, and +read to you;" and as fast as Nannie told of an +unkind act, the little voice whispered of a kind +one. But Nannie could not listen to-day to the +friendly voice which had so often helped her out +of her troubles.</p> + +<p>After supper Jack said again, "Come, Nannie, +let us be friends, won't you?"</p> + +<p>Nannie had let the angry thoughts have +dominion so long, that although she felt almost +inclined to make it up with Jack, pride conquered, +and she turned away without a word.</p> + +<p>Poor Jack! he really loved his little sister +very much, and had felt very sorry about the +quarrel. It had cost a good deal of effort to +go so far towards making it up, even though he +knew he was to blame. But now, instead of +being sorry, he was only angry, and turned +away, saying, "Well, I can stand it as long as +you can."</p> + +<p>That night, as Nannie lay awake, the little +voice that Nannie had neglected so long kept +whispering, <i>"Let not the sun go down upon thy +wrath."</i> She tried to think of something else, +but it kept whispering, whispering.</p> + +<p>"I don't see," she said, "why I need trouble +myself so about it. Belle wouldn't mind it a +bit."</p> + +<p>When morning came, she felt better, and determined +to think no more about it. But at +prayers Dr. Merry read the sixth chapter of +Matthew: <i>"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, +your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But +if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither +will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses."</i></p> + +<p>As her father read these verses, the little +voice whispered once more, "Listen, listen;" +and this time Nannie did listen; and when they +all joined in the Lord's Prayer, it was with a +trembling voice she said, <i>"Forgive us our sins, as +we forgive those that trespass against us."</i></p> + +<p>That morning, as Jack started for school, +Nannie ran after him, and overtook him just as +he stepped into the wood-shed to find his knife, +which as usual was missing.</p> + +<p>"Jack," she said, going close up to him, "I'm +sorry I called you naughty and ill-natured."</p> + +<p>Jack was in a great hurry, and already out of +patience from the loss of his knife; besides, he +had not forgotten how Nannie had met his +effort for peace the evening before; so he pushed +by her, saying, "Well, don't bother me now; +you're in my light." She moved aside a little, +so that the light from the door could come in, +then spying his knife under the work-bench, she +picked it up and gave it to him. He took it +from her, and ran off without any thanks.</p> + +<p>The tears came into Nannie's eyes. "He's +too unkind, I think," she said; "he might at +least have thanked me for finding his knife. +Next time I'll leave it alone, and he may find it +the best way he can."</p> + +<p>Nannie's little friend inside whispered again, +<i>"Forgive till seventy times seven."</i> Nannie +listened now, and in her heart she prayed again, +<i>"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those that sin +against us."</i></p> + +<p>That afternoon, as Nannie was sitting reading, +Jack put his head in at the door, and said, +"Nannie, there's a gentleman in the front yard +wants to see you."</p> + +<p>Nannie was so busy reading, that she did not +notice the strangeness of the message. She put +away her book and went out. As she went into +the yard, what should she see there but her +snow-man, all complete! She turned round to +thank Jack, but he was nowhere in sight. +Nannie went up closer to examine the snow-statue, +and found a piece of paper on it, with +Mr. Jack Frost written on it in large letters. +Under the name was written with a pencil:—</p> + +<p>"Mr. Jack Frost requests of Miss Nannie +Merry that she will excuse his friend Mr. John +Merry for his rudeness this morning, as Mr. Frost +assures her that he will behave better next +time."</p> + +<p>Nannie laughed as she took off the paper, and +running into the house, she soon found Jack +standing by the kitchen-fire. Coming up behind +him, without his seeing her, she put her +arms round his neck, and kissed him several +times before he could speak. Then laughing, +she said,—</p> + +<p>"Miss Nannie Merry will excuse Mr. John +Merry this time."</p> + +<p>Somehow that evening Nannie and Jack were +greater friends than ever; and as they sat together +looking at the pictures in some large +books that Nannie couldn't lift alone, Nannie +was not sorry she had listened to the little +voice that had troubled her only to make her do +right.</p> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img010.jpg" width="200" alt="" /> +</div> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img011.jpg" width="500" alt="" /> +</div> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h3> + +<h4>CHRISTMAS."</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;"> +<img src="images/img012.jpg" width="75" alt="W" title="" /> +</div><div class="unindent">hat a beautiful morning it was, that +Christmas morning! It seemed as +though the earth, in its pure robe of +snow, and the trees, in their sparkling +armour of ice, every twig +jewelled and gleaming in the sun, +had clothed themselves in beauty, and with +joyful thoughts were giving thanks to their +Creator.</div> + +<p>Nannie didn't think all this, but something +very much like it was in her heart, as she stood +looking out from the window, as sister Mary set +the last smoking dish on the table.</p> + +<p>That morning Dr. Merry read the 116th +Psalm, beginning, <i>"I love the Lord, because he +hath heard my voice."</i> Nannie listened very +attentively, but there was one verse she didn't +quite understand. It was this: <i>"I will offer to +thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving."</i> She hadn't +time after prayers to ask her father or sister +Mary about it, but all the time she kept thinking +of it and trying to understand it. She didn't +know that every time she had looked out upon +the snow, and felt thankful to God for the bright +fire within that kept her warm, she had offered +the sacrifice of thanksgiving. She didn't know +that when she thought of Jesus, and her little +heart seemed so full of love to him, because he +had died for her, she had offered indeed an acceptable +sacrifice of thanksgiving. She didn't +know it; but Jesus knew it, and accepted +the sacrifice, with the same love as when +royal David sang the words to his golden +harp.</p> + +<p>"Nannie," called sister Mary, "Jack is +waiting for you."</p> + +<p>"In a minute," said Nannie, as she pulled on +her warm mittens.</p> + +<p>"It had better be a minute," Jack cried, "if +you're going with me, for I haven't much time +to spare before dinner."</p> + +<p>Nannie, laughing, took up the little basket +her mother had packed so nicely for Grannie +Burt, and off they started, Jack drawing the +large basket on his little hand-barrow.</p> + +<p>"Where shall we go first, Jack?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, to Grannie Burt's, of course, and then +you can help me to draw the barrow the rest of +the way."</p> + +<p>"Let us go to the other places first," said +Nannie, "and then you can draw me on the barrow +the rest of the way."</p> + +<p>"That's more than I bargained for; this basket +is all that I want to carry before dinner."</p> + +<p>Poor Jack, however, was destined to carry a +much heavier load than his basket of mince-pies +and roast chickens; for as Nannie skipped along, +her foot slipped, and down she came, basket and +all, while grannie's nice mince-pies tumbled out, +and rolled down the street.</p> + +<p>"Oh dear!" said Nannie, not knowing whether +to laugh or cry, "do look at grannie's pie! What +shall we do?"</p> + +<p>"Pick it up, of course," said Jack, as he ran +after it.</p> + +<p>"Nothing but clean snow," he said, as he +brought it back; "nobody will know it from +sugar."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but it's all broken! What shall we do?"</p> + +<p>"See here!" said Jack, lifting the cover of +the large basket; "mother has sent Aunt Betsy +two; we can take one of them for grannie."</p> + +<p>"Why, Jack, are you in earnest?"</p> + +<p>"Well, it's the best I can do. I can't mend +it, and I can't make a new one."</p> + +<p>"Let us go back, then, and get another."</p> + +<p>"Go back! why, Nannie, it's all you can do to +walk now; you're limping away like crazy Sam."</p> + +<p>"Don't make me laugh," said Nannie, laughing +all the time through her tears; "my foot +hurts me so, I can hardly walk."</p> + +<p>Jack's fun was all gone in a minute, as he +shouldered his big basket, and lifted Nannie on +his little hand-barrow.</p> + +<p>"O Jack! you can't carry the basket and drag +me too!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I can,—and hundreds more like you."</p> + +<p>And Jack trudged along, stopping now and +then to take breath, until they came to Grannie +Burt's.</p> + +<p>"O Jack! what shall we do about the pie?" +said Nannie, her tears starting afresh at the +thought.</p> + +<p>Jack couldn't stand the sight of Nannie's tears; +so he said, "Never mind it; I'll go back and get +another."</p> + +<p>"Oh, will you? Thank you, Jack."</p> + +<p>Grannie Burt's daughter, Susan, now came to +the door, and made all sorts of exclamations over +Nannie, whose ankle pained her so much, she +couldn't walk, and Jack had to carry her into +the house. While Jack told the story of the +pie, Susan had taken off Nannie's shoe and stocking, +and was bathing her ankle, while grannie +kept saying, "Does it feel better, dear?"</p> + +<p>"Never mind the pie," said grannie, as Jack +went on with his story; "it's just as good as +ever, though it is broken."</p> + +<p>"Oh, but it doesn't look so nice," said Nannie.</p> + +<p>"I can't see it, you know," said grannie, +laughing.</p> + +<p>But Nannie wasn't satisfied, and called to Jack, +as he started off, to be sure and bring another.</p> + +<p>Very soon Nannie felt better, and sitting up +in the big chair, she reached over for the large +Bible, and said,—</p> + +<p>"Grannie, shall I read to you, while I'm +waiting?"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you don't feel well enough."</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, I should like to read; I want to +read the chapter father read this morning."</p> + +<p>She turned over the leaves and found the +place, and began: <i>"I love the Lord, because he +hath heard my voice and my supplications."</i></p> + +<p>"Oh yes," said grannie; "David isn't the +only one who can say that. God has always +heard me."</p> + +<p>"Did you ever ask him, grannie, to make you +see?" said Nannie.</p> + +<p>"No; I never asked him. I asked him to +make me patient to bear it. You think it's +dreadful, Nannie, to be blind, and I used to +think so too. But God never takes anything +from us without giving us something else to +make up for it. You think I sit in the dark +always; but it isn't dark, Nannie; it's all light—a +light brighter than the sun: it's the light of +heaven; I see it constantly. It isn't only those +that live in heaven that can say they have no +need of the sun or moon, for the Lamb is their +light: I can say it too.—Yes," she went on, more +to herself than Nannie,—"yes, dear Saviour, +thou art my light."</p> + +<p>Nannie sat looking wonderingly at the wrinkled +old face, so happy and peaceful, and at the +withered hands folded so quietly, and thought +she did not understand it then. Many years +after, when she too was old, did she remember +that peaceful face and those folded hands, and say +in the midst of trial and sorrow,—</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear Saviour, thou art my light!"</p> + +<p>"I have thought sometimes," grannie went on, +"that heaven will be pleasanter to me, for not +seeing here. Think how new it will all be +there! People that have always had their sight +only see something different when they go to +heaven; but I haven't seen anything for ten +years. Just think what it will be to me to see +those beautiful things you read about!"</p> + +<p>"What are they, Nannie?"</p> + +<p>Nannie said, "Golden streets, gates of pearl, +the tree of life, the wall of jasper. I don't remember +any more."</p> + +<p>"And Jesus, Nannie; you don't forget him? +Think of these poor blind eyes, that have seen +nothing for so long, opening at last upon <i>his</i> +face! I love to think of those blind people +Jesus healed, and think that he was the first +thing they saw."</p> + +<p>Then Nannie read on: <i>"Gracious is the Lord, +and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. Return +unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt +bountifully with thee."</i></p> + +<p>Just as she finished, there was a knock at the +door; and who should it be but Dr. Merry, with +two pies for grannie, and the horse and gig to +take Nannie home. And soon Nannie was lying +on the couch by the bright dining-room fire, +while mother, and Mary, and Belle, and Charlie +all crowded round, asking how she felt.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well enough," said Nannie, as sister +Mary took off the warm hood, and kissed the +dear face inside of it. "I hope it will stop +aching in time for me to go to church."</p> + +<p>"To church!" said Dr. Merry, looking up +from his book; "no church for Nannie to-day."</p> + +<p>Nannie said nothing, but turned her head +away to hide the tears, while sister Mary, stooping +down and kissing her, said, "Never mind; +you couldn't walk there, you know."</p> + +<p>Afterwards, when no one was in the room +except her father, she reached over to the table +for the Bible, and found the psalm they had read +that morning. Pointing with her finger to the +last two verses, she said, "Father, please read +that."</p> + +<p>Dr. Merry laid down his paper, and coming +over to her couch, he read: <i>"I will pay my vows +unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people, +in the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of +thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord!"</i>—"Well +what of that?" he said, looking up, though the +tears stood in his eyes, as he watched the little +face turned so wistfully toward him.</p> + +<p>"I want to go to church so much, father," she +said, as she saw he understood her.</p> + +<p>"But, Nannie, I don't think David went to +church when he couldn't walk."</p> + +<p>"He might have been carried," said Nannie, +driving back the tears that wanted to come.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he was," said her father; "and so +might you be, if father thought it right."</p> + +<p>"Would it hurt me, father?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know that it would. It might, +though; so I think you had better not try. You +must be patient, and remember what I've told +you, that God sends all these little trials. Do +you understand me?"</p> + +<p>"I think I do."</p> + +<p>"I like to see my little daughter love God's +house, but I like to see her bear it patiently +when she can't go there."</p> + +<p>"I will try," said Nannie, while she kept +saying "No!" to the tears as fast as they came. +Every little while, however, one wouldn't mind, +and would jump over the edge and run down. +But she kept on saying, "Be patient, be patient;" +and at last the tears got tired of coming, +and troubled her no more. She had pulled up +an ugly weed called "Impatience" that morning.</p> + +<p>Soon after, Jack came in with his empty +basket.</p> + +<p>"Well, Nannie, I wish I were in your place—not +obliged to go to church, and not sick enough +to lose your dinner. I always go to church, for +fear, if I'm sick, father'll say, 'Turkey isn't good +for headache.' I never thought of such a convenient +excuse as spraining my ankle. Let me +hear how you did it. It's too late to try it now, +but it may do the next time."</p> + +<p>"O Jack, how you do talk! I'm so glad +you're better than you talk."</p> + +<p>"How do you know that, Miss Nannie?"</p> + +<p>"Why, everybody knows it. This morning +you laughed at me; but as soon as you found out +I was really hurt, you drew me and that big +basket too on your barrow. You're so kind."</p> + +<p>Jack whistled a tune and kicked the fire-irons, +because he didn't want Nannie to see the tears +that started. He was too much of a boy to let +them do anything but start.</p> + +<p>"Jack," Nannie began, after a pause, "why +don't you like to go to church?" She was saying +to herself all the time, <i>"In the courts of the +Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem."</i></p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know; I should like it well +enough if father would let me sit up with the +rest of the boys in the gallery."</p> + +<p>"But you wouldn't do as they do in church, +Jack?"</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"It's God's house," said Nannie softly. Jack +sat silent for a long time, while Nannie lay looking +into the fire, and whispering all the time to +herself, "Be patient, be patient."</p> + +<p>That afternoon, as father, mother, and children +were engaged beside her, Nannie lay on +her couch and looked on; but she did not need +to say, "Be patient, be patient," for she was +patient; and when her father, stopping for a +moment, whispered, "Is all right, Nannie?" +she said, smiling, "Yes, father; trying helps, +doesn't it?"</p> + +<p>Swiftly the evening fled. They had cracked +nuts and eaten apples, till even Jack was satisfied; +and as the fire burned down, and Charlie +lay asleep in his mother's lap, the father said, +"How many things we have to be thankful for +this year! Let us each tell of something, and +then together we will offer our sacrifice of thanksgiving."</p> + +<p>The mother's fingers played in Charlie's curls, +as she said, "I thank my heavenly Father for +my children's lives."</p> + +<p>They were still for a moment. They all remembered +the sad days of last winter, when they +gathered round the fire and whispered anxiously +together, while Charlie tossed and wearied on his +sick-bed.</p> + +<p>Then sister Mary said, "I thank him for his +Son Jesus Christ."</p> + +<p>Then Belle, in a softened tone, said, "I thank +him for our pleasant home."</p> + +<p>Jack said, while Nannie looked up with a +pleasant smile, "I thank him for my little sister."</p> + +<p>Then it was Nannie's turn, and, smiling to her +father, she said, "I thank him for <i>patience</i>."</p> + +<p>So ended their Christmas-day.</p> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="minimal" /> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img013.jpg" width="500" alt="" /> +</div> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h3> + +<h4>SOMETHING NEW.</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;"> +<img src="images/img014.jpg" width="75" alt="O" title="" /> +</div><div class="unindent">h, what a darling it is!" said Nannie +to Belle, as they stood looking at the +little bundle sister Mary was holding. +"What wee bits of hands!" she said, +as she opened the blanket. "I'm so +glad it's a little sister; I haven't any +little one, you know, and it's so much nicer than +a brother."</div> + +<p>"So much nicer than a brother!" exclaimed +Jack, who was looking on with affected indifference. +"I'd like to know how many snowballs +that 'dear little hand,' as you call it, will make +for you. I'm sure I'd like as good a brother as +you've got."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Nannie, "a brother will do very +well; but I think a little sister is nicer. Oh, +just see," she added in a whisper, "it's going to +sleep."</p> + +<p>"Going to sleep!" said Jack; "I'd like to +know how you can tell. It looks just as it did +before."</p> + +<p>"Why, Jack, its eyes are shut."</p> + +<p>"Its eyes shut!—do let me see. I didn't +know it had any."</p> + +<p>"Come, Jack, they shan't make fun of our +baby," said sister Mary, as she took it into the +other room. "It's a good deal prettier than +you were!"</p> + +<p>Belle and Nannie both laughed, in which Jack +joined, not at all offended.</p> + +<p>"What are they going to call it?" said Jack, +after a pause.</p> + +<p>"Nellie, sister Mary said," Belle answered; +"after a little sister of mother's that died."</p> + +<p>"How old was mother's sister when she +died?" Jack asked.</p> + +<p>"Just four years old. I heard mother tell all +about her. She was so pretty, with long brown +curls and brown eyes; and mother said she was +always happy, and when anybody seemed sad, +she would put her little hands in theirs, and say, +'What make you feel sorry? I love you.' +One day she came in, and climbed up into +mother's lap—her mother's, you know, grandmother's—and +laid her head down, and said, +'I'm so tired,' and went to sleep. She slept on +and on, until grandmother got frightened, and +sent for the doctor. When he came, he said she +was going to die. She was sick for about a day, +and didn't know anything. The next afternoon, +while grandmother was holding her in her lap, +she opened her eyes, and seeing the tears in +grandmother's eyes, she said, 'What make you +feel sorry? I love you!' and that was the last +thing she said."</p> + +<p>"Did she die, then?" said Nannie.</p> + +<p>"Yes; mother said she only breathed a few +minutes after it. I saw the grave when I was +at grandmother's. There's a little stone, and +her name written on it. 'Nellie Bliss, aged +four years.'"</p> + +<p>"Just as old as Charlie," said Nannie. +"How old would she be now?"</p> + +<p>"Almost as old as mother," said Belle.</p> + +<p>"How long she must have been in heaven. I +wonder if she'll know our baby is named after her?"</p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> +<p>The little Nellie soon began to find her way +into their hearts. Nannie and Belle loved to sit +and hold her, very carefully; and even Jack +would step softly, and not slam the door quite so +hard, when told that little Nellie was asleep,—though +he did say, "He wished people would be +as particular when he was asleep, and not make +such a racket in the morning."</p> + +<p>So for three short weeks the little bud shed +its perfume, making happy those around it; +then—oh, how often comes that <i>then</i> in human +life!—then it withered.</p> + +<p>The children stepped softly about, or sat in +silence round the fire, while the baby lay in +their mother's arms panting for breath; and +when all was still, and they saw their father lay +the little form in the crib, and close the eyes, +they knew that it was dead.</p> + +<p>Sadly passed that evening. Dr. Merry was +absent to see some patients, and sister Mary was +in the room with their mother. The children +gathered round the fire, and talked in low, subdued +voices, for death was new to them.</p> + +<p>"How strange," said Nannie, "that our little +baby should die before old Grannie Burt, who +has been waiting so long."</p> + +<p>"Aunt Nellie will know now that she was +named for her," said Belle.</p> + +<p>"And perhaps," said Nannie, "she will teach +her about everything there." So they talked of +heaven and heavenly things. The little baby's +death had not been in vain. Belle and Jack +both thought more of another world than they +had ever done before, and in each a little voice +whispered, "Am I ready for heaven?"</p> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="minimal" /> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img015.jpg" width="500" alt="" /> +</div> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h3> + +<h4>WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE?</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;"> +<img src="images/img014.jpg" width="75" alt="O" title="" /> +</div><div class="unindent"> Mother! Fanny Bell, and Mary +Green, and ever so many of the girls, +are going into the woods to-morrow +afternoon, and they want us to go +with them. May we, mother?" said +Belle and Nannie together, as they +came running into the room where their mother +was.</div> + +<p>"I'll see about it," she said; "it will depend +upon what kind of girls you are."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll be very good, mother, if you will +let us go."</p> + +<p>"We'll see," said their mother.</p> + +<p>The morrow came, and with it the desired +permission. Pretty early, Nannie, who was on +the watch, saw them coming, and called out to +Belle, "Here they are!" Belle ran out.</p> + +<p>"Are you going?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Is Nannie?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm so glad Nannie's going," cried one voice +and another. "Yes, I'm so glad."</p> + +<p>"I don't see," said Belle to herself, "why +they should be so glad Nannie is going. They +don't seem to care about me at all."</p> + +<p>With rather a cross tone of voice, she called to +Nannie to make haste and get ready.</p> + +<p>Just as they were starting, Charlie came in, +and seeing Nannie with her bonnet on, he called +out:—</p> + +<p>"O Nannie, where are you going? I want +you to show me the pictures in your new book."</p> + +<p>"I can't this afternoon, Charlie; I'm going +into the woods."</p> + +<p>"Oh, pshaw!" said Charlie; "I like so much +better when you're at home."</p> + +<p>"It does not make any difference to Charlie whether +I'm at home or not," Belle said to herself.</p> + +<p>When they started there was such a strife who +should walk with Nannie, that Belle was very +nearly left to walk alone. Their walk led +through the pretty lane bordered with lime-trees, +at the back of Dr. Merry's house, then on +past Grannie Burt's house, when it turned off +into a little path, across the field that was worn +quite smooth by the boys going nutting. This +path brought you at last to a stile. Over this +stile they all climbed, and now were in the +woods. What a beautiful wood it was! The +trees opened here and there to let in the sunlight, +which danced in and out among the green +and yellow and russet brown leaves of the trees, +changing into every hue of autumn. On the +ground, springing up everywhere, were the dark +leaves and bright red berries of the cranberry +and bilberry; while down by the brook the +greenest of all mosses covered the stones, and +converted any old log that came in their way +into the softest of seats. Then, what a wild and +roaring little brook that Stony Brook was! You +could follow it all the way through the woods by +only stepping from stone to stone, and every +little while you might see a great hole scooped +out in the rock, where the water lay dark and +silent, or a little precipice over which it dashed +and foamed. This was a favourite wood with +the children. In summer they often spent whole +days there, gathering wild flowers or the beautiful +fern leaves, which grew in every nook and +corner. And now that the bright autumn leaves +were scattered everywhere, and the tempting +berries covered the ground, they found employment +for many a spare hour. To-day the little +girls had gathered leaves and berries till they +were tired, when Ellen Bates said,—</p> + +<p>"Let us choose a queen, and crown her."</p> + +<p>"What will you crown her with?" said Mary +Green.</p> + +<p>"Oh, these bright leaves will do," said +Nannie; "we can put them together by the +stems."</p> + +<p>Now when it was first proposed to choose a +queen, Belle thought, "They always choose the +prettiest one for a queen—I know they will +choose me;" so she said with great eagerness, +"Oh yes, let us have a queen!"</p> + +<p>"Let us have Belle for our queen!" cried one +of the girls.</p> + +<p>"Oh no, we want Nannie!" said two or three +at once.</p> + +<p>"A crown of red leaves will look pretty with +Nannie's red hair," said one of the girls, laughing.</p> + +<p>"I don't care," said another. "We all love +her best, and I don't intend to crown anybody I +don't like, if they <i>are</i> pretty."</p> + +<p>Belle stood looking on with pretended indifference, +for she did not want the girls should +know how much she cared about it.</p> + +<p>"All that vote for Belle hold up a bunch of +berries; and all that vote for Nannie hold up an +oak leaf."</p> + +<p>The girls laughed, and held up their hands. +There were six oak leaves, and only two bunches +of berries.</p> + +<p>"I'd rather Belle would be queen," said +Nannie, though it cost a little effort to say it; +for she was as much pleased with the honour as +any one.</p> + +<p>"But we had rather not," the girls said. +"You cannot help yourself; so sit down while we +make your crown."</p> + +<p>Belle was too proud to show her disappointment, +so she sat down and helped to make the +crown. Very pretty she looked as she sat on +the mossy bank, while her hands worked in and +out among the bright coloured leaves. A +stranger looking at the two sisters, would have +wondered why the girls had passed by Belle, and +chosen the plain though pleasant-faced Nannie. +So one would think that looked only on the outside; +but could one have looked within, they +would soon have understood the reason of the +choice.</p> + +<p>After the crowning of the queen, which was +performed with all due ceremony, the children +went home, following Stony Brook till it poured +its waters into the little river on which the +village was built.</p> + +<p>After they reached home, Belle went +upstairs, and sitting down by the window, gave +free vent to the angry thoughts she had been +keeping under all the afternoon.</p> + +<p>"I don't see," she said to herself at last, +"what makes the difference. I know I'm a +great deal prettier than Nannie;" and she went +across and looked at herself in the glass. "Yes, +I am a great deal prettier, and yet the girls all +love Nannie better. And I can learn a lesson +twice as quick, and yet Miss Taylor likes Nannie +better than me, and helps her out of all her difficulties. +And father, and mother, and sister +Mary, all think there's nobody like Nannie, and +they are always scolding me for something or +other. I wish people would love me as they do +Nannie. I would rather be the ugliest person in +the world and be loved." She was silent for a +moment, while conscience brought before her all +the kind acts Nannie was always doing for somebody. +How ready she was to give up her own +pleasure, and do anything for others. Then she +went off into a pleasant day-dream, in which she +was very good, always did just right, and everybody +loved her. All the old women in the +village thought no one could do anything for +them like Belle Merry; her mother thought she +never could spare Belle, and Charlie was never +satisfied when Belle was away. She forgot, +when she was dreaming, how, when her father +said Granny Burt had no one to read to her, she +said "she hadn't time to read to an old woman."</p> + +<p>She forgot how often, when her mother had +asked for some little help, it had been given so +pettishly as to make that mother's face grow sad. +She forgot how often, when Charlie had made +some little request for entertainment, she had +turned away, until now he never asked Belle for +anything when Nannie was in the room. Yes, +she forgot all this, she forgot all the hard part of +doing right, and her dream was very pleasant—so +pleasant, that at last she said, with great determination, +"I mean to be so kind and good, +that they will all love me. I'm going to try. +I'll begin at once, to-night."</p> + +<p>So she started down-stairs. Poor Belle! how +many times had she come out of her little room +and gone down-stairs with the same determination +to do better, and how many times had she +failed!</p> + +<p>And how many times had Nannie come out of +the same little room with the same resolution, +and almost always succeeded! What made the +difference? If you had been there sometimes +with Nannie, you would have found that she did +one thing that Belle had not done. She knelt +down and asked God to help her.</p> + +<p>There was the difference. Belle was trying to +make herself good, Nannie was praying to Jesus +to help her.</p> + +<p>As Belle came into the sitting-room, her +mother said to her, "You ought to have come +down immediately to help to set the table, Belle; +Nannie set it for you."</p> + +<p>Belle said nothing, neither did she thank +Nannie, who looked up for a moment, then went +on reading.</p> + +<p>"Belle," said her mother, "you may fill the +water-pitcher, since Nannie has done your work +for you."</p> + +<p>"I didn't ask her to do my work," said +Belle, as she took the pitcher. "That's always +the way," she said to herself; "now I +came down-stairs feeling pleasant enough, and +mother began scolding me because I hadn't set +the table. There's no use trying. I wasn't to +blame."</p> + +<p>Who <i>was</i> to blame?</p> + +<p>After supper Belle sat down with a book she +was busy reading. Just as she began, her father +asked her to bring his slippers.</p> + +<p>"In a minute," she said, without looking up, +while she went on reading.</p> + +<p>Nannie, seeing Belle so much interested, ran +off and brought the slippers, and received a pleasant +"Thank you!" from her father. Belle was +not so much interested in her book as not to hear +the "Thank you," and it again excited the angry +feelings.</p> + +<p>"I was going in a minute," she said to herself. +"Nannie needn't have been in such a +hurry. I wasn't to blame."</p> + +<p>Who <i>was</i> to blame?</p> + +<p>"I wish one of you would take Charlie to +bed," said their mother, as she came in with her +basket of mending. Here was a good opportunity +to help her mother, and Belle put down +her book with determination, and said, "I'll +take him."</p> + +<p>"No," said Master Charlie, "I don't want +Belle to put me to bed;—I want Nannie. You +go, Nannie," he said, putting his little arms +around her neck, and looking up beseechingly. +So Nannie laid down her book and took Charlie +to bed.</p> + +<p>Poor Belle! She held her book up to hide +the tears that would come. "There's no use in +trying," she thought. "It wasn't my fault if +Charlie wouldn't let me."</p> + +<p>Whose fault was it?</p> + +<p>Dr. Merry had seen it all. He saw the +struggle it had been for Belle to put away her +book, and he saw the tears fill her eyes when +Charlie refused; and now, as he got up to go to +his surgery, he whispered to her, "Be strong and +of a good courage. For the Lord thy God, he +it is that doth go with thee."</p> + +<p>"What could her father mean?" Belle kept +thinking it over and over. "Be strong and of +a good courage"—she knew well enough what +the words meant, but why should her father say +them to her. She wondered if he knew she was +trying to do better, and was almost ready to +give up.</p> + +<p>"Be strong and of a good courage,"—she +said it again. "Of good courage, means not to +be afraid, not to give up, to go on trying, no +matter how hard it is. But I don't see the +use in trying. It's always the same, everything +goes wrong. I may as well give up at first as +at last."</p> + +<p>There was a Bible lying by her on the table, +and, almost without thinking, she took it up, +and began turning over the leaves to find the +words; she knew where they were, for she had +seen them many times. She found the place, +and read over again the words,—</p> + +<p>"For the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go +with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake +thee."</p> + +<p>"I can't do right,—there's no use trying;" +but while she said it, she was reading over +again the last part, "He will not fail thee."</p> + +<p>"I wonder," she said, brightening up as the +thought struck her, "if that is what father +meant! I can't do right myself, but God will +help me."</p> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img017.jpg" width="100" alt="" /> +</div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img018.jpg" width="500" alt="" /> +</div> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h3> + +<h4>THE STORY.</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;"> +<img src="images/img009.jpg" width="75" alt="O" title="" /> +</div><div class="unindent">ne Sunday afternoon, as Mary sat reading +in the porch, Jack and Charlie +came and sat down by her on the old +sofa; and soon Charlie put his little +curly head between her face and the +book, and said coaxingly, "Please tell +us a story, sister Mary."</div> + +<p>The little upturned face was well kissed before +sister Mary said, "Well, Jack, call Nannie and +Belle, and we'll have a story."</p> + +<p>Jack ran off in high glee, for sister Mary's +stories were always welcomed by the children.</p> + +<p>Nannie and Belle came as fast as their feet +would bring them, and were soon sitting in +readiness on the porch steps.</p> + +<p>"Now, sister Mary," said Nannie, "a <i>good</i> +story, please."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by a good one, +Nannie?"</p> + +<p>"One that will teach us to be good," said +Nannie in a low voice.</p> + +<p>"Oh, nonsense!" said Jack; "that wasn't +what I meant. I want a pretty story."</p> + +<p>"So do I," said Belle.</p> + +<p>"And so do I," chimed in Charlie.</p> + +<p>"Well," said sister Mary, "can't I tell you a +good story, and a pretty one too?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose so," said Jack, kicking the foot-stool.</p> + +<p>"Well, she can't tell us anything, Jack," said +Belle, "if you don't keep your feet still."</p> + +<p>"I think you are rather hard on Jack; but +never mind. Now," said sister Mary, "we'll +have our story:—</p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> +<p>"It was a poor little room the sun was looking +into, just as it was setting. There was no +carpet on the floor, and no curtains to the +window. The old grate was cracked and rusty, +and contained a few red coals among the embers. +By the fire, in a curious old chair, roughly made, +yet looking comfortable, sat a little girl rocking +herself backwards and forwards. It was a very +pale face that the sun shone upon, and a very +thin, pale hand it was that the little girl was +holding up, shading her eyes. Every little while +the girl dropped her hand, and looked towards +the window with a bright smile,—and no wonder! +for there stood the prettiest of rose-bushes, +with bright green leaves, and one dark crimson +bud just opening. She sat watching it, till the +last rays of the sun died away, and it began to +grow dark. Then the look of sadness came +back to her face, and drawing her old shawl +closer round her, she sat leaning her head on her +hand. By-and-by there was a sound of footsteps, +and the door opened, and a man entered +with a slow and heavy step. She turned round +with a quick smile,—'O father! what has made +you so late?'</p> + +<p>"He said nothing; but, stooping down, lifted +her in his arms, and sat down by the fire. +Though he lifted her very gently, an expression +of pain passed over her face, and you could see +that the poor limbs hung shrunken and helpless. +He was a rough-looking man, with a rough, +heavy voice; but when he spoke to her, his +tones were very gentle, and as he held her in his +lap he stroked her hair softly and kissed her +again and again.</p> + +<p>"'How have you been to-day, Lizzie?'</p> + +<p>"'Pretty well, father. When neighbour Green +came in to see to the fire, she brought me some +nice warm broth for my dinner. Wasn't it kind, +father—and wasn't it odd too? I had been +thinking all the morning how much I should +like some broth, and then just to think I had +some for my dinner. And then the best of all +is that dear little rose-bush. You can't see it +now, it's so dark; it's got one dear little bud, +and it won't eat anything but water, so I can +keep it. Mrs. Smith brought it to me, and she +brought a nice basketful of things besides; and +you'll get some of them for your supper—won't +you, father?'</p> + +<p>"He put her back carefully in her chair, then +put on a few more coals, and brought out from +a basket in a corner their supper. After they +had eaten, he took her again in his arms and sat +down with her.</p> + +<p>"'Was the day very long, Lizzie?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' she said; 'the days are all long without +mother.'</p> + +<p>"He started as she said it; then said, 'I'm +very glad she isn't here.'</p> + +<p>"'Glad! father?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, glad; for'—he said almost in a whisper—'they +never hunger there. I wish we were +there too.'</p> + +<p>"He laid his head on her shoulder, while the +words came fast: 'No work—I have hunted, +hunted everywhere. I have been ready to give +up, and then I would think of you, Lizzie, and +I kept on; but there's no work to be had. O +Lizzie, Lizzie, I could bear it if it weren't for +you!'</p> + +<p>"She said nothing, but kept stroking his +hair with her little hand, while her face looked +very sad.</p> + +<p>"'I will try once more, to-morrow, though I +know there's no use.'</p> + +<p>"'Perhaps you can find something, father. +Don't despair. God will take care of us. Shall +I say mother's psalm, father?'</p> + +<p>"He only nodded his head, and she began: +<i>'I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise +shall continually be in my mouth.'</i></p> + +<p>"'Does it say, "at all times," Lizzie?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, father, "<i>at all times</i>;" that means +when we are in trouble too, doesn't it?'</p> + +<p>"'It must mean so; but it isn't so easy to +praise him when we can't see any light, as when +everything is bright.'</p> + +<p>"'It isn't so easy to <i>praise</i>, father; but then +we can <i>pray</i>.'</p> + +<p>"'We can pray, Lizzie; but what if God +doesn't hear us?'</p> + +<p>"'But he does hear us, father. That's just +what the verse that mother liked best said: +<i>"I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered +me out of all my troubles."</i> And this +verse too: <i>"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, +but the Lord delivereth them out of them all."</i> +That is a sweet verse, father.'</p> + +<p>"'Say them all, Lizzie.'</p> + +<p>"'I don't remember them all. I will say +all I can: <i>"The angel of the Lord encampeth +round about them that fear him and delivereth +them." "Oh, fear the Lord, ye his saints: for +there is no want to them that fear him."'</i></p> + +<p>"'Do you think that's always true, Lizzie?'</p> + +<p>"'I don't know,' she said, with a puzzled +look; 'we want something now. You want +work, and I want to be well and strong to help +you; but maybe it doesn't mean we shall have +everything we want, but all that is best for us. +That's what mother used to say, and that's what +the next verse says too: <i>"The young lions do +lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the +Lord shall not want any good thing."</i> And +perhaps it isn't here that we shall not want. +You said "there was no hunger there," didn't +you, father?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, Lizzie.'</p> + +<p>"'And then there is that other verse, father: +<i>"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the +shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art +with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort +me."'</i></p> + +<p>"Her voice trembled as she said it, and she +paused, for they were her mother's dying words.</p> + +<p>"'We will fear no evil, father. We won't +stop trusting; will we, father?'</p> + +<p>"'No, Lizzie; I sometimes fear I should if +it weren't for you. What should I do without +you?' and his arms grasped her closer, as if +even the thought were painful.</p> + +<p>"'O father, you would be glad that God +had taken me where I couldn't suffer any more, +and where I should be straight and pretty like +other children.'</p> + +<p>"'You are pretty now, Lizzie. I never see +any face that looks so beautiful to me.'</p> + +<p>"'But it isn't like other children's, father. +When Mrs. Smith came in to-day, she had a +pretty little girl with her, with such bright +golden hair, and such rosy cheeks, and so tall +and straight, she must look like the angels, I +think. And when I looked at her, it was so +hard to keep the tears from coming. I had to +keep thinking of what mother told me when I +read about the pool where the sick people +washed and were made well; and I said I +wished there was such a pool now. Mother +said the river of death was such a pool, and +that after I had crossed it, I should be like the +angels in heaven. But she said, father, she +should still know me; so, father, you will keep +on trusting and praising too, won't you, if God +takes me there?'</p> + +<p>"He made no answer, but held her closely to +him, till the few coals in the grate grew white, +and the room grew cold.</p> + +<p>"'It's too cold for you here, Lizzie, and we +can't have any more coals to-night. Shall I put +you in bed now?'</p> + +<p>"'Let me sing mother's hymn first, father.'</p> + +<p>"He raised her a little, and in a sweet, low +voice she began singing:—</p> + +<div class="center"> +<table class="sm" style="margin: 0 auto" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="text"> +<tr><td align="left">"'Breast the wave, Christian, when it is strongest;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Watch for day, Christian, when night is longest;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Onward and onward still be thine endeavour,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The rest that remaineth endureth for ever.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Fight the fight, Christian—Jesus is o'er thee;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Run the race, Christian—heaven is before thee;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> He who hath promised faltereth never;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Oh, trust in the love that endureth for ever.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">"'Lift the eye, Christian, just as it closeth;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Raise the heart, Christian, ere it reposeth;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Nothing thy soul from the Saviour can sever,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Soon shalt thou mount upward to praise him for ever.'"</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<p>Sister Mary paused after she had sung the +hymn. There were tears in the children's eyes, +and for a moment they were silent.</p> + +<p>"Is that all?" they said at last.</p> + +<p>"No," said sister Mary, "there's some more; +but I'm afraid you are tired."</p> + +<p>"Oh no; tell us the rest!"</p> + +<p>"Very well," said sister Mary, "but we'll +have to make haste; it's growing late:—</p> + +<p>"The setting sun was shining again into the +poor little room, and the little girl sat again, +wrapped up in her old shawl, before the fire, +rocking to and fro. The little girl's face had a +very bright smile on it; but it wasn't the rose-bush +with its little bud, now almost opened, that +caused it, for she didn't look that way at all. +She had a little bit of paper in her hand that she +held very tightly, while her eyes kept watching +the door. The sunlight faded, and the room +grew dark, but the little face still wore the +bright smile.</p> + +<p>"As the door opened, she cried out eagerly,—</p> + +<p>"'O father, here's something for you! There +was a gentleman here to see you to-day, and he +left his name; here it is on this card; and he +said if you would come to see him, he had some +work for you.'</p> + +<p>"The man sat down in his chair, and laid his +head in his hands.</p> + +<p>"'O Lizzie,' he said, 'it's more than I deserve; +I was just ready to give up trusting. I have +sought all day, and I couldn't bear to come home.'</p> + +<p>"'God did hear us; didn't he, father? I'm +so glad we didn't stop trusting. Hadn't you +better go now, father, and see about it?'</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' he said, 'I'll go now,' stooping down +to read the card by the light of the fire.</p> + +<p>"He went out, and the shadows settled down +over the room; but the little girl sat still, and +you could just hear her humming to herself,—</p> + +<div class="center"> +<p class="noindent"> +<small>"'Breast the wave, Christian, when it is strongest.'</small> +</p> +</div> + +<p>"Presently she heard her father's step. It +was quicker and lighter than it had been for +many a day."</p> + +<p>"'I've got it, Lizzie. It's a place as a porter +in a warehouse; and good wages too. And see +here,' he said, as he lighted a candle he had +brought with him, 'we'll have a light to-night, +and a nice supper too.'</p> + +<p>"'O father!' said Lizzie, as she looked on +with bright eyes as her father took out the +parcels; 'how did you get all those things?'</p> + +<p>"'The gentleman paid me something in advance. +He said he knew people that had been +out of work so long needed something.'</p> + +<p>"It was a pleasant evening; the candlelight +seemed so bright to Lizzie's eyes, that hadn't +seen any for so long a time, and her father was +so cheerful. Yes, it was a pleasant evening; +and they closed by reading the 103rd Psalm:—</p> + +<p><i>"'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is +within me, bless his holy name.</i></p> +<p><i>"'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not +all his benefits.'"</i></p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="narrow" /> +<p> </p> +<p>Sister Mary took up her book and went into +the house, while the children gathered together +on the steps to watch the sun that was now +setting.</p> + +<p>"Lizzie was a wonderfully good little girl, +wasn't she," said Jack; "but then she was sick. +I never knew any good people that weren't either +sick or ugly."</p> + +<p>"Why, Jack, there's sister Mary, and papa +and mamma, and Miss Taylor, and—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I mean children. All the children I +read about are good, and get ill, and die. I +rather think Lizzie would have died if sister +Mary had gone on with her story."</p> + +<p>"It <i>is</i> so in books," said Belle; "they always +die."</p> + +<p>"People would not want to write about them +if they lived," said Nannie.</p> + +<p>"Why not?" said Jack; "I wish some one +would write about me."</p> + +<p>"If they wrote about you," said Belle, "they +could call their work, 'A warning to bad boys,' +or, 'An ugly boy that wasn't good.'"</p> + +<p>While they were talking so, Nannie was thinking +very intently.</p> + +<p>"What are you thinking about, Nannie?" +said Belle.</p> + +<p>"I was thinking about what Jack said—that +all the good people were either sick or ugly; I +don't believe it's true. But if it is true, I was +thinking that perhaps it's like what Abraham +told the rich man: 'Son, remember that thou +in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and +likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, +and thou art tormented.' So I thought +that the ones that were sick and ugly here, but +loved Jesus, had received all their evil things, +and would be well and beautiful there."</p> + +<p>"Maybe so," said Jack, more thoughtfully +than before. Then stooping down and kissing +Nannie, he said, "I know one good girl that +isn't sick."</p> + +<p>The sun was just setting, leaving about half +its great face to light the world.</p> + +<p>In Jack's heart the sun was just rising.</p> + +<p>Nannie's words kept sounding in his ears,—"Perhaps, +perhaps they have received in this +life their good things;" and those other words, +"Therefore he is comforted, and thou art tormented."</p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="minimal" /> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img020.jpg" width="500" alt="" /> +</div> +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h3> + +<h4>"THE LAMB IS THE LIGHT THEREOF."</h4> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 75px;"> +<img src="images/img021.jpg" width="75" alt="N" title="" /> +</div><div class="unindent"> annie, Nannie,—where's Nannie?" +Jack called one pleasant summer +morning.</div> + +<p>Just then Nannie's voice was heard +singing, and she came into the +kitchen, where Jack was.</p> + +<p>"Nannie, father has just gone down to Grannie +Burt's, and he wants you to go there too. +Mother is going now, and she says you may go +with her if you'll make haste."</p> + +<p>Nannie was off in a minute for her sun-bonnet, +and very soon was walking with her mother and +Jack through the tree-bordered lane; very quietly +now though, for she knows that grannie is dying, +and she thinks to herself, "Grannie will be in +heaven to-night," and the little face brightens as +she thinks of the beauties of the heavenly city; +"and grannie will see too—why, how happy +she must be! I should think good people would +love to die. It's like going to some beautiful +world we've heard of." But as Nannie looked +up at the trees, and the heavy white clouds above +them, and then down at the green carpet of grass +at her feet, she thought it would be <i>leaving</i> a +beautiful world too.</p> + +<p>Now they reach the little brown house, and +Nannie begins to feel a little frightened. She +creeps in timidly behind her mother, and sits +down at the foot of the bed, while Jack sits +down on the door-step. Soon grannie says +feebly,—</p> + +<p>"Has Nannie come?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said her mother; "Nannie's here."</p> + +<p>"Nannie, come where I can touch you."</p> + +<p>As Nannie comes nearer, grannie stretches out +her hand, and laying it on her head, says in a +low voice,—</p> + +<p>"God bless thee—God bless thee, my child! +I have never seen you here, Nannie, but I shall +know you in heaven. I shan't need to ask you +to read to me there, for I shall see. But read +to me here once more, Nannie—once more."</p> + +<p>Nannie lifts up for the last time grannie's worn +Bible, and begins to read, as she has so often +read before,—</p> + +<p><i>"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.</i>"</p> + +<p>Very still it was in the chamber of death, while +the little head bowed over the sacred book, and +the tearful voice read of the glories of that land +whither the wearied one was going. Fainter +and fainter grew the breath; and as the child +read the words, <i>"And the city hath no need of +the sun or moon to lighten it, for the Lamb is the +light thereof,</i>" the lids closed over the sightless +eyes here—but opened there, where the Lamb is +the light. Grannie Burt was in heaven.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<table class="sm" style="margin: 0 auto" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="text"> +<tr><td align="left">Long she listened for His footsteps,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Echoing from those streets of gold—</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Now just within the pearly gates,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">She is no longer old.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">The pilgrim-staff is broken—</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">The worn-out garment fold</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">And lay away for ever,—</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">She is no longer old.</td></tr> +<tr><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Farewell, farewell, our mother!</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Our greatest joy is told,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">As we fold the aged hands and say,</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">She is no longer old.</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<p>Twice have the trees blossomed, and twice the +autumn leaves fallen, since first we met our little +friend Nannie. We have given but a few pages +in the life of those few years; there have been +many others—some, perhaps, in which the little +girl forgot to ask for help in her trying, and +therefore failed.</p> + +<p>It may seem hard to be trying on and on, +never yielding to discouragement; but if you +should see Nannie's bright eyes and happy face, +you would not think so; and if you should ask +Nannie if she was tired of trying, I think she +would answer, <i>"Her ways are ways of pleasantness, +and all her paths are peace.</i>"</p> + +<p>We may perhaps hear of Nannie again, and of +the success which always follows faithful effort. +But whether we do or not, I can let you into +the secret of her future life. Here it is in these +words:—</p> + +<p><i>"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but +the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be +praised."</i></p> + +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/img022.jpg" width="200" alt="" /> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NANNY MERRY***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 30681-h.txt or 30681-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/0/6/8/30681">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/6/8/30681</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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