Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-08-28
Little Mary'S Temptation.
BY MRS. NJ. A. DEYIsoY.

] ing on tiptOe with her chubby hands folded behind
| her.
On the polished table that her blue eyes Just
| peeped over, laid bright round sixpence, new
sixpence that Mary onged see transferred to her
little, red silk bag.-Her mother had left the coin
there and forgotten it; forgotten it, Mary knew
because she heard her say that there was not bit
of small change in the house.
Long and eagerly Mary contemplated the trea-
sure What a variety of nice things took shape
and foated over that table, crowding round the new
sixpence, and giving it sort Of fairy value surely,
it would buy endless variety of pretty TOYS, and
if she could get two sugar bids for one penny what
countless lot could she buy with six whole pence.
She would have sugar plums, and sticks of twist
ed candy she would have mint hearts, and a little
new doll-no, she wouldn't buy doll on second
thought, for she had two already. She would keep
some Of her money to carry to school, or perhaps,
all of it, and show 1t to her paymates, who seldom
had so much,
.'Shall /? shall I?' Oh how that wicked tcmpter
urged tho fair-haircd little girl! What golden Vi
sions he placed in array before her! How he kept
whispering mamma will never know it, never new
er; for she has forgotten all about it, and how
stealthy at last, that wicked tempter, that dwelt
in Mary's dear little heart caught her white hand,
and slowly carried it till the tips of her fingers touch
ed the very rim of the shining sixpence.
But, thank God, there is also an angel in every
human being as long as he strives to keep pure and
gOod whose delight it is to overthrow this wicked
tempter, that assailed. not only little Mary but
and women.
She came slowly up, and murmured, in quiet
still voice that would not have frighted mouse
"Oh! little Mary. little Mary, don't you know
that is stealing? don't you know its as wicked to
take that bit of money as for the great thief to
rob your father money drawer, or steal your moth
cr's gold ring"
"But father and mother would find it out then;
they would know that somebody had taken their !
treasures little sixpence I'm SURE nobody re
members and want it badly almost insensibly !
the fingers had closed over the money.
But little Mary" said the good angel in sol |
emn voice that quite awed the child, there is great
God, whose eye can see away into your heart: and [
lie knows the thoughts you're thinking: He has
found out the dark corners where these wicked /
thoughts hide, not daring TO come into the light
Oh! little Mary, remember how often your darling
mother has talked to you about that sin think that
though SIZE might not know it, God and you would,
and all the time you would keep thinking, I'm
thief I'm n thief: 1 stole sixpencc, and / shall
never be happy again No, little Mary, though !,
again
shall |? shall T."
The wicked tempter had spoken for the last time: /
little Mary took the sixpence, with heightened .
color and heavy beating heart, but she ran as fast
as she could run never stopping to take breath till
she found her mother, and eagerly holding out the
money, she cried it was on the table in the cham
Der, dear mother"
Her mother smiled, took the sixpenee, and kis-
sing Marys forehead, she said
What dear, little daughter have got Some .
little daughters would have kept the money, and .
never told of it: how can / be thankful enough to
God who has given me such an honest little girl"
Mary held down her head; the tears were gather .
ing thickly in her eyes but she looked up bravely
and said almost s0bbing, "oh, mamma, l don know
as All honest: AN l honest if wanted to take it .
ever so much, and almost lid take it?"
BLESS you, my child" said the happy mother, .
catching the treasure in her arms "you have safely
passed the ordeal You have been tried and not been
found wanting: yes dear, you are still my honest I
daughter, and have fear that after to-day. You
will take anything that does not belong to you,
thank GOd' And, in the excess of her joy, the /
good mother could not keep from weeping.
But what, then are you crying Gor?" said little .
Mary, wiping away the tears with her pretty fn- |
gers.
"For pleasure that my Mary has resisted evil: !
for pleasure that she did not wckedly take the six
pence when she knew her mother would never find I
it out. And now, my darling, yOu shall keep it. /.
and | will add to it till you have enough to buy
poor Judy's little girl nice warm frock for the /
coming winter: and whenever you see that frock on
the little girl, you must pray 10 God that lie will
always lead you out of temptation and never, new
er allow you even to wish for that which is not
your own"
Marys eyes sparkled: she had for long time
wanted to give something to the washerwomans
pretty little girl and now she was as happy as hap
py could be. She went singing and dancing about
the house; she felt by her fathers warm kiss, and
"GOd bless you, that he knew she had done right.
Do you think, dear little reader, if Mary had Ia
ken the sixpence, and bought all those nice things,
she would have had that pure enjoyment that comes
from doing right2 On the contrary, 1t might nave
led her at last to be a wicked sinful woman whom
nobody would ever have loved
Do. then, as Mary did; don't take that bright