Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-07-16
EVENING STAR.



"What is the matter, Jane? ?" said her mo-
| ther.
Give got nettled"
"Nettled? How ?''
Il was picking currants, and there was q
great ugly nettle in the currsnt-bushes, and
| SO l got ncttled with it"
"You should have been more careful"
"WeH, L didn't see it besides, il had no
business to be there. 1t was no place for
| nettle"
"That is very true replied her mother,
smiling. ''lt is no place for II, and Thomas
should have seen that it was removed. But
come come here, and will put something on your
| hand which will soon make ii feel better
| James hand was soon relieved, and she
thought no more about the matter that morn
| ing.
| In the afternoon her cousin Lucy came to
see her. "l've come to spend the afternoon
mother has given me leave, !" said Lucy.
| "Oh, I'm so very glad - said Jane; and
away the two girls skipped to their play.
| In an hour, however, Jane came into the
house, looking quite out of sorts, and Lucy
| was not with her.
"Where is Lucy r' asked James mother.
"She has gone home"
"Gone home. What does that mean FL
thought she had come to spend the afternoon
She did Mt want to stay any lpnger," said
| Jane hurryiIg away from her mother, as if
| she wished to avoid being asked any more
questions.
| Her mother saw that something was wrong,
but she saw, also, that Jane did not wish to
be questioned; and as Lucy was already gone,
| she thought she would say no more to her at
that time.
Jane went straight to her own room, and
| there she remained until she was called down
| to tea. When she came to the tea table, her
| mother saw that she had been crying. After
| supper, her mother called her to her own room
| and said to her, gently but firmly
Now, Jane, you must tell me what hap.
pened between you ard Lucy this afternoon.
| heard her say, when she came, that her
mother had given her permission to spend the
afternoon. 1t is not very often that girls de-
cline to avail themselves of such a permission.
Now, wish you to tell me frankly, just as il
| Is, why your cousin Lucy went home
Il will tell you, mother" said Jane, &" for
have been very unhappy about it ever since.
While we were playing in the garden, 1 asked
Lucy TO go with me into the meadow, and
| gather some wild flowers. But she did not
wish to 90, because she wanted to come into
| the house and play with my great doll She
| said she asked her mother to let her come on
purpose to play with it. l was yexed with her
| because she would not SO into the meadow,
and declared that L would not bring out the
! doll that afternoon. Then she got angry, and
said, 'lf were going to be 90 ugly she would
20 home
"You do not mean to go home, know" I
said. "Aunt Lucy said you might stay until
| night, and guess you will be glad enough to
stay"
no, shall not stay" she said; "I shall
60 home" and she turned to go out Of the
garden.
81 thought che was only trying to frighten
me, and make me bring out my doll; but the
| first thing L knew she was out of the garden
and the yard, and running towards home as
Go II
| really gone, was sorry for what had done -
"And what have you been about all the
time since Lucy went away ?" inquired her
mother
81 have boon up in my room, crying"
i should think so, by the looks Of your
eyes. L think you and Lucy both have been
pretty badly nettled this afternoon, and think
it is time that the great, ugly nettle was pulled
| up"
Jane looked at her mother as if not quite
certain what she meant.
:. You have not forgotten how you were net
tied this morning, have your
"No, mother"
"And don't you also remember that you said
that the garden was no place for the nettle''
Yes, mother"
"What you said was very true. The gar
den is no place for it. 1t should not have been
suffered to grow there. Go out there, my dear,
and see if you can find it there new"
She went to the spot where the nettle was
growing in the morning, but it was not there,
and she went in and told her mother that il
was gone.
$50 L expected, my dear, for L ordered
Thomas to-day to remove it. Now the spirit
of unkindness in your heart, my child, is like
that ugly, stinging nettle. Do you think it
should be suffered to grow there? Think of
the mischief it has done, and the pain it has
caused to-day. Lucy came here this afternoon
IN hay nla x-isi
grand time with your doll, which, having seen
but once, is quite an attraction to her. When
she came, you both skipped into the garden as
happy as lambs; but your unkindness has
spoiled it all. She was your guest, and you
know you should have done all you could to
make her visit pleasant. But instead of doing
this, you were disobliging and positively un-
kind, and your unkindness, doubtless, sent her
home feeling very unhappy. Don't you think
1t caused her more pain than the nettle did
this morning? Don't you think it worse to
have the heart stung than hands! And this
same ugly nettle has stung you as well as
Lucy. Is it not so? Had you not rather bear
the pain of being nettled this morning than
the self-reproach you have felt for treating her
as you did 30
"Yes, mother, 1 am sure had; for have
been very unhappy this afternoon"
The nettle in the garden has been pulled
up and thrown away. What shall be done
ness which has sprung up in your heart
Would it not be a fine plan, if that could be
pulled up too! So long as it remains it will |
be stinging some it has this afternoon. |
Who do You suppose planted the nettle in the |
garden %
Planted the nettle, mother I never heard |
of such a thing as planting a nettle. They |
come up of themselves quite fast enough"
Did you ever hear of corn and potatoes |
coming up of themselves
No, mOtker, guess Thomas would like it |
if they would"
So it is with our hearts, my daughter. |
They may be compared to a garden. The
weeds of unkindness, selfshness, and pride |
come up of themselves. They need no Guilt
vation. If we take no care Of our hearts, |
these will be sure to grow rank enongh. But
the beautiful plants of love, gentleness, kind
ness, and self-denial will not grow without cul- |
ture. Again let me ask you what shall be |
done with the weed Of unkindness in your |