The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-07-06
I, "But do not know that" said the ten
do.a cnnsci.nca of Nall;a ~

mother. She works hard enough for all
she has, and this will buy her neat dress
to wear ~ church"
Fora m"m"nt,-only amoment,-Nellie
listened To the sinful suggestion, aud she
thought show p p'easant il would be to carry
n nice calico IL dear mother. and how ~ t.
ty shc would lo'k IN il. Perhaps, too, she
could earn enough to-dav to buy b,nnei
To match; and how happy that would make
her" But suddenly the smile died away
on Nellies lip; 1"r step grew Ices light
There WAS W light ut her heart. IL WIS
the burden of u guilty thought. She had
parleyed with Evil, AMI its shadow WAS on
her path. 1t had dimmed the happiness
which innocence had hitherto lestowcd.
Aud now, happily for little Nellie, con-
scienc,'. "tlat Voice Of God IL the soul"
came o~erfuIly to her all. II recalled
vivIdly the previous Sabbath cv, ming, when
her mother sal with hrr at the wind, W, Just
as the sun WAS srnkrng. and after their
scan'y supper had been disposed of.
"N"llI". my darling .he sail, a. she
laid her h. ad upon her knee, and smooth.
ing back h'r dark hair, "you could not 90
Ia the sunday school to day, because you
had no shoes to wear. Perhaps We ,an
earn pair l'ef're another Sabbath; but |
will teach you ih" commandments. Then
Nellie repeated ihen after her. All were
vivid now to her memory; but especially,
and as it written in letters of fire, stood
ioIlh the elgh,h-
"IHOu shalt not steal"
Nellie's heart sank within her. Had
she listened, anl obeyei that evil voice,
what might she have brcolne- "A breaker
Of Gods hoiv commandment! The sin
would have lain heavy and dark upon her
soul; dImming its sunlight, and weighing
dow" her bu'yant. happy spirit. And
then her home would have been changed
t,her. She would have destroyed its peace.
and her mothrr's cheerful songs would have
been hushed. Nellie wait.'d not "a moment;
but terrified at her thoughts, she rushed
back with speed oi hight, lest that evil voice
should speak aga1n, and rested not until
sh r, ached the home of Minnie Hamilton.
"lou made n mistake, MISS. You gave
me lh's"-h"lcIl"g up the god dollar
'tor silver piece"
"Did | Well it was mistake. l am
very near sighted; but you are All honest
litll" grl, and YOU shall have it rs reward"
"No, miss, thank you; l would rather
have the silver piece"
you woudi'
"Yes, miss"
"Y"u are n singular child. Pray tell
me 1hy You would rather"
"Brcause -hccause-iJ would remind
me'-Ncllr burst into tears, and covered
her face with her hands.
"Ot whal tell me, child"
GLOW was tempted to break Gods
command"
"And to keep the dollar, do you meant"
ayes, MISS"
"But you resisted the temptation as God |
gave You strength. That was beautiful iu
you. Now tell me your name: l must
remember It,"
"Nrllic Townsend :"
There is no.sn, Nellie, in being temp.
ted. The sin CONSISTS in yielding To temp
tatlon. Now that you have r,sls,ed, you
VII find Yourself strengthen cd in might to
overcome evil. Hcnccforth | shal not
fear for you. Only rcsist the first prompt
ngs 10 do rong-resist them and all will
bc well. Nellie, you were not aware oft.
but to day you taught me lesson of con-
teutmrut, which shall not easily forget;
AMI You sh II have the happiness Of know
! & that you, though little child, have
been a minister OF god to rue. Aud you
must let me rewari You. You must keep
that identical dollar II remind you of what
has occurred To day, and you have no reason
To be ash med of 1t. Now tell me what
was the templatlon! What did you most
desire To do with III"
N,llie h,sltaIed, and then said: "Last
Sunday, nothrr had no neat dress to 70 To
church. That would just buy a Calico
only thoug g.t Of ii for moment"
"Mnne Hamilton turned aside without
'peahmg. When she looked again, there
Was II moisture on he eyclids which had
not Ia on there before.
"Do"s your mother require anything else
D""s she not want n bonnet, tn?'
YES, miss; but shall soon earn that
y my berrl's. Mothers sewing Lns nearly
'aid the rent this month"
"NellI", you and must be- friends. Gu
INV. and sell the remainder of your straw.
'e ri's, and call here on your way hon g."
That evening, Nellie was tripping hon
With her empty little ba,k, Is strung around
Ter, as lis ali but III the larger ON. s lay q
cw straw bJnuet, tri ,ined with u n nc
Ibbon, aud n package winch she was III.
e,tcd not To open until her return. Mrs.
',,wt,ul WAS A., ina, aux,nusI, Ear NJ H..