Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-05-09

ed them to be so great. She never spoke
harshly to either of the children, and Alice
herself, little coward as she was, could not
help knowing that she was saved great
many punishments by her gentle interfer-
ence.
The step-mother the while was working
earnestly and prayerfully, and watching with
patience the result of her efforts, though eve-
ry day the reform which she hoped to bring
about in Alice seemed further off than ever.
One day the little girl was invited to party
for the next afternoon, but on account of
some act of disobedience, her father had for
hidden her going. Alice was very angry
about it, and though she had never dared to
disobey a command of his before, she was
wicked enough to attempt it this time, in
spite of the consequences. Accordingly,
when the morrow came, although it was rain
ing little, she crept away to her room, and
dressing herself in her pretty red merino
she went noiselessly out of the back-door
across the field to Emma Lawson's, who was
to have the party. She knew that she had
done wrong, but in the games of the after
noon, she had forgot all about it, and never
thought of it again, until it grew dark, and
it came time to go home. It was raining
fast now, but she slipped out when no one
saw her, and started across the fields again,
intending to get in the back-door unob-
served, but in an unlucky jump over stone
wall, she made fearful rent in her dress,
which troubled her exceedingly. Viney did
not know how to darn it-she would not ask
her mother, so creeping home again, she hung
the dress in her wardrobe, and after a little
while, went to bed.
Meanwhile, her mother and Willie had
missed her, but Mrs. Stuart, guessing the
truth, made no comment on her absence, but
went into her room, and prayed that God
would show her how to guide this erring
child, over whom He had placed her as q
mother. She heard Alice as she returned
to her room, but she forebore to reprove her
then, and as her husband was away, he did
not know of this new disobedience; but that
night Alice was taken very i'll, and her pain.
full breathing aroused her mother, who slept
in the next room. The exposure in the rain
had chilled her, and now she was in high
fever, and paying heavy penalty for her un-
dutiful conduct For weeks and weeks AL
ice lay on her bed, with burning heat in
her temples, and all the time her gentle
mother, whom she had hated, nursed her ten.
derby, cooling her aching head, and sooth.
ing her with soft caresses. Alice was con
scious of all this care, but she was too i'll tc
feel any pangs of remorse about her conduct
until one day she awoke from deep sleep
and heard her mother in the next room eau
tioniug Willie about rustling his papers, be
cause poor sister was so sick. Those loving
words accused Alice to sense of her injus
tice, and for an hour she lay and though
how ungrateful she had been to one who haC
treated her with kindness from the first
She heard light footstep in her room, ant
she shut her eyes, but the tears rolled ou
from the closed lids, as she felt soft kis
and a murmur, 'Poor child she is very sick.
After this, however, Alice began to mend
and though she made no confession, she wa
more gentle and quiet than she had ever bee
before. Everything was done to amuse her
and her mother read her the most charmin
stories in the world; but one day she wa
left entirely alone, and although she was YER
weak, she managed, by clinging to chairs an
tables, to reach her wardrobe where sh
might see the extent of the hole she haC
torn in her dress on taking it down, sh
found that all traces of it had gone, and al
entire new breadth had been put in, maxim
it all look like new again. She knew in
minute who had mended it so carefully, an
smitten with new sense other former ingrai
itude, she sank upon the floor, and sobbe
until her mother came up stairs again.
Why, Alice, my child, what is the matte
and how you came hereY said she hurried
ly, and lifting her from the floor.
But Alice could not speak-she onl,
buried her wet face in her mothers hands
and by-and-by sobbed out how wicked sh
had been, and begged to be forgiven.
She was really penitent now, and willing t.
ask God to make her better girl. Fror
this time, Alice never listened to any Of vi
ney's ghost-stories, for her mother had re
sources sufficient for all their leisure hours
and she was more than repaidfor her patien
waiting and suffering, by the love and obedi
ence which were afterwards so willingly &C
corded to her by both of the children.