The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-04-22

apple-sauce.
aBy-and-by, when the old bell strikes
twelve, dolly and I lwill have great party,
with hundreds Of flnc ladies and gentlemen,
and play We S.vs frosted cake, and ice-cream,
and lemonade aud it's just splendid"
Alice felt great lump In her throat and
lwinked fast and hard to keep the tears back.
Have you gotta dolls"
"oh, yes; here she i, = drawing from be-
meath the old bedquilt large rag doh with
red flannel cheeks, remarkable features drawn
with q burnt stick, and hair Of ravelled black
yarn. Dolly had on clean calico dress and
ruffied white apron, and Nellie's eyes BEAM
ed with fondness upon her precious Matilda. !"
"You poor little thing! 7" exclaimed Alice.
| Nellie's eyes opened wide. "What, ms q
poor little thing ~
"Yes, you How can you be sohappy here
all alone, with such back, and nothing nice
Or pleasant about you?"
The pale little face grew grave, and she
answered softly, "I've got something else
here that you cannot see--it's Jesus! did
use to fret good deal, and think livery hard
to lie Here all my life !; and the doctor says l
won't live very long. But Jesus loves me.
and I love him dearly. He comes every day
to this poor little room, and makes it seem
like heaven. have only to shut my eyes,
and / seem to sce angels, and the great white
throne, all the beautiful mansions, and the
River of Life and it seems just as real as If
was there"
Alice buried her face in the old quilt and
cried.
"Why, Alice, what makes you cry? ion
are not crying for NE, | hope9"
"No, no." sobbed the child, "I'm crying
for myself Oh, dear - And fresh burst
Of sobs were smothered in the old quilt
Nellie's almost transparent hand smoothed
the long golden curls, and then, as her sobs
grew lighter, tho sweet voice murmured,
"Dear Jesus, bless Alice help her to love
thee; give her new heart let my light
Affections show her how much she has to be
grateful for, that she may truly love and fol-
low thee. Amen"
Alice lifted her fearful face, kissed Nellie,
AHA went home. Mrs. Morton had heard of
the crippled child, so had not been uneasy at
Alice's long absence, When she came in, she
thtgw herself into her mothers arms, and
cried as if her heart would breah'
.sWhy, my child what is It? Tell me,
dear"
30, mammal" she exclaimed, when she
could speak, ~ am awfully ashamed of my
Self II you could only See that poor little
cripple, so happy, with ittst nothing pleasant
or comfortable about her; and 1 have every.
thing 1"
s'Tell me about liet, DEAR
Alice described the poor little room, the
stunted petunia, the rag doll, the meagrb
dinner which was to serve for grand party
when the clock struck twelve. She told her,
alsoi of that wonderful presence that trans
formed the poor room int6 a golden palace,
aha of the little prayer Bfeathed over her own
Bowed head. She was a wise mother. She
die not spoil the sweet lesson her child had
learned. She only kissed her softly; and
said, 81 am glad you saw this poor, patient
little girl God is very good to keep my
daughter strong and well; to give her 50
much TO make her happy. Let us kneel down
together and thank him now"
With her arm about her penitent child,
Mrs. Morton prayed as she had never before.
and Alice followed with d little broken petit
ton Of her own.
But she did not become "one of the best
little girls in the world " all at once. No. in:
deed. The very next morning she forgot her
good resolutions, fretted and sulked because
they had mullins instead of griddle,cakes for
breakfast; until she was finally sent away
from the table in disgrace.
Just before twelve o'clock Mrs Morton
called to her and said, "Alice, would you
like to take your lunch and play party with
Nellie, to-day"
"Oh, yes, mamma
A few minutes after she was hutrying down
the street with n well-filled basket in her
hand. Again s.le climbed the dingy stairs,
again she tapped at the door, and sweet
little voice said "Come in"
Radiant with delight, Alice threw off her
wraps and said, "Oh, Nellie I've brought
my lunch to share it with you, and we'll have
a party in good earnest now"
Nellies pale face lighted up, and she ex-
claimed, "How nice that will be, for mother
didn't have any apple-sauce for nue. to-day, and
was most going to fret over it"
"Well, now, you just see what wen have.
Wait that chair isn't big enough let me
pull the table close up to the bed. There
That will be NICE"
What a lunch there was packed away in
that willow basket Nellie cIappcd her hands
and laughed such merry little ripple, when
she saw great lemon and paper Of white
sugar, "Oh, we can have real lemons !"
Alice squeezed the juice into brown
pitcher, cut it up into thin slices, put into
sugar and water, and they tasted and stirred,
added more sugar and water, stirred and
tasted again, until both declared it just right
Then Alice took from the basket delicate bis
cults nicely buttered, thin slices Of pink han
on little gilt-edged plate, two daintily seal
loped tarts filed with delicious Jelly, two
frosted patty-cakes, and a lemon-pie baked il
small tin plate. Oh, it was so nice, SO like
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