St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-02-18

Whats the matter thar you are 81
still = Mrs. Ray said ut last. looking .
up from the Jacket she WAS making.
"Have you had bad marks to-day p"
"No'm. answered Jenny. and then
very slowly She stammcrcd out Il wish
to go and see sick Johnny.
'Ccrtainly You may GO her mother
said. 50 Jenny put on her bonnet and
walked reluctantly to Miss Goodnuts'.
Johnny was sitting up III bed. play
things all around him.
"Thi> is the little girl" Miss Good
nuts said this is the dear. sweet. lit
tie girl who has come to play with
Johnny :" and then she left the children
alone, for the shop door-bell went ting
a-ling. The children looked at each
other and neither of them said Il word.
Presently tears went rolling down Jen-
ny'> checks. johnny hid his face under
the bedclothes.
''Don'tr' he said.
Jenny wiped away her tears with one
hand and touched him with the other.
Johnny took his head out again.
''What made you cry ?' he asked.
Il don't know said Jenny.
Il know, said Johnny. ..it was about
me. 1t hurts you. But don't mind
much 'cepI when the awful spells come
| fell out of Il tree and hurt myself. but
I'll get well 10y and by"
"'That'll be nice to be well again. =
said Jenny.
"Gurss I will. said johnny with Il
laugh. Then he went on in Il changed
voice. But ! get tired waiting. You
would If You had no one to speak to all
day long 'cept when she comes in-that' :
my Aunt Mitabel. She's good though
-lnoSt'S good as mother waS. But they
come Ill tor penny'S worth of things
all the time and she cant stay by me
like mother did
No: but what pretty playthingS
you've got" said Jenny. and she took
up woolly dog. Bow wow." she said
laughing, and then the two became
friends i'll earnest. Jenny STAYED nrar-
ly tw" hours and then she said that she
must go home. She mad had Il nice
time. but oh how unhappy she had
| felt whenever she thought of the lemon
stick III her pocket. Il wont think of
it. she had said at last To herself. but
! I'll put ii back I> soon as | get II
chance. But there was no chance hat
day. The next day and the next JENNY
came again To visit johnny and still
there WAS no chance. Friday morning
came and Jenny went to school say ing
1T is the last day. I'll have my penny
this afternoon and drop it OH the coum-
ter when Miss GooduutS isn't locking"
! But girl next To her stuck IL pm in
Jenny elbow and made her scream ont .
and both of them got bad marks ior dis
tm hing the class.
When Johnny saw Jenny coming in
that afternoon he clapprd hi>thin hands
but although Jenny laughed and played
away as If she WAS merry. all the while
she had Il prick i'll her heart.
"lf | could only slip the stick back. ="
she said as she went through the shop
to go home. There were several Gus
toners i'll and Miss Goodnut> was very
busy. Jenny stopped III front of the
glass jar. All the customers had their
heads bent over thrir goods. Jenny
put her hand into her pocket To draw
ont the lemon stick. hut Miss Goodnuts
came toward her: Going ," She said
with Il smile.
"le>'m." answered Jenny: "Go"d
10y. and she WAS guin. ont.
wv ait :" said Miss GooduutS. and she
thuSt three sticks of candy in .JrnmN'>
hand.
No" said Jenny, Il can't | cant
take them -
"le> Nou can" said Miss GunduutS.
and she rushed around quickly from be
hind the counter and led Jenny toward
the >h"p-deor. '-(io tight along with
them now. She said. land lie sure to
come early to-m"rr"w." Jenny went
home with sad and slow steps.
Every day her mother had asked her
questions about the sick little boy
"ll"w l. Johnny to-day ," She said when
Jenny came in.
He says he feels hcttrr." said Jenny.
and then she went and sat down in Il
corner and hid her face behind the
Christian Weekly. that her mother took.
Are yom reading the child'> story ,"
heI mother asked presently.
"N"m. answered Jenny.
"Rrad something ont of it to me" ="
Mrs. Ray said. Jenny began to read,
hut her voice broke down. "WhN what
are you crying about - said her moth
cr. Jenny was silent. lis il bcrau>r
vou didn't have Il good report this
week ?! Jenny shook her head. What
Is it then? Tell me" and Mrs. Ray
drew her little Girl to her
Its because -hccalI>r I've been 81
naughty 81 wicked" and then she told
her mother all about it,
Mrs. Ray looked sad. then She wcpt
herself. 'Oh Jenny - she said. Il
couldn't have believed my little gill
would do such Il thing"
1
Jenny, ''amd ever since the first minute
wanted to he good and put it back.
hut there WAS always somebody look
ing"
And God is always looking" said
Mrs. Ray. 'lou forgot that Jenny.
when You took it,
NO.. said Jenny. Il didn't forget.
hut ] wanted il 80 much. and | meant
to pay for it. didn't mean to steal"
Mrs. Ray took up her sewing again.
She stitched in silence until il was dark.
then she lighted the lamp and set about
getting supper ready but without say
ing Il word.
''Oh mamma why don't you speak
to me ?" cried Jenny at last. her heart
full.
at is hccaIu>c have been trying tn
think what would be right for You to
do" her mother said softly. Have vnu
not thought that You ought 10 tell Miss
GoodnutS about il ,"
"No, no." said Jenny. mot that, |
couldn't do that
But if it were right for y"u to do it.
wouldn't you do it ;" said Mrs. Rav.
I'VE must do what is right no matter
how harI il is