The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-03
The Heart is " Vain. "

81 congratulate you on having such a
daughter" said Mas Fulton, Jenny S
teacher, to Mrs Briggs, Jennys, mother,
on taking her departure after pleasant
hour.
Jenny heard it-heard her mothers
reply. 1 am very glad if she has de-
served so good an opinion, and she saw
the shadow on her mothers face as she
turned back to her sewing. Jenny did
not like to remain at the piano, though
the teachers. visit had interrupted the
practice. Something in her mothers face
seemed to have had an influence upon
her fingers; there was no longer any
music in them or in her heart
What was wrong? The teacher had
praised her, and she had deserved the
praise; yet when she looked at her moth
er's sweet, but now somewhat sad face,
she wished she had not heard one fatter-
ing word.
Miss Fulton had told her mother how
industrious and patient the daughter was
at school; how gentle in her Manners
model, indeed, for other girls-and yet
Mrs Briggs did not seem to have been
made happy by the praise. And Jenny
was not happy either, That night when
she went up to her bed her mother came
in as usual to take away the light. As
she bent to give her the goodnight kiss
she felt an arm steal about her neck, and
a little sob broke through the kiss.
"What is it, little daughter?'' asked
the mother, touching the hot cheek with
tender hand
at isn't true, at all. I'm not good !;
I'm just horrid and bad, the worst girl in
all the SCHOOL,
80 no, my child; l cannot believe any
thing like that. You mean you are a
better girl at school, more careful not to
commit faults, than you are at home.
Eyes, mamma, and that's Just the
meanness of it! I am sweet and gentle
to Miss Fulton, and fretful and cross to
you. worked for her, and was idle
and impatient when the tasks were yours;
and don't love her, not one bit, and l
do love you dearly, dearly, dearly, dear
| lyw and off she went into a paroxysm OF
hugs and sobs.
Mrs. Briggs waited until she was quiet
and then she talked gently to her OF the
real cause of all her tears.
"You say you have been working for
your teacher, Jenny; but l think if you
look closely you will find you have been
working for yourself Ny little girl likes
to be praised; likes to win smiles and af-
fiction; and she saw very quickly what
would please her teacher, and tried to do
| it. am glad of that, Just 50 far as it
was trying to do right but if it was only
to win praise it was selfish and wrong
and certainly it is wrong for my child to
try hard to control all waywardness be-
fore a stranger, and then to be careless
and impatient when only her mother
would know. After time that becomes
pretending to be good, and there's very
hard name for those who deceive, and
pretend to be what they are not. 1t will
not help you much, will it, to have Miss
Fulton call you model girl, if God, and
your own heart, and your own mother
know the hard name is the one for you?
40 mother what can 1 do? l cam
tell Miss Fulton l am idle, and cross, anc
snappish at home and | cant be bad a
school just to show I was making believe
good.
mo, no, child; but you can begin t.
be at home just what you are at school
to be before those of whose love you ar
sure. Just what you are before those who's
love you wish to win to be before friend
as nearly as possible what you are befor
the One who loves you better than an,
earthly friend"
+ Il will, mamma from this very day
will.
"God helping you you mean
Eyes" sobbed the child, but the moth
} er checked the sob with kiss, and lon
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