The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1885-07-15
" For His Sake"

For whom was she baking cakes at such
late hour? For the family? Most
assuredly not. The family breakfast had
been eaten and cleared away full hour
and half ago.
Hettie was baking cakes for Brother
Rob, who at that moment was sitting in
the dining-room leisurely eating his
breakfast-cakes and maple syrup, regard
less of what the clock said, or of the
Saturday work that was waiting for
Hettie.
Rob was nineteen, four years older
than Hettie, and considered it his priv
ilege to tease his sister and lord it over
her generally. Often would he come
downstairs late and demand his break
fast of Hettie in tone of authority, as if
of course it was the business of her life
to wait upon him. AS often, too, the sis
ter would reply with sharp, ugly words,
multiplied by many more on his part
words that left sting all day long.
On this particular morning Rob had
been more exasperating than usual. He
said the cakes were burned, then that
they were raw, and he asked Hettie if
she had to wait to have some -four ground
before she brought any more.
Besides all this it was warm morn
ing, and mother was sick, and life seemed
all awry to poor Hettie. Doyou wonder
that her face was drawn into scowl, and
that the frowns grew deeper with each
cake turned? I don't think she tried
very hard-to tell the truth-to have
those cakes right, for certainly they were
not done as nicely as Hettie Bryson could
no 70 La he ar h
skill in that line
Rob says he wants glass of water"
The small messenger who said this was
the baby and pet of the house. Now if it
had been any one else but Baby Lille,
Hettie would have said, Tell him to get
1T, then - but she could not quite bring
herself to send such message by this
gentle little sister, so she slammed her
plate on to the table and went to get the
water.
Lille watched her sister moment as
she jerked the pump-handle up and
down, and then with a puzzled look
asked:
Hettie, are you getting it for His
sake? ?"
For His sake What do you mean !?
Whose sake? ?"
Why, for Jesus sake, guess. It is
in my Sunday School lesson for to-mor-
row about getting cup of water for His
sake, and l don't see how we can when
He isn't here. Will it do to give il. to
anybody? ?"
Poor, startled Hettie 1t was in her
Sunday School lesson too. She had so
longed last night for an opportunity to
give cup of cold water for His sake, to
prove that she was trying to be disci-
pie; had thought YEARLY of the coming
morning with its round and homely du-
ties, and had sighed and said there was
nothing she could do. Was it possible
that here was chance right in her own
home? Could she even give this glass of
water in His name2
These thoughts rushed swiftly through
her brain, and quick as the thoughts fol-
lowed this answer
Yesl'
Yes, it should be done for Jesus. She
looked at the glass. 1t was not clear,
and she knew the water she had filed it
with must be warm and taste of the iron
pipe because she had not pumped out
enough.
lIdoblly sic I6hCubQ dlb6I n CledU y ass
and pumped until the water was cold and
sparkling as crystal. Instead of the hard
thump she had intended, she sat the glass
down gently and in silence by Rob's
plate, and went swiftly back to those cakes.
The dried-up things were thrown away,
the damper opened, the fire made to roar,
the griddle to smoke, and soon another
set of cakes, golden-brown beauties, had
taken their places on the plate.
say, how many years are you going
to keep me waiting for those cakes -? was
his greeting as she opened the dining
room door
The fire wasn't burning nicely; it is
all right now, she said meekly.
Amazement showed in every line oil
Rob's face as he saw the tempting cakes
and heard the gentlereply. But Hettie
did not see his face, for she was standing
over the stove again. The next time she
went in, he said in pleasant tone
That will do, Hettie they are beau.
ties, though, and ! wish had time to eat
some more of them"
Hettie was almost tempted to tell him
that he would have had more time if he
had come downstairs sooner. But che
did not; she held her lips firmly, and sc
no sharp stings got out that time.