The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-02-29
Old Dinah.
BY WESTON.

"Why, Bessy! what is 1t, my dar.
ling?" and mother put her arms low
ingly about the little girl, whose
cheeks were wet with tears.
At this Bessy threw her arms round
her mothers neck, and for a little
while could not speak. When she did,
she said earnestly:
II don't mind so very, very much ;
but then it was hard to say goodbye to
dear old Dinah."
"And why must you say good-by to
her?" asked mamma, who noticed
now that the old black doll, who had
been nurse to all the others, was by
her side.
"Oh! you don't know,-do you ?"
said the little girl. "Well, you see, !
have been thinking of what I heard
you say the other day about making
sacrifices ourselves, after all Christ did
for us. I never made any, you know,
and was afraid God might think /
did not love him enough; 80 began
to wonder what I could do, and then I
thought of Dinah."
And what are you going to do with
Dinah ?"
"I'm going to give her to little Sadie
Black. You know, mamma, God has
not given her as much as he has me
for he took her dear mother eway
when she was very small, and her
papa is away all day, and she is very
lonely sometimes, because she is sick q
good deal. The day she came here to
play, she learned to love -Dinah so
much she did not care for any of the
others. Now, you know, mamma, I
would rather give all my other dolls
away and keep Dinah; but I know
that Sadie would rather have pinah,
so am going to give her up. She is
not 80 beautiful as any of the others !;
but think God will understand why
give her,-don't you ?"
"Yes, my darling"
"And he won't think it was because
I didn't want to do it that I cried. 1t
was only that I loved her so dearly I
could not let her 60 at first without
crying, .,,,oo ~
tie one. and he knows all our secret
thoughts. He knows all you feel now
loves you for it."
"Then, mamma, I think I had bet
ter go at once, because Mary said yes
terday that Sadie was sick again, and
it might be a little comfort to her to
have Dinah."
And so Bessie was made ready by
mamma, and allowed to 60 all by her.
self with Dinah. She went off very
bravely, but mamma waited anxiously
for her return, fearing she would feel
badly to come away and leave Dinah
behind, but, to her surprise, Bessy
flew into her arms crying excitedly,
20 mamma, mamma, I'm 80 glad !
did it! Oh, you don't know" And
then she kissed her mother over and
over again before she continued.
"You see, Sadie is very sick, and the
doctor was there, and I can't tell
you all now, mamma, but the doctor
said had done her more good than ne
had, and he said I might come again
this afternoon and stay an hour; and
then lie asked me what made me think
about it, and said it was you, and L
told him what you said the other day,
and he gave such funny little grunt
That I did not like him much for q
minute but when he said he wished
there were more mammas like mine, !
liked him again. And, mamma, it
don't seem now as if I had made any
sacrifice at all, for it really was 80 easy.
You see may some day have another
colored nurse. Of, course she would
never, never be like Dinah-she
couldn't be; but then 1 would not
have Dinah back for anything. You
see Sadie needed her more than did,
and I had no right to keep her, L am
60 clad YOU said what you did the 9th
or or dav. for would never have thought
of giving Dinah up. Mamma, what
do girls do who don't have any moth
ers to talk to them as you do to me 2"
II am afraid a great many, who do
have them don't profit by what they
hear, as my little girl has done this
time" :,
II don't see how they can help it,
mamma, and I only wish 1 could tell
them how happy it would make
them.