CHAPTER III.
THE FRIENDS.
Amongst the children at Hazel Grove, there were, as you may suppose,varieties of disposition and character, and though they seemed all tofeel kindly and affectionately to each other, each of them had somechosen companion, to whom their plans were confided, and with whom alltheir pleasures were shared. Kate and Emma, the twins, were almostinseparable; Lucy Wilmot and Martha Williams walked together, assistedeach other in their gardens, and nursed each other's pets; while ClaraDevaux and Grace Wilmot read from the same book, pursued the samestudies, and sought the same amusements. Yet there could scarce havebeen two persons less alike than Clara Devaux and Grace Wilmot. Clarawas gay and spirited, generous and thoughtless. A quick temper oftenmade her say unkind words, which an affectionate heart made her feel, ina short time, far more painfully than the person to whom they wereaddressed. Grace was, on the contrary, of a grave, serious nature, andseemed always to take time to think before she acted. She, too,possessed a very affectionate heart, and the least appearance ofcoldness or anger from one she loved, would distress her much, but shehad scarcely ever been known to speak or even to look angrily. In onething, however, these girls were alike,--they were both remarkable fortheir truth. I do not mean only that they would not tell a story, forthis I hope few little girls would do, but they would not in any waydeceive another, and if they had done wrong, they did not wait to bequestioned, but would frankly tell of themselves. Mrs. Wilmot, inspeaking to me of their attachment, said she was pleased at it, for shethought they had been of use to each other; that Clara had sometimesstimulated Grace to do right things which, without her persuasions, shewould have been too timid to attempt, and that Grace had often preventedClara from doing wrong things into which her heedlessness would have ledher but for her friend's prudent advice.
Not far from Mrs. Wilmot's lived a man who was feeble in health andsomewhat indolent in his habits. He had three little daughters, theeldest of whom was little more than four years old when their motherdied. She was an active, industrious woman, and had always taken goodcare of them, but as their father was far from rich, they fared hardlyafter her death, and were often sadly neglected. They could not go toany school except Sunday-school, because their father could not affordto pay any thing for their education, and at Sunday-school they wereseldom seen, because there was no one to take care that their clotheswere mended and washed in time.
"Poor children," said Grace one day, when she and Clara had passed themin walking, "how sorry I am for them! They have no kind mother to takecare of them and teach them as I have."
"No, but they might go to Sunday-school, if they would," said Clara;"and they could learn a great deal there."
"Yes, Clara, but are you sure that we should ever have gone toSunday-school, if we had had no one to see that we were ready, and sendus there?"
"No," said Clara, "I do not think we should."
The girls walked silently on for a few minutes, when Clara said, "Grace,suppose we teach these poor little children."
"We teach them, Clara--what an idea!" exclaimed Grace.
"And why not? I am sure we can teach them to read and to say hymns andverses from the Bible, and we shall be learning something more and moreevery day to teach them, as they grow older. Come, let us turn back andask them if they will come to school to us."
Clara was already retracing her steps, but Grace put her hand on her armand stopped her. "Stay, Clara,--it seems very good, and I am sure Ishould like to teach them if I can,--but let us ask mamma about itfirst, and if she thinks it right, she will show us the best way to doit."
Clara readily agreed to this proposal. When they returned home, Mrs.Wilmot was consulted. She highly approved the plan, and promised to aidthem in its execution, provided the time which they gave to their littlepupils was taken, not from their studies or work, but from theiramusements. For many months before my visit, Clara and Grace hadcommenced their school, devoting one hour each day to these motherlesschildren. There was something very touching to me in seeing these youngteachers' patient and persevering efforts to instruct their charge.Especially did it please me to see the gay, pleasure-loving Clara, layaside her bonnet, when ready for a walk or ride, put up her battledoor,or jump from the just-entered swing, when she saw the little girlsapproaching. I said something of this kind one day to Mrs. Wilmot, andClara, who was nearer than I thought, overheard me. She colored, lookedquickly at me, as if she would speak, and then, her courage failing,looked down again.
"What would you say, Clara?" asked Mrs. Wilmot.
"That if it had not been for Grace, ma'am, I should have often put offteaching them, and maybe, should have given it up altogether beforethis."
"And how has Grace prevented you, my dear?"
"Why, the first time I wanted to put off the lesson was once that Mr.Gilbert called to give me a drive in his new carriage, just as thechildren came. But when I said 'let us put them off,' Grace looked verysorry, and said, I must remember how much trouble we had had in gettingthem to come to us; and now, if we put them off for a drive, they wouldthink we did not care much for the lessons, and would perhaps not comeagain. Grace seemed so serious and earnest, that I was ashamed of havingeven thought of putting them off; and so I have never said any thingabout it since, though I have been very tired sometimes."
Grace had entered while Clara was speaking, and now said, "Ah, Clara!but we would never have begun to teach them if it had not been for you."
My young readers may understand from this sketch what Mrs. Wilmot meantby saying that Clara stimulated Grace to do right things, and Graceprevented Clara from doing wrong ones.
Aunt Kitty's Tales Page 30
