THE PRESENTS.
Mrs. Harding, the aunt of these little girls, had been paying a
farewell visit to their mamma, before going with Mr. Harding to India,
where it was likely that they would remain for some years. She had
kindly given many little presents to her nieces during her stay with
them; but they were such as Louisa and Emma would cease to value when
they became old enough to "put away childish things;" and being a
person of piety and judgment, she wished her last gift to be one which
might be worthy of their regard in youth and in age, and through all
the changes of life. It did not take any long time to determine what
this parting gift should be.
The evening before she went away, she called Louisa and Emma into the
room. They both looked round upon the table and chests of drawers, but
no sign of a present was to be seen; no parcel neatly wrapped up in
brown paper, nor anything like a work-box or a desk. But, to do them
justice, the thought of what they might receive was not then uppermost
in their mind; for their heart was full of grief at the prospect of
parting with their aunt, whom they dearly loved, and who was going so
very far away.
"Sit down beside me, dear children," said their aunt Harding, "and let
us have a little talk together, quietly by ourselves. I wish to give
you a few parting words of advice. I am sure that you will not forget
me when I am gone; and when you think of me, I hope that the good
things which I have tried to teach you will also come into your mind."
Both Louisa and Emma said, again and again, that they could never
forget her, and they promised to remember her advice.
"Your mamma will often write to me concerning you," said aunt Harding,
"and I cannot express the joy that it will afford me to hear that you
are learning to hate sin more and more, and to live like children of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I shall be glad to find that you
are improving in your studies, and I hope that every letter will bring
me an account of your progress in useful knowledge; but I shall be far
more anxious to hear of your being good and dutiful to your parents;
and, above all, I shall long to know if you seek in earnest for the
pardon of your sins, through the blood of Christ, and whether there is
any proof in your conduct that your evil hearts have been changed by
the grace of the Holy Spirit."
"If mamma sends you a good account of us," said Louisa, "please to
remember, aunt, that you promised to write to us when that was the
case. And you will write to me first, because I am the eldest, you
know."
"Since you claim to be thought of first," replied her aunt, "because
you are a year older then your sister, I hope you intend to take the
lead by setting before her a good example, that it may be well for her
to imitate you in every respect."
Louisa blushed, and was silent. "We will try our very best, dear
aunt," said Emma, "that mamma may send you good news, and then you
will write to us both. And, perhaps, before you come back, we shall be
grown such good girls, that you will not be able to find fault with
either of us."
"I am afraid that is not very likely," said Louisa; "for it seems as
if we could not help being naughty sometimes. I am sure I have often
said to myself, 'Mamma shall not have to reprove me once to-day,' and
yet, directly after, something has been amiss."
"O! that is quite true," said Emma, with a sigh.
"The reason is this," their aunt replied; "you were born with an evil
nature, which loves sin and leads you to do wrong, so that you cannot
be good and dutiful of yourselves. When you have made such resolves,
it has been in your own strength, without your having asked for help
from God; and this being the case, it was not possible that you should
keep from sin. The only way to lead a holy life is to put no trust in
ourselves, to have a constant sense of our need of divine grace, and
to pray earnestly that it may be given to us for Christ's sake."
"But you talk of my return," added she, "as if it were certain that we
should meet again; yet how many things may happen to prevent it!
Nothing can be more uncertain than the future, though young people are
apt to think that all will fall out just as they wish. I may not live
to come back; or if I should be spared to do so, who can tell that you
will be here to meet me? Long before that time you may be laid low in
the narrow grave. 'For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that
appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.' James iv, 14."
Before their aunt Harding had done speaking, both the children were in
tears; for the thought that they might never see her again was more
than they could bear. Seeing that their hearts were softened to
receive the word of instruction, she went on to talk to them in a kind
and earnest manner on the great importance of preparing for another
world, showing them their awful state without the Saviour, and urging
them to seek him at once by faith and prayer; then, further to impress
her advice upon their minds, she unlocked a little cabinet which stood
near her, and taking out two handsome Bibles,[A] gave one to each of
her nieces, telling them that as it was the best present she could
give them, so she hoped they would value it, not only for her sake,
but because it was the word of God, and taught the way of eternal
life. After this, she desired them to kneel down with her, while she
offered a fervent prayer that God would bless them, and that they
might be led by the Holy Spirit into the fold of Christ, who died to
take away their sins. And she also prayed, that if they should never
more see each other in this world, they and all whom they loved might
meet again and be happy for ever in heaven.
[Footnote A: See frontispiece.]
Now I will not say that when the sisters were alone together, and
looked at their handsome Bibles, a thought of the work-box and the
writing-desk never crossed their minds; but it is certain that there
was not a word said upon the subject, and each seemed to be greatly
pleased with her present, admiring the rich purple binding, and
opening the book with care, to look at the name which had been nicely
written by their aunt on one of the blank leaves at the beginning. In
Louisa's Bible, just under her name, was the text, "Open thou mine
eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law," Psa. cxix,
18; and in Emma's, in the same place, was written, "I love them that
love me; and those that seek me early shall find me." Prov. viii, 17.