"Mamma, O mamma!" cried an eager young voice; and Nellie Alton, a
plump, rosy schoolgirl of twelve summers, rushed into her mother's
room, and, flinging her text-books on the sofa, seated herself on an
ottoman at her mother's feet. Mrs. Alton looked up from her sewing
with a quiet smile, and said, as she pushed back the tangled curls
from Nellie's uplifted forehead,--
"What is the matter with my daughter? Has anything serious occurred at
the institute?"
"O mamma," said Nellie, half reproachfully, "you can't have forgotten
that it is just a week to-day since I received that invitation to
Minnie Shelburne's party. You said at the time, that you didn't know
whether I might accept, and I think I've been very patient not to
tease you about it. Almost all the girls are going. Mrs. Doane has
bought the loveliest silk for Carrie and Jessie; and Mrs. Hilton has
three women sewing on Emma's dress. Here I am not knowing whether I
can go. Cousin Sue said she thought my 'mother a woman of great
deliberation.'"
"In years to come you will rejoice over the truth of that remark, my
darling."
"But, mamma, please decide now, won't you?"
"I have decided, my dear. Last night your father and I had a long talk
about the matter, and we agreed--"
"To let me go?" cried eager Nellie.
"No, dear. Anxious for your truest good, we were sorry we should have
to disappoint you. But we cannot grant you a harmful pleasure." Nellie
bit her lip, while her eyes filled with tears.
"May I ask your reasons, mamma?"
"Yes, dear; and I feel that my sensible little daughter cannot but be
satisfied with them. All the advantages you are now having tend to
make you, at some future time, a useful woman in society. To obtain
their full benefit, your mind must remain undiverted from your
studies, and you must be kept free from everything that will detract
from your health and strength. Parties will excite you, deprive you of
sleep, fill your mind with foolish fancies, retard you in your school
work, and make you thin, pale, and irritable. We should sadly miss our
bright, blooming Nellie. Do you wonder we refuse to let you attend the
party?"
"But just once cannot hurt me," pleaded Nellie.
"The one party, my child, will be followed by a score of them. If you
go to Miss Shelburne's, the other girls will wonder why you cannot
attend theirs, and ill feeling will arise. We will talk no more about
it now. Sometime you will thank me for my course. Are you satisfied?"
"I'll try to be, mamma," said Nellie; but there were a few suspicious
drops on her eyelashes.
The night of the party arrived. Nellie had had a very trying week at
school, for the girls thought of nothing else besides their fine
preparations. She bore it bravely, and after tea sat resolutely down
to her lessons, which were unusually difficult. Half-past eight found
her closing her books with the air of a conqueror, while she
exclaimed,--
"Now, mamma, they're all done, every one. May I run over and see
Cousin Sue off?"
Consent was given, and Nellie entered her uncle's vestibule just as
Sue was descending the stairs, in a cloud of lace and pink silk. She
felt a little choking in her throat, but said, quietly, "Sue, you look
lovely; but to-morrow's French exercise is terribly hard."
"And Miss Propriety Stay-at-home has prepared for it, I infer. Aren't
you sorry you can't go?" said Sue, settling her flounces with a
satisfied air.
"Mother knows best," said Nellie, decidedly; then she went home. While
her sixth hour of sleep, sweet and restful, was passing by, poor,
tired, cross Sue returned home, and wearily climbed the stairs to her
room.
Next day Nellie came home, saying, "I am at the head of all my
classes. Some of the girls were late, others had headaches, all of
them were disagreeable, and none of them had half prepared their
lessons. Professor Marshly was very angry, but he thanked me for my
good example to others. You dearest mother! I'll trust you as long as
I live." And grateful Nellie sealed the compact with a kiss.
Years afterward, two ladies were seated in a pleasant room engaged in
conversation. One of them reclined on a sofa, and her sallow features
and restless, dissatisfied manner marked her an invalid. The face of
the other was bright with health and vivacity. Her sunny smile and
cheery voice showed her a stranger to sickness and pain.
"Nellie, my dear," sighed the former, "you can have no idea of the
dreadful condition of my nervous system. I spend the greater part of
the day on the sofa. The children are a perfect worriment, everything
about the house goes wrong, Ralph looks so discontented. I cannot
enjoy society at all. In fact, the doctor says I had too much
dissipation when young, and ruined my constitution with the parties
and late suppers. I would give my fortune for your good health and
cheerful spirits."
"Cousin Sue, I remember when you used to drive off to parties, and
think scornfully of my quiet home evenings."
"I remember, Nellie. Do hand me the hartshorn and another cushion, and
please lower that shade a little. There, thank you. Now will you
inform me to what you owe your healthy, happy life?"
At this moment the door opened, and a silver-haired, sweet-faced lady
entered. Nellie rose to meet her, and twining one arm about the lady's
waist, "Cousin Sue," she said, "my perfect health, my calm, happy
mind, the good I am enabled to do for God and humanity, the comfort I
succeed in giving to my husband and children, the knowledge I have of
my heavenly Father, and the love I bear him, I owe to the judicious
care, the wise counsel, and the tender love and prayers of my mother."