When Susy first learned to walk, she was so pleased to find that she
could run about, that she liked very much to run to get things for her
papa or mamma. She felt herself almost a young lady when she found she
could lift one of papa's boots and carry it to him; and how pleased she
was when her mamma sent her to get her work-basket! When Robbie was
dressed she liked to stand by, and hold the pins, and she even thought
she could brush his hair, and tie his frocks, if they would let her try.
But as she grew older, and stronger, and wiser, and so better able to
run for mamma, or to wait upon her papa, Susy grew selfish. If her mamma
said, "Susy bring me my work," Susy would say, "In a minute, mamma!"
and go on playing. Or she would ask, "Must I bring it?" or, "Mayn't I
wait till I have finis'ed my house?" And if her papa said, "Doesn't my
little Susy want to rub papa's head?" she would be likely to give it one
or two little rubs, and then run off to play again.
A great many ways were tried to cure Susy of these faults. One of the
best was never to allow her to do a little favor after she had objected
to do it. When her mamma asked her to run and get a book for her, if
Susy looked fretful, or went slowly, or said, "Oh! dear!" then her papa
would say, "Stop, Susy, you can not go. Nobody shall wait on dear mamma
who looks and speaks so!" and then he would go for the book himself, and
Susy would feel so ashamed! And as soon as Robbie was able to use _his_
feet and hands, Susy learned from his behavior to try to obey quickly
and cheerfully; for no matter how busy Robbie was, he always _smiled_
when papa called him to get things for him, and if Susy did not jump the
very moment she was spoken to, Robbie would get it first, and then he
would have a sweet kiss and a loving smile, as his reward.
But you must not think Susy did not try to grow good, or that she never
_was_ good. Her papa and mamma often had a great deal of comfort in
seeing how hard she tried to do kind, loving things for them. If she saw
her papa look tired, she would often go to him and say, "Dear papa! when
I am a big girl I mean to work and let _you_ sit still!" and, "May I rub
your head? May I get your slippers?" And when her mamma saw her feeling
and behaving so sweetly, she did not forget to tell her when she went
to bed, how much pleasure it had given her.
"My little hands have been good hands to-day," Susy said one night. "And
I wish mamma would kiss them when they've been good." Her mamma smiled,
and kissed them, and then Susy folded them together, and knelt down and
prayed. And after she had got into bed, she said: "My hands will never
be naughty any more. Never strike Robbie, never take away his toys,
never touch any body's things."
And then her mamma told her a story about a little girl who stood by her
brother's coffin, and taking up the small, cold hand, kissed it, and
said: "This little hand never struck me!" Susy lay still, and thought
and thought a good while, after hearing this story.
"Mamma!" said she, at last, "I _will_ try to be good. And then perhaps
when I am dead, you will 'member me, and you can take hold of my little
hand, and say, 'This little hand wasn't always a good little hand, but
it _tried_ to be good, and sometimes it patted and loved me.'" Then Susy
put up her hand, and caressed her mamma's cheek, and kept saying, "Dear
mamma! kind mamma!" till she fell asleep.