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[Illustration: Cover: MRS. LESLIE'S BIBLE PEARLS.]
The Pearl of Peace:
OR,
THE LITTLE PEACE-MAKER.
_BY MRS. MADELINE LESLIE._
"Blessed are the peace-makers; for they shall be
called the children of God." MATTHEW 5:9.
BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY A. F. GRAVES,
20 CORNHILL.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by
REV. A. R. BAKER,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of
Massachusetts.
J. E. FARWELL & CO., PRINTERS,
37 Congress Street.
To
FRANK RANDALL, RUTH, MAY, RANDOLPH MORGAN,
AND JAMES WALDINGFIELD,
CHILDREN OF
D. F. APPLETON, ESQ., NEW YORK,
THESE "BIBLE PEARLS" ARE AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED
BY THE AUTHOR.
MRS. LESLIE'S
PEARL SERIES.
Series for Girls.
VOL. I. THE PEARL OF FAITH.
" II. " " " DILIGENCE.
" III. " " " MEEKNESS.
" IV. " " " FORGIVENESS.
" V. " " " CONTENTMENT.
" VI. " " " PEACE.
MRS. LESLIE'S
PEARL SERIES.
Series for Boys.
VOL. I. THE PEARL OF LOVE.
" II. " " " CHARITY.
" III. " " " OBEDIENCE.
" IV. " " " PENITENCE.
" V. " " " HOPE.
" VI. " " " PATIENCE.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THE QUARREL, 11
CHAPTER II.
SALLIE'S HOME TROUBLES, 22
CHAPTER III.
HATTY'S PEACEFUL HOME, 34
CHAPTER IV.
THE PEACE-MAKER, 46
CHAPTER V.
MATILDA'S CONSCIENCE, 59
CHAPTER VI.
THE QUARREL SETTLED, 72
CHAPTER VII.
THE SICK GIRL, 86
CHAPTER VIII.
THE PEACEFUL DEATH, 102
The Pearl of Peace.
CHAPTER I.
THE QUARREL.
"SHE'S the meanest girl I ever saw! If she is my cousin, I'll say so. I
wont speak to her again this term; see if I do!"
Sallie Munson was greatly excited, and walked in quick jerks by the side
of her companion.
Matilda had been repeating to her, with some exaggeration, the remarks
of Cynthia Manning, concerning her dress; but Matilda did not expect or
intend to excite so much anger, and was almost frightened at Sallie's
warmth.
"What are you talking about?" called a cheerful voice from behind. "I've
been running my breath all away, trying to catch you; but I couldn't
make you hear my call; I could only see Sallie gesturing away, as if
she were practising her exhibition piece."
Matilda had only time to whisper hurriedly, "Don't tell her a word of
what I said," when Harriet Maynard joined them.
One glance into her good-humored, serene face, would have put Sallie's
anger to flight, if it had not been for a sly pinch Matilda gave her
arm.
"Did you ever see the brook look so lovely, girls? I should have
overtaken you sooner, only that I stopped at the bridge to see the
water dash over Montworth Falls, as I have named that pretty cascade. I
threw in a piece of wood, and over it went among the foam just like that
boat we read of, over Niagara."
She rattled away in a gay tone, looking as smiling as a May Queen; but
at last she could not help noticing that neither of her companions were
in good humor.
"Why, what's the matter, Sallie?" she asked, affectionately. "You look
as if you were in a high fever, and Matilda, too, is as solemn as a
church. What is it?"
There was no answer; and, presently, a shadow crept over Hatty's smiling
countenance.
"Sallie, Matilda," she exclaimed, eagerly, "you must tell. Have I done
anything? Have I hurt your feelings?"
"No; oh, no, indeed!" answered Sallie, turning quickly to her friend.
"It's nothing that you have anything to do with." She cast a quick
glance down at her own dress, eager to know whether Hatty had also
condemned it as low and vulgar; but her friend said, still more
earnestly,--
"Tell me all about it, can't you? Do you know I begin to be jealous of
Matilda? You have told her all your troubles."
"No, indeed! Matilda told me,--I"--
There was another pinch of the arm, and she stopped suddenly.
"Well, good-bye, then; I wish you were going my way: but I have the
brook for company."
Then she laughingly waved her adieu, calling out after they were at some
distance, "I've finished all those hard sums."
"What a girl Hatty is," exclaimed Sallie. "I wish I were always as happy
as she is. I don't believe she ever cried in her life."
"Yes, she's gay," answered Matilda, "and good company; but still I do
like people that have some feeling. She laughs a good deal. She knows
that's her best look. She's awful proud of her white teeth."
"Now, Matilda, that's too bad! I don't believe she ever thinks of that
in all her life. She laughs because she's happy; and, as for feeling, I
think she has more than any of us. She's the best friend I have, any
way. I never get angry when I'm with her."
"I didn't mean to say a word against her, I'm sure. I like her
first-rate."
"Well, I shouldn't think you liked me first-rate, if I heard that you
called me unfeeling and proud."
Sallie drew her arm from her companion, and walked on by herself in a
dignified manner. Before long, Matilda reached her own home, and, with a
pleasant good-bye, ran inside the gate.
When Sallie was left to her own reflections, her face grew more flushed
and serious than ever. She was very angry with her cousin Cynthia, for
criticizing her dress. She was angry with her mother, for obliging her
to wear a gown that looked as if it came out of the ark. She was angry
with Matilda for repeating her cousin's ill-natured remarks; and she was
angry with herself for listening to them. It was only when she thought
of Hatty, sweet Hatty Maynard, with her gay tone and pleasant, placid
smile, that her forehead relaxed from the deep frown which had gathered
upon it.
"I wonder," she said to herself, "why Hatty is so much happier than
anybody else I know. She's real poor, and has to wait on that cross old
uncle, and her deformed sister; she dresses old-fashioned, too; only she
never seems to care. When she has on anything odd, she just laughs the
more, and says, gayly,--
"'You know my dressmaker doesn't visit the city often.' Well, I suppose
it's her way, and I wish 'twas my way, too."