"Oh, Claude, do look at that poor woman! Doesn't she look ill! I don't
believe she can drag that great pail of salt water up the beach. There,
she's let it drop! all the water is spilt, and she is leaning against
the boat. I must go and see if I can help her."
So spoke kind-hearted little Elsie, but Claude pulled her back.
"Don't, Elsie! The woman will be all right directly, and we don't know
anything about her."
"But she's in trouble," urged Elsie. "See how she trembles, and you
know, Claude, what we heard on Sunday at the catechising."
Claude could not but remember, for it was only yesterday that the
clergyman had told his little hearers to try and sympathize with any one
in trouble. "Let them realize by your sympathy that you remember that we
are all one great family--all one in Christ."
So he let go of Elsie's hand, and she went up to the half-fainting woman
and asked her if she wanted anything.
"No, thank you," said the woman, looking gratefully at her little
bare-legged questioner (Elsie was in her shore dress--or rather
undress--and with tucked-up petticoats and huge sun-bonnet was supposed
to be secure from any evil effects of either water or sun). "I shall be
better presently," she continued; "it's only my side; it hurts me so
when I fetch the salt water. It's for the little invalid boy at the Red
House there. I'm his nurse, and the doctor has ordered a salt-water bath
for him every day, and it hurts me to drag the water up this steep
beach; only I don't want any one there to know it, as they might send me
away as not strong enough, and I must earn money, for I've a sick mother
at home."
"Oh, I know we can help you in that," cried Elsie. "You sit still, and
let me carry your empty pail to the top of the beach; it's only a step
from there to the Red House, and then we'll bring our little pails full
of water and soon fill yours."
The nurse would have remonstrated, but Elsie had run off with the pail,
and she really felt too ill to follow her.
The tide was low that morning, and the salt water lay beyond a good
stretch of sand, so that Elsie had no light work before her; and after
the sands, there was the steep beach to climb, and somehow when she was
at the top her bucket seemed to have but little water in it. However,
she toiled bravely to and fro, and Claude, who would not help at first,
was touched by her industry. Of course, he would not own to such
feelings, and indeed was too proud, saying to Elsie that she was
spilling half her water! "Here, _I'll_ show you how to carry a bucket!"
And after that he worked with her, and with Claude's big bucket the pail
was soon filled. By this time the nurse was better, and able to carry
the pail across the road into the Red House.
"I'll never forget your kindness as long as I live," she gratefully
declared. "I might have been your own sister by the way you've behaved
to me."
"How funny of her to say that," whispered Elsie to her brother; "it
seems as though she must have been at the catechising too. Perhaps she
knows we ought to try to be all one in Christ."
And Claude, boy-like, only nodded his assent.
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