1. Poor lame Jennie sat at her window, looking out upon the dismal, narrow
street, with a look of pain and weariness on her face. "Oh, dear," she
said with a sigh, "what a long day this is going to be," and she looked
wishfully up the street.
2. Suddenly she leaned forward and pressed her pale face against the
glass, as a rosy-checked boy came racing down the street, swinging his
schoolbooks by the strap. Looking up to the window, he took off his hat
and bowed with a bright, pleasant smile.
3. "What a nice boy he is," said Jennie to herself, as he ran out of
sight. "I am so glad he goes by here on his way to school. When he smiles,
it seems like having the sun shine. I wish everybody who goes by would
look up and smile."
4. "Mamma," said George West, as he came from school, "I can't help
thinking about that poor little girl I told you of the other day. She
looks so tired. I took off my hat and bowed to her to-day. I wish I could
do something for her,"
5. "Suppose you should carry her a handful of pretty flowers some time
when you go to school," said Mrs. West. "I'll do that to-morrow morning,"
said George, "if I can find my way into that rickety old house."
6. The next morning, as Jennie sat leaning her head wearily against the
window, watching the raindrops chasing one another down the glass, she
spied George with a handful of beautiful flowers carefully picking his way
across the street. He stopped in front of her window, and, smiling very
pleasantly, said, "How shall I find the way to your room?"
7. Jennie pointed to an alley near by, where he turned in, and with some
difficulty found his way to the dingy staircase. Opening the door to
Jennie's gentle "Come in," he said, "I have brought you a handful of
flowers to look at this rainy day."
8. "Are they for me?" exclaimed Jennie, clapping her hands in delight.
"How kind you are," she continued, as George laid them in her lap. "I have
not had a flower since we live in the city."
9. "Did you use to live in the country?" asked George. "Oh, yes," answered
Jennie, "we used to live in a beautiful cottage, and there were trees and
flowers and green grass, and the air was so sweet."
10. "Well, what made you move here?" "Oh," said Jennie, softly, "papa
died, and mamma was sick so long that the money was all gone. Then mamma
had to sell the cottage, and she moved here to try to get work to do."
11. "Do you have to sit here all day?" asked George, glancing around the
bare room and out into the dismal street. "Yes," said Jennie, "because I
am lame; but I would not care for that, if I could only help mamma."
12. "I declare, it's too had!" said George, who dreaded nothing so much as
being obliged to stay in the house. "Oh, no, it isn't," said Jennie,
pleasantly; "mamma says maybe we should forget the Lord if we had
everything we wanted, and He never forgets us, you know."
13. "Well, I must rush for school," said George, not knowing exactly what
to say next; and he was soon out of Jennie's sight, but had a happy little
corner in his heart, because he had tried to do a kind act. He did not
know how much good he had done in making a pleasant day out of a dreary
one for a little sick girl.
14. "Mamma," said George, that evening, after he had told her what Jennie
said, "papa must give them some money, so they can go back to their home."
15. "No," said his mother; "he can not do that, and they would not wish
him to do so; but perhaps he can help us contrive some way to assist them,
so that they can live more comfortably."
16. "I am going to carry Jennie some of the grapes grandpa sent me,
to-morrow," said George, turning over the leaves of his geography. "I will
put some of my pears into your basket, and go with you," said his mother;
"but there is one thing we can always give, and sometimes it does more
good than nice things to eat, or even money."
17. "What is that, mamma,--smiles?" asked George, looking up. "Yes,"
answered his mother; "and it is a good plan to throw in a kind word or two
with them when you can."
DEFINITIONS.-l. Dis'mal, gloomy, cheerless. Wish'ful-ly, with desire. 5.
Rick'et-y, imperfect, worn out. 7. Din'gy, dark. 11. Glan'cing, looking
about quickly. 13. Drear'y, comfortless, gloomy. 15. Con-trive', to plan.
EXERCISES.--What is the subject of this lesson? How did George West make
the day pleasant for Jennie? What did his mother suggest? What happened
next day? What did Jennie tell George about her life? Relate what happened
at George's home that evening. What does the lesson teach?