Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
http://www.pgdp.net. (This file was produced from images
generously made available by The Internet Archive/American
Libraries.)
[Illustration: MRS. LESLIE'S BIBLE PEARLS.]
The Pearl of Love:
OR,
JOSEY'S GIFT.
_BY MRS. MADELINE LESLIE._
"Love is the fulfilling of the law."--ROM. 13:10.
BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY A. F. GRAVES,
20 CORNHILL.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by
REV. A. B. BAKER,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of
Massachusetts.
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.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
Page
JOSEY'S RIDE 11
CHAPTER. II.
THE TWO NURSES 21
CHAPTER III.
THE WRONG BABY 33
CHAPTER IV.
JOSEY'S TEMPER 48
CHAPTER V.
JOSEY'S CHRISTMAS 61
CHAPTER VI.
THE BURNED BABY 74
CHAPTER VII.
JOSEY'S SORROW 86
CHAPTER VIII.
JOSEY'S GIFT 100
_The Pearl of Love._
CHAPTER I.
JOSEY'S RIDE.
"Please mamma, may I go to ride with you?" asked little red-cheeked
Josey Codman.
Mamma was tying on baby's silk hood, and did not answer for a minute.
"I would let him go," urged Aunt Fanny. "He can sit between us; and he
wont be a bit of trouble."
Josey clapped his hands.
"I'm going, mamma, isn't I?"
"Can Nurse get him ready quick enough?"
"Yes, indeed! Run, Josey, for your new hat. Nurse bring his sack from
the hall. It's fortunate I curled his hair before dinner. It's all dry
now; come, pet, stand still while I baste in a clean ruffle."
Baby Emma didn't like so many wrappings around her neck, and began to
throw back her head in an alarming manner. Mamma gave her to Nurse to
carry about, while she put on her bonnet. Then the carriage drove to the
door. Papa had to be called from his study. Nurse scrabbled on her hat
and shawl, and at last they were all seated in the back, and the driver
cracked his whip, calling out to his horses,--
"Go on!"
"Why!" said papa, "I didn't know Josey was going."
"But I am. Isn't I, mamma?" cried the boy, his eyes dancing.
"I should think so," answered mamma, laughing. "I don't know as it was
best, we shall be out late."
"Oh, we'll manage somehow," said Aunt Fanny, "Josey is such a good boy!"
"Nurse," began mamma, "you must be careful what Josey eats for supper;
only bread and butter, with a cup of milk."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And if he grows sleepy before service is through, take off his jacket
and let him go to sleep. You will be in Mrs. Reed's nursery."
"Yes, ma'am, where we were before."
"Baby's asleep, so soon," said Aunt Fanny, watching the infant's head
nodding over Nurse's shoulder. "Lay her down. She'll sleep all the way,
and be as good as a kitten."
"Don't let her soil her new cloak, Nurse," said mamma. "Fanny, the cloak
looks beautifully! handsomer than I thought it would."
"I always liked that color," answered Aunt Fanny, "it's real bird of
paradise. Untie baby's hood; now Nurse, she'll sleep easy."
Mamma and aunty were on the back seat, with Josey tucked in between
them; papa and Nurse, opposite. Papa turned from one to another as they
spoke; but he did not listen to a word that was said. There was to be a
great meeting in the Tabernacle Church that evening, and he was to
preach. As they rode along, his mind was fixed on what he was going to
say.
Mr. and Mrs. Codman did not always live near the great city where they
were now going. Their home was more than a thousand miles away; but they
had come here to reside for a year or two, and had rented a pretty
cottage nearly ten miles from town.
On three sides of the cottage, there was a piazza, with pillars all
covered with woodbine and honeysuckle. In the barn at the end of the
garden, was a horse which the clergymen used for his daily ride to the
Post Office. When they went to town, they always hired a hack from the
stable.
Mr. Codman was a very learned man, as well as a faithful, devout
minister. Everybody loved him, for he loved everybody, but especially
little children. If he were riding through the village, he always liked
to watch the boys at their play, or the little girls trundling their
hoops. Whenever there was a cry of distress he was off from his horse
in a minute, ready to assist the child who had fallen, or to relieve any
one of their troubles.
The children of course loved him. Many a time in the early spring, as he
came out of his gate in the morning, he would find a group of them
standing there to say "good morning!" or to offer him a bunch of
violets.
Sometimes papa took Josey on the saddle before him; and then how the
children would shout with glee, and press up to speak a word to the
pretty boy.
Mr. Codman was not the minister of the village, though he sometimes
preached for the clergyman; but he always improved every opportunity to
tell those around him of the love of God, who sent his only Son into the
world to save sinners.
[Illustration: JESSEY LEARNING TO RIDE. VOL. I.]