Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed.
[Illustration: MRS. LESLIE'S BIBLE PEARLS.]
The Pearl of Patience:
OR,
MAURICE, AND KITTY MAYNARD.
_BY MRS. MADELINE LESLIE._
_"To them who by patient continuance in well-doing,_
_seek for glory, and honor, and immortality; eternal life."_
ROM. 2:7.
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.
PRATT BROTHERS,
Stereotypers and Printers,
37½ CORNHILL, BOSTON.
MRS. LESLIE'S
BIBLE PEARLS.
Series for Boys.
VOL. I. THE PEARL OF LOVE.
VOL. II. THE PEARL OF CHARITY.
VOL. III. THE PEARL OF OBEDIENCE.
VOL. IV. THE PEARL OF PENITENCE.
VOL. V. THE PEARL OF HOPE.
VOL. VI. THE PEARL OF PATIENCE.
MRS. LESLIE'S
BIBLE PEARLS.
Series for Girls.
VOL. I. THE PEARL OF FAITH.
VOL. II. THE PEARL OF DILIGENCE.
VOL. III. THE PEARL OF MEEKNESS.
VOL. IV. THE PEARL OF FORGIVENESS.
VOL. V. THE PEARL OF CONTENTMENT.
VOL. VI. THE PEARL OF PEACE.
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. MAURICE'S SPELLING LESSON
CHAPTER II. MAURICE'S TOOTHACHE
CHAPTER III. KITTY MAYNARD
CHAPTER IV. GRANDMA'S SETTING HEN
CHAPTER V. VISIT TO KITTY
CHAPTER VI. KITTY'S STORY
CHAPTER VII. MAURICE LEARNING PATIENCE
CHAPTER VIII. JIMMY BARNARD'S SIN
CHAPTER IX. CONCLUSION
The Pearl of Patience.
CHAPTER I.
MAURICE'S SPELLING LESSON.
"THERE'S the breakfast bell, Maurice."
The little fellow was sitting on the floor, trying to the knot in his
shoe, which he had twitched off in haste the before. He looked up as
Nurse spoke, with an impatient scowl.
Presently his mamma came from her room and seeing him still undressed,
exclaimed,—
"What, Maurice! Not ready yet?"
"I can't untie my shoe, mamma."
She took up the shoe, glanced at the knot, and smiled as she let it
fall again.
"I don't think you've tried, my dear. It isn't a hard knot."
"I did try ever so much; but it wouldn't come out of the tangle."
"Shall I do it for him?" asked Nurse, who had almost spoiled the boy by
indulgence.
"No, Hannah. He must learn to be patient in conquering these little
difficulties, else how will he ever get through the great ones, he will
certainly meet in life."
"Come, Maurice, I'm quite ashamed that a boy nearly five years old
should sit moping on the floor, when one minute of patient effort would
untie your shoe. Nurse, has Cook carried in the coffee and muffins yet?"
"Oh, mamma! Are there muffins for breakfast?"
"Not for tardy boys, certainly. However, I will allow you five minutes
to finish your dressing; and as Nurse has given you your bath, and
curled your hair, you can easily be ready, if you try."
Maurice caught up his shoe in a hurry, began to twitch and pull; looked
as if he was going to cry, but with a sudden thought bent his whole
energies to the work, and laughed aloud when it was accomplished.
"I'm glad you didn't help me, Hannah," he exclaimed, joyfully. "I can
pull knots out now, just as easy."
"To be sure you can," she answered, giving him a kiss, and hurrying him
away to be in time for his favorite muffins.
A few hours later he sat in his little study-chair, his spelling-book
open before him, while he was gazing at the cat trying to catch her own
tail.
"See, mamma!" he exclaimed, laughing. "Isn't puss silly to run round
that way?"
"I have nothing to do with kitty now. She is not in my school," replied
the lady, with a smile. "I suppose you can say your lesson very
perfectly, as you have time to watch cats."
Maurice blushed and caught up his book.
"F-o-l-l-y, folly," he spelled, in a whisper, then stopped again.
"Mamma, what's the use of learning to spell so many words?"
"Some other time I will explain that," she answered, pleasantly.
"H-o-l-l-y, holly," he went on. "Is that holly that grows on trees?"
"Yes, my dear, it is a small tree or rather shrub."
"I can say my lesson now, mamma." He held out the book.
"Can you spell the word patience?"
"That isn't in my lesson."
"I'm afraid not."
"Why do you say afraid, mamma?"
"Because I want very much that you should learn the meaning of the
word; and then perhaps you would try to practise it. Now spell after
me, p-a-t-i-e-n-c-e."
"It's hard to remember," he said, with a blush.
"Now for the meaning, Maurice. This morning it meant, 'try, try again
to untie your shoe.' Now it means 'study over and over your lesson, not
allowing yourself to be weary or diverted from your book, until you
have learned it thoroughly.' The Bible speaks of 'patient continuance
in well-doing,' and tells us to 'let patience have her perfect work.'"
"I am sorry to say, Maurice, that you are sadly wanting in patience
and—"
"Mamma, I did get out the knot," exclaimed the boy, his cheeks
crimsoning.
"Yes, at last you applied yourself to the business; if you had done
that at first you would have prevented the reproof your papa gave you
for tardiness, which he so much dislikes."
Without another word, Maurice set himself to his task with a will. Over
and over again he whispered the words, his finger patiently following
down the column. Not even when kitty, tired of her play, came to him
with a plaintive "meow," did he turn his eyes from his book.
"Well done, Maurice!" exclaimed his mother, who had been watching him
with a smile. "I may as well get out the memorandum-book, for I'm sure
of having to put down the word perfect this morning."
He stood erect before her, his hands folded behind his back. He had
conquered his lesson and was very happy in the thought that he had
conquered himself. It was no matter now, whether his mamma went
straight on with the words, or commenced at the bottom of the line, or
whether she skipped about, he was sure of every syllable.
"It's a pleasure to hear such a lesson as that," said the lady.
"I'm going to be patient all the time, mamma," he cried, jumping up and
down. "Now I'm going to get my geography."
Every lesson that morning was well learned, and the boy who usually
dragged away the whole day at his studies, to his mother's great
annoyance, now fairly earned the right to a long recess.
All in the family, from Cook in the kitchen, to Tom the stable-boy,
knew by Maurice's bright, happy face, that something unusual had
happened, and rejoiced with him in his efforts to learn patience.