Library Collections: Document: Full Text

Before she left; Annie took out of the same little basket, not another green-covered book, but some ripe strawberries, which had grown in her own garden. She knew they would be a treat to a poor child like Patience, and so they were. Patience thought she had never tasted anything more nice in all her life.

Patience felt very happy, and I am afraid a little proud, as she walked through the lanes next Sunday morning, side by side with Miss Annie Leslie; especially when Betsy Stevens, who was lolling out of her bedroom window, saw them as they went past. She did not feel so strange as she had thought in the midst of the other schoolchildren; and, after the first few trying moments were over, she forgot herself, and began to be quite interested in all that was going on. I can not tell you how pleased Miss Annie was to have her there; nor how she prayed that Patience might be one of the little lambs who are early gathered into the Saviour's fold.

It was a happy day for Patience when she went to the Sunday school; for the gentle teachings of Miss Annie, week by week, deepened the good impression which had been made upon the poor girl. The more Patience knew about Jesus and his great love; the more sorry she felt for the way in which she so often grieved him by her selfish and angry tempers, and the more she wished that she could take his yoke upon her, and learn to be meek and lowly in heart. She did try very hard to check her hasty passions, and to speak less pettishly when anything took place which "put her out," as she called it; but it is often a long struggle to conquer ourselves; and Patience got on but slowly. She was sometimes almost ready to give it all up in despair; but her kind friend, Miss Annie, was ever ready to cheer and assist her, and took such a bright, hopeful view of things that Patience would become ashamed of her own weakness, and would set off again with fresh resolves. It is a great blessing to have a true friend who will help us when we are most in want of one; and such a friend Patience had in Annie Leslie.

Ah! but Patience had a better friend even than Annie; a friend who, although we may not have another in the world, is willing to be ours. That friend was Jesus Christ, who so loved us as to give his life a ransom for sinners. What would Patience have done without him! He was always near to guide and help her; she could go to him when she met with anything that troubled her, and tell him all that was in her heart, and feel sure that he would pity her, and aid her to bear it. If she failed, as she too often did, in doing what was right, she knew that he would not send her away from his presence when she with sorrow confessed her sins. She knew he would freely forgive her, and strengthen her by his Holy Spirit for the time to come; and therefore, although she might feel ashamed, she did not feel afraid, to go to him and put her confidence in him. Was not such a friend as that worth having? Then, is he yours, dear young reader?

But other people could see that Patience was not the same girl she once was, although she was so slow to see the change herself. And this was the more marked after Patience began to act out a little piece of advice which Annie gave to her one day. I shall tell it to you, for it is not a secret; and you may possibly make as good a use of it as Patience did. I shall be very glad if you will. Annie's advice was this: "Do not think so much about yourself, Patience, but forget yourself in trying to make others happy." What a different world ours would be if everybody would only do that!

It was half-holiday again; and Patience and several other girls were amusing themselves with a colored glass toy which belonged to one of them, and which had only lately been given to her. It was quite a new toy, and all were eager to look at it.

"Now it is your turn, Patience," said Katie Ford, when she had peeped through it for some minutes.

"No, it is not," cried Betsy Stevens, seizing hold of it; "I am going to have it next."

This was very unfair of Betsy, for it had already been passed to her. Patience was angry, and she was just going to try to snatch it out of Betsy's hand, with the words, "It is my turn, and I will have it!" when she recollected the advice which Annie had given her that very morning. Her cheek was hot, and her heart beat quickly, but she said, as mildly as she could, "Never mind, Katie; let Betsy have it if she likes; I can wait till she has done with it."

Could this be Patience who spoke thus? Katie was surprised at her kind ways; and so was Betsy, for the latter knew that she had no right to have the toy a second time, before Patience had had it once; and instead of keeping it long, she gave it up to her almost directly. So Patience got it sooner than she would if she had contended for it, and did not lose her temper either. How glad she felt that she had studied Betsy's wishes rather than her own, and had thus gained the victory over "self!"