"
"No, Emily," answered the mother, "it is something far more precious
than either, although by your own admission you have two gifts of which
you are not at all careful. But I fear that if I tell you what the
treasure is, I shall fail in making you see clearly how much you misuse
it; I will therefore keep a little memorandum of your neglect and
ill-usage of it for one week, and that I hope will make you more careful
in future. I will begin on Monday, as to-morrow, being the Sabbath, I
have this gift of yours more under my immediate care."
Emily wondered very much what this wonderful treasure could be that she
used so badly, and puzzled her brain the whole evening in guessing, but
her mother told her to have patience, and in a week she would find out.
Emily Manvers was a kind, amiable little girl, between ten and eleven
years old; she was dutiful and obedient, but had an evil habit of
procrastination, which her mother had tried in vain to overcome. It was
always "time enough" with Emily to do everything, and consequently her
lessons were frequently imperfect, and her wardrobe in a sad state, as
Mrs. Manvers insisted upon her daughter sewing on strings, and hooks and
eyes, when they were wanting, thus endeavoring to instill early habits
of neatness. "Put not off till to-morrow what should be done to-day,"
was a copy the little girl frequently wrote, but she never allowed its
meaning to sink into her heart.
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