She did
not scruple to tell a falsehood to screen herself or brothers from
punishment, and would often misrepresent the truth for the sake of
obtaining praise. Charlotte was also very fond of dress, and as her
parents' means forbade the indulgence of this feeling, she loved to
decorate herself with every piece of faded ribbon or soiled lace that
came in her way.
Annie Grey was the only child of a poor widow, who supported herself and
daughter by spinning and carding wool for the farmers' wives. Mrs. Grey
was considered much poorer than any of her neighbors, but her humble
cottage was always neat and in perfect order, and the small garden patch
which supplied the few vegetables which she needed was never choked with
weeds. The honeysuckle was carefully trained about the door, and little
Annie delighted in tying up the pinks, and fastening strings for the
morning glories that she loved so much.
Mrs. Grey, though poor in this world's goods, had laid up for herself
"those treasures in Heaven, which no moth nor rust can corrupt." She had
once been in better circumstances, and surrounded by all that makes life
happy, but her mercies had been taken from her one by one, until none
was left save little Annie; then she learned that "whom God loveth, he
chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth;" and thus were
her afflictions sanctified unto her.
Pages:
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296