How much shall I cut you? enough to trim a bonnet?"
Charlotte was agitated; the man's volubility confused her, and she
stammered forth, "Half a yard, if you please, sir."
It was cut off, rolled up, and in her hand, and she had paid the two
cents before she collected her thoughts; and then as she slowly returned
home, she unfolded her purchase, and tried in her admiration of its gay
color to forget she had done wrong.
Perhaps if Charlotte had read her Bible she would have remembered how
Ananias and his wife Sapphira were struck dead for mocking the Lord, by
pretending they had given all when they had reserved a part of their
goods. Their sin consisted not so much in keeping back a part as in
lying unto God; and this sin Charlotte was about to commit by
pretending to put in the mission box more than she really did.
Sunday morning dawned bright and lovely. Annie was up and tidily dressed
long before the hour for school. She had time to sing a sweet morning
hymn, and to feed the tame robins with the crumbs she had carefully
swept up, and then with her little Bible sat down to study her lesson
again, and assure herself that she had it perfect. As she read the
sacred volume, and dwelt upon its precious promises, which her mother
had explained to her, she felt doubly sorry for those poor people who
were deprived of so great a blessing; and then she thought of her little
offering, and wished with all her heart it had been more.
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