Such are ever the consequences of
sin. She ate no dinner, and her mother told her to go and lie down, as
she did not look well. Charlotte gladly went up stairs again, and after
another hearty crying spell fell fast asleep.
When she awoke it was evening, and going down stairs she found that her
mother had gone to visit a neighbor. Charlotte stood out by the door,
and although it was a lovely summer night, a gloom seemed to her to
overhang everything. Her little brothers spoke to her, and she answered
them harshly and sent them away. While she stood idly musing a miserable
old beggar woman, who bore but an indifferent character in the
neighborhood, came hobbling along; she came up to the little girl and
asked an alms. Almost instinctively she put her hand in her pocket, and
taking thence the three cents placed them with a feeling of relief in
the beggar's hand. She thought she was doing a good act, and would atone
for her wicked conduct. The old woman was profuse of thanks, and taking
from her dirty apron a double handful of sour and unripe fruit, placed
it in Charlotte's lap and went away.
Charlotte's parents had forbidden her eating unripe fruit; but a day
begun in sin was not unlikely to end in disobedience. She felt feverish
and thirsty, and so biting one of the apples went on eating until all
were gone. She then went up to bed, and feeling afraid to be alone, for
a bad conscience is always fearful, she closed her eyes and fell almost
immediately asleep.
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