Emilie the Peacemaker | Page 5

follow now and
then. Her first essay in teaching was in Mrs. Parker's family. Edith was
to "be finished." And now poor Emilie found that there was more to
teach Edith than German and French, and that there was more difficulty
in teaching her to keep her temper than her voice in tune. Edith was
affectionate, but self-willed and irritable. Her mamma's treatment had
not tended to improve her in this respect. Mrs. Parker had bad health,
and said she had bad spirits. She was a kind, generous, and affectionate
woman, but was always in trouble. In trouble with her chimneys
because they smoked; in trouble with her maids who did not obey her;
and worst of all in trouble with herself; for she had good sense and
good principle, but she had let her temper go too long undisciplined,
and it was apt to break forth sometimes against those she loved, and
would cause her many bitter tears and self-upbraidings.
She took an interest in the poor German master, for she was a
benevolent woman, and cheered his dying bed by promising to assist
his daughter. She even offered to take her into her family; but this
could not be thought of. Good aunt Agnes had left her country for the
sake of Emilie--Emilie would not desert her aunt now.
The scene at the supper table was not an uncommon one, but Emilie
was frequently more successful in winning aunt Agnes to a smile than
on this occasion. "Perhaps I tried too much; perhaps I did not try
enough, perhaps I tried in the wrong way," thought Emilie, as she
received her aunt's cold kiss, and took up her bed room candle to retire

for the night. When aunt Agnes said good night, it was so very distantly,
so very unkindly, that an angry demand for explanation almost rose to
Emilie's lips, and though she did not utter it, she said her good night
coldly and stiffly too, and thus they parted. But when Emilie opened
the Bible that night, her eye rested on the words, "Be ye kind one to
another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God for Christ's sake
hath forgiven you," then Emilie could not rest. She did not forgive her
aunt; she felt that she did not; but Emilie was human, and human nature
is proud. "I did nothing to offend her," reasoned pride, "it was only
because I was out a little late, and I said I was sorry and I tried to bring
her round. Ah well, it will all be right to-morrow; it is no use to think of
it now," and she prepared to kneel down to pray. Just then her eye
rested on her father's likeness; she remembered how he used to say,
when she was a child and lisped her little prayer at his knee, "Emilie,
have you any unkind thoughts to any one? Do you feel at peace with all?
for God says, 'When thou bringest thy gift before the altar, and there
rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy
gift before the altar, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then go and
offer thy gift.'" On one or two occasions had Emilie arisen, her tender
conscience thus appealed to, and thrown her arms round her nurse's or
her aunt's neck, to beg their forgiveness for some little offence
committed by her and forgotten perhaps by them, and would then kneel
down and offer up her evening prayer. So Emilie hushed pride's voice,
and opening her door, crossed the little passage to her aunt's sleeping
room, and putting her arm round her neck fondly said, "Dear aunt!" It
was enough, the good old lady hugged her lovingly. "Ah, Emilie dear, I
am a cross old woman, and thou art a dear good child. Bless thee!" In
half an hour after the inmates of the little lodging in High Street were
sound asleep, at peace with one another, and at peace with God.
CHAPTER THIRD.
THE LESSON AT THE COTTAGE.
Edith was very busily searching for corallines and sea weeds, a few
days after the evening walk recorded in our first chapter. She was alone,
for her two sisters had appeared more than usually confidential and

unwilling for her company, and her dear teacher was engaged that
afternoon at the Young Ladies' Seminary, so she tried to make herself
happy in her solitary ramble. A boat came in at this moment, and the
pleasant shout of the boatmen's voices, and the grating of the little craft
as it landed on the pebbly shore, attracted the young lady's notice, and
she stood for a few moments to watch the proceedings. Amongst those
on shore, who had come to lend a hand in pulling the boat in, Edith