Five Happy Weeks | Page 9

the little brother to his own
room and the little sister to hers, to stay until they were ready to ask
each other's pardon. Edith, serene and peaceful, kept out of all such
troubles.

"Miss Simms," said Johnnie one day, "what is the reason nobody ever
is angry with Edith? She seems to please people without trying to."
"I think Edith has found out a great secret very early in her life," Miss
Simms answered.
"I wish I knew it, then; I'm always being scolded, and I try to be as
good as the other fellows. But it isn't of any use, that I can see. To-day I
had been perfect all day in school, you know, Miss Simms, and just a
minute before recess, I spoke; and Miss Clark was mean enough to
make me stay in. She read off the boys' names who had violated any
rule, this way:
"'Willie Simpson, late;
"'Thomas Miller, missed his geography;
"'Johnnie Evans, whispering.
"'These little boys must spend this recess in the school-room.' I leave it
to you, Miss Simms, if that wasn't mean."
"Was it the rule that you must lose your recess, if you spoke?"
"Yes, if we spoke without permission."
"And you knew all about it?"
"Oh! yes!"
"Well, I don't see how Miss Clark could help herself or you, if you
disobeyed. You were both bound by the rule, you see, Johnnie."
"That's only one thing. I forget to hang up my hat on the nail, and I
bring mud in on my boots, and I lose my speller, and I lose my temper
too, and I'm just tired of trying any more."
Johnnie stood like a little "knight of the rueful countenance," hat in
hand.

Miss Simms measured two breadths of silk; "snip, snip," went her
shining scissors, and she threaded her needle. "Dear me, what a hard
needle to thread; my eyes are beginning to fail me," she said.
"I'll thread it for you, let me. My eyes are bright and sharp," said
Johnnie.
"Thank you," she said. "Now, Johnnie, don't you want to know Edith's
secret. It is a word of four letters, LOVE. Love to God, and love to
everybody else. That makes Edie's good time."
"How can I get it too?" said Johnnie.
"I must tell you some of my verses, I think:
"'Ask, and ye shall receive.
"'Seek, and ye shall find.
"'Knock, and it shall be opened to you.
"'For every one that asketh receiveth.
"'And he that seeketh findeth.
"'And to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.'"
"I'll ask," said Johnnie.
These five happy weeks were long spoken of as "the time when we
stayed at Aunt Maria's house," and their memory has not yet faded
away from the children's minds. They are expecting a visit soon from
Aunt Maria, Miss Rose, and Chloe; and Lucifer Matches is coming too.

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