Hatty and Marcus | Page 4

near being out of patience, when again among the little ones at home. As a kind of punishment to herself, she let Meg lay aside her bonnet, and suffered Harry to run off with her pretty travelling bag, without saying a word.
"Where's Mother?" asked Hatty, eagerly, passing along the hall, and going directly up stairs.
"Here, here, my child," said the mother, as she met her on the landing, and folded her affectionately in her arms.
Very pleasant it was to Hatty to receive that mother's tender kiss, but dearer still were the words which were, breathed in her ear: "God bless you, my darling, you are dearer to me than ever."
Hatty understood her mother's earnest words, and she could have echoed them, "you are dearer to me than ever." That was exactly what she felt. The mother who had talked to her of the blessed Jesus, and taught her His words and ways, was dearer than ever, now that she had resolved to follow Him.
In silence Hatty and her mother ascended the short flight of stairs that led to the upper hall; then the little girl asked eagerly--"But where is the baby? I have not seen him yet--or Aunt Barbara, either."
"So you did think of Aunt Barbara. I didn't know but you had forgotten me entirely, you were so taken up with your grandma," said the old lady, coming slowly out of the nursery.
"No, indeed, I had not forgotten you," said Hatty, and she kissed her affectionately.
Hatty had not forgotten Aunt Barbara; she had had painful reasons for remembering her. The unfortunate, disrespectful words she had spoken to the old lady, had risen up to her again and again, and made her pray with double earnestness to be forgiven for Jesus' sake.
Aunt Barbara led the way to the nursery, and there on the bed lay the baby, the pet of the house.
"O what a dear, tiny little creature!" said Hatty, bending over it, with a look half wonder and half affection. "I never saw such a little baby before; that is, I don't remember Harry very well, when he was so young," she added, for Hatty was trying to be truthful, even about trifles.
"Harry was twice as big at the same age," said Aunt Barbara. "He always was a bouncer."
Hatty stooped down to kiss the wee mouth of the sleeping baby, but Aunt Barbara pushed her roughly back, and said impatiently: "Don't, child! don't, you'll wake him."
"Mamma does not say I mustn't!" sprang to Hatty's lips, for she was sadly quick-tempered, but again a blush of shame took the place of hasty words.
"He will wake soon," said Mrs. Lee, quickly but quietly, "and then, Hatty, you can hold him in your arms; he is not much heavier than your dolly, Susan."
"Thank you, Mother. I should like that," said Hatty; she felt that her mother had wished to speak quickly to keep her from wrong words, and she was grateful for the kindness that would help her to do right.
"Now, Hatty, you had better come to your room, and take off your things."
"To our room," said Meg, with a saucy, mischievous look.
Hatty turned towards her mother with a sudden glance of inquiry.
"Yes," said Mrs. Lee, "you are to have Meg for a room-mate." Hatty's face flushed, and Mrs. Lee hastened to add, "I thought you would like to help me, and you can do so best by taking Meg with you, and having a little charge over her."
Hatty looked very soberly, as she answered, "I should like to help you, Mother."
Mrs. Lee opened the two lower drawers of the bureau, and said, "you see I have put some of Meg's clothes here; when you need any more you can come to me for them."
"But, Mother, where are all my presents, and my pretty things? That is too bad! I have always kept them so nicely in those drawers!" said Hatty, hastily.
Mrs. Lee did not speak for a moment; she opened a door leading into a large lighted closet, and then said, "Here, my darling, you will have a place for all you want to keep particularly nice; see, I have put your presents in this drawer, and your books are there above, on the shelf. I have put a little table here for your Bible, and you must not forget to 'enter into your closet,' to pray to Him who seeth in secret."
"O, Mother, you are so very kind and I am so very hasty," exclaimed Hatty; "I will not forget to do as you say, for indeed I need it. You will have to be very patient with me, Mother, for I am afraid I shall have hard work to keep my resolutions."
"Trust in God for help to struggle against your faults, and in the end you will conquer," said the