CHAPTER IX.
One day Susy and her mamma and Robbie were sitting alone together in the nursery. Susy was in the corner, with her toys, and Robbie sat on his mamma's lap. Every now and then he put up his little hand to pat her cheek or to play with her hair. His bare white foot was nestled in her hand, and more than once she leaned over and kissed it. After a time Susy got up and came and stood by them.
"You love Robbie dearly, don't you mamma?" she asked.
"Yes, darling—dearly. And I love my little Susy just as well."
"You wouldn't like to kiss my little foot," said Susy.
"I used to kiss it when it was a little baby foot, and wasn't covered up with a shoe. But it would be rather funny for me to take off its shoe and stocking so as to kiss it when there is this nice, round cheek, all handy."
Susy laughed; and kneeling down she took Robbie's foot in her hand, kissed it, laid it on her neck and cheek, and talked to it as if it were a doll.
"Some body said Robbie's hands were whiter than mine," said she.
"That is nothing," said her mamma. "The question is not whether Susy's hands are white, but whether they do all they can for God."
"They are too little to do any thing for God," said Susy in a mournful voice.