Bessie in the City

by Joanna H. Mathews

"When these are all read," said the colonel, "they shall have some more."

There was only one thing which seemed wrong, but that was rather serious. The dear teacher appeared as if she would scarcely be able to do her part that morning. Mrs. Rush had taken a severe cold, and had a bad headache and a sore throat. She looked quite ill, and when Mr. Bradford, who had brought the little girls over, shook hands with her, he said, "I think you are in no fit state for teaching to-day. You had better let me take the children home, and make a beginning next Sunday."

"So I have told her," said Colonel Rush; "but she cannot bear to disappoint herself or them, and I have agreed to let her try, on condition that, if she find it too much for her, I am to take her place. I do not know what kind of a teacher I shall make, but, at least, I can tell them a story."

Mrs. Rush said she thought she should do very well; so Mr. Bradford went away, and in a few minutes Gracie Howard and Lily Norris came in, and they all took their seats. Colonel Rush went into the inner room, where he could not be seen, but where he could hear if he chose; and his wife began.

First, she made a short prayer, asking our Father in heaven to bless them with his presence and his love, that he would give her strength and grace to teach these lambs aright, and to them, hearts gentle and tender, and ready to learn the way of life, and that he would bring them all at last to dwell with him in his home beyond the sky. Then she read to them of Christ blessing little children, and, showing them a card on which a picture of this was painted, talked to them about it.

"Now we will sing," she said, "or rather you may, for I shall not be able to help you. We will take something you all know quite well, that there may be no difficulty about the tune. 'I want to be an angel.' Who will start it?"

Any one of the children, if she had been alone, could have started the tune and sung it through without trouble; but with all the rest waiting, not one felt as if she could begin. They all sat looking at one another, each little girl afraid to trust her own voice.

"Why," said Mrs. Rush, "are we to have no singing at all? Cannot one of you do it?"

Then came two or three notes from the other room. Bessie took them right up, and the rest followed immediately. As soon as they were fairly started, the colonel paused, and let them sing it through by themselves. Very nicely they did it, too; their sweet young voices making pleasant music in the ears of their kind friends.

"I want you each to learn a new hymn and a Bible verse, during the week, to say to me next Sunday," said Mrs. Rush. "We have had no regular lesson for to-day. Can you not each remember a hymn to repeat now?"