"My dear child, God made you to do the work he has set for you in this world, and after that to live with him for ever and ever,—never to have any more pain or sorrow or weariness or trouble, but to be happy with him in heaven. That is what God made you for. But if you wish to live with him hereafter you must try to live for him here and to do his work."
"I don't see how I can do any work," said Madge. "I cannot even dress myself."
"No: your work is of a different kind. Your work is to try and suffer patiently, and not complain and fret, and make no more trouble than you can help, to be considerate of other people and careful of their comfort. If you try to be faithful in this work,—if you ask God's help in it, and read and study and think about his word, that you may know your duty,—God will perhaps send you something else to do."
"Granny used to read the Bible a great deal after she was sick," said Madge. "She said it was all the comfort there was in the world for her, and she had let it alone too long. And oh, Aunt Letty, a great many times when she wanted to read the Bible, I used to make her read story-books to me. It was very selfish: wasn't it? If I had always been good to her, I should not feel half so badly now."
"My dear, that is the way we all feel," said Letty. "It ought to make us very careful in our treatment of our friends while they are with us, to think how sorrowfully we shall look back at all our selfishness and unkindness when they are gone."
"I tried to be good to grandmother while she was sick, and I felt sorry for her when she used to say that something was the matter with her heart, and that she knew she should die suddenly some day; and father used to talk to her about making a will. He was at her about it for ever so long; and one day he brought a paper, which she signed, and Mrs. Van Horn signed it after her."
All at once the solution of Mrs. Van Horn's civility and Agnes's extra kindness flashed across Letty's mind. Joe had persuaded his mother-in-law to make a will, giving to Agnes all the money that Aunt Eunice had left for her use. Joe and Agnes had always been in the habit of talking about this money as though it rightfully belonged to them; and no doubt they would try to make use of this will in persuading Letty to give up her claim to the property. She mentioned her suspicions to John after Madge had gone to bed.
"Joe must be aware that such a will is not worth the paper it is written on," said John. "Nevertheless, I do not doubt that they will try to coax you into giving up your claim."
"I shall not do so," said Letty, decidedly. "If Agnes were poor, I might think of it; but not under present circumstances."
The event proved that John was right. The day after the funeral, Agnes sent for Letty to come into her room, where she sat arrayed in her new mourning apparel.