"God made you, my dear Lucy," she would frequently say; "and He loves everything that He has made, and 'would not that any of His little ones should perish.' Christ has died that you may be forgiven; He has promised to receive all that truly come unto Him; His child you were made in Baptism, and His child you are glad to be; then why should you fear?"
"It seems so strange that God is willing to forgive me so often," Lucy would reply, "I can hardly believe it."
"It is, indeed, most wonderful; but for Christ's sake His poor erring followers are received, if they truly repent," would Rosa answer.
"I wish I could be perfect in a minute," said Lucy, one day; "I get tired of trying."
"When Christ has done so much for us that wo may share His happy home in heaven, we ought to be willing to stay here as long as He pleases, and strive to follow His example. If we prayed more earnestly for God to assist us, we should find it easier to do right; for God gives His Holy Spirit freely to them that ask Him. If you can constantly remember that God is with you, you will soon learn to turn to Him when you are tempted," answered Rosa.
Lucy thought that Rosa had no trouble to do right always; but it was a mistake. Many times hasty words came to Rosa's lips, and unkind thoughts were offered to her mind; but they wore followed so quickly by the effort to subdue them, and the prayer for aid, that they never were made known to those around her.
Cold winter weather had come: it seemed to make Harty only the more full of life and spirits. When he came in from the keen air, there was always a bustle in the circle round the fire. Sometimes he would lay his cold hands suddenly on Lucy's neck, and shout with laughter as she shivered and drew away; sometimes Rosa's cheeks got rubbed with a snow-ball until they were redder than usual; and almost always the noisy fellow was reproved by Mrs. Maxwell for bringing in so much snow or mud on his boots.
Yet Rosa was learning to love her rough brother very dearly, and she even fancied she could see some improvement in him. After a long talk with his sister, he would be more gentle and quiet for a few days; but soon some trifle would throw him into a passion, and all his goodness departed. He was so accustomed to speaking rudely to Lucy, that he never thought of it afterwards; yet he was mortified when in his fits of passion he had been unkind to Rosa.
She never seemed to retain any remembrance of his fault, but was ready to meet him pleasantly again as soon as his bad humour had passed away.
He could not help admiring her noble spirit; and every day he felt more and more sure that there was some strength in the principles that could keep a high-spirited girl like Rosa uniformly gentle.