A CHRISTMAS GIFT LIKE BELL BENNET’S.
MRS. T. N. CHASE.
“Annie, will you please come in a minute?” called Mrs. Duncan to a merry maiden tripping home from school. Annie Bennet looked up, nodded, and turned toward Mrs. Duncan’s mansion. As soon as her feet touched the grand stone steps, she felt changed into a dignified young lady, as quickly as ever Cinderella turned into a fairy. And as handsome Will, just in from the same school, opened for her the massive doors, some fresh roses jumped into Annie’s cheeks and some fresh sparkles into her dancing eyes. As soon as the three were seated in the cosey bay-window, Mrs. Duncan said, “Annie, you know, with my lame foot, I cannot go to see your mother, so I called you in to tell you my Christmas plan for our little May. You know how the child loves your little sister Bell. Well, last night while the little darling was saying her prayers, she added, ‘Please, Lord, tell Santa Claus to bring a Christmas gift to Bell just like the one he brings to me.’ Now we had planned getting her a tiny diamond ring, it would be so lovely on her dainty little hand, and I thought if your mother knew of May’s sweet little prayer, she’d like to strengthen the child’s faith by getting one for Bell like it.” Annie thought it was a beautiful idea and hastened home to tell her mother.
As soon as Mrs. Bennet heard Annie’s story, a greater pain came into her heart than had been there for many a day; for they had lately received a fortune from a rich uncle, and she felt that her motives for simplicity and economy would not be understood. Her greatest anxiety, however, was for her children. How she had prayed that the love of this money might not be to them “the root of all evil,” and “pierce them through with many sorrows.” She well knew how her precious Annie would now be petted by the gay and fashionable, and here had come her first great trial in this irresistible message from charming Mrs. Duncan. Annie understood her mother’s hesitation and said, “Mamma, wouldn’t it be a pity to have little May think her prayer was not heard?”
“My child, May did not pray for a diamond ring, but for a gift like Bell’s. Perhaps if you tell Mrs. Duncan I cannot conscientiously grant her request she will get a simple gift like one we get for Bell.”
“Oh, mamma, I never could tell Mrs. Duncan that. Don’t you think the habit of economy, that of necessity you have practiced all these years, may be mistaken for conscience?”
“The habit doubtless makes it easier for me to obey conscience, but I cannot think I am mistaking one for the other,” replied Mrs. Bennet.
“But, ma, do you think it proper for us to live as simply now as we did when papa had a salary of only $2,000 a year?”
“Annie, dear, have we not been able to dress respectably, has not our table always had well-prepared, wholesome and appetizing food, has not our little cottage contained all that was absolutely necessary for real home comfort?”
“Yes, ma, we have a sweet home: you know I love it. I was not complaining of the past, but why did God give us this fortune if He did not wish us to enjoy luxuries now as well as comforts?”