This amusement Laurence infinitely preferred to learning to read the books which Jeanie brought him, although she offered to be his instructress. He would sit, however, very patiently during the long winter evenings while she read to him. He told her frankly that the only books which interested him were those of adventures and hairbreadth escapes in various parts of the world. He listened attentively, however, when she read the Bible, but seemed far more interested in the narratives it contained than in any other portion. Its Divine truths had as yet, it seemed, made no impression on his mind.
“Now, Jeanie, I have been a good boy, and listened with my ears open to all you have been reading about, and I think it is but fair that you in return should come and coast with me to-morrow,” he said one day, after she had read to him for some time. “I have had a beautiful new toboggin made for you, and I am sure it will run faster and straighter than any in the fort.”
“I shall be very glad to come, if mamma will let me, though you are so very bad a scholar that you do not deserve to have your way,” she answered.
“If I promise to learn better in future, will you ask leave to come?” urged Laurence. “I should like to be able to read about the wonderful things you tell me of in your books.”
“If you promise, I’ll ask mamma to let me do as you wish,” answered Jeanie. “But, remember, God hears every word you say, and knows everything you think, and the promise made to me is really made to God, and it will grieve Him if you break it.”
“Oh, but I mean to keep my promise, though I cannot fancy that the Great Spirit cares for what a young boy like me may think or say,” answered Lawrence.
“Oh, yes, yes, He cares for young and old alike,” exclaimed Jeanie. “He tells us that the very hairs of our head are numbered, and He knows every sparrow that falls to the ground. That is to make us understand that He is interested in all we think about, and in even the very smallest thing we do. It always makes me very happy when I reflect that God cares for me, and loves me even more than my father and mother can do, though they love me a great deal, because He is so much more powerful than they are, and He can help me and keep me out of temptation when I am inclined to be naughty, which they, with all their love and interest in me, cannot do.”
“I wish that I could think as you do, Jeanie,” said Laurence. “I must try to do so, though; then you will ask your mamma’s leave to come and coast on the new sleigh?”
“Yes, I will ask her,” said Jeanie. “And you must show that you are in earnest, by trying to say your alphabet this evening. You missed out a great many of the letters yesterday, and I felt ashamed of you.”
Laurence had hitherto made but very slow progress in his studies. His head and eyes ached, he said, whenever he looked at a book, though he really was anxious to learn for the sake of pleasing Jeanie.