p. 41 | AN UNEXPECTED PRIZE by Mrs. F. A. Reynolds

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 20, 1893

"AN UNEXPECTED PRIZE."

By Mrs. F. A. Reynolds

CHAPTER VIII.—MORE LESSONS.

"Dear me, mamma!" cried Hope, coming in from school one day, "it does seem to me that things have happened just to illustrate the ten commandments since we began to study them. Doesn't it seem so to you?"

"Now I was thinking only this morning of what we had seen and heard, and I said to myself, 'Well, I haven't heard the third commandment broken.' Of course I've heard what I call swearing, but not a real taking the name of God in vain. Just a few minutes afterwards I heard a man using most awful oaths because his team balked. Now, isn't it odd that so much should happen in just a few weeks?"

"I think," said Mrs. Manton, "that these happenings, as you call them, are around us all the time, but your attention was never before called to the fact that God's law is being constantly broken. You know your observations have not been in the order of the commandments, you have seen first one and then another violation, just as events have occurred."

"Well, perhaps that's so," assented Hope as she hung up her hat, "but about swearing, mamma, do you think those only are breaking the third commandment that take God's name in vain, or do you think all of this bad, rough language breaks it, too?"

"Applying Christ's test to it, I should say that bad language that is used under the same circumstances that oaths are used,—in anger, under strong excitement, or even as a habit,—is breaking the third commandment," said her mother. "I am aware that men who use this rough language will not acknowledge they swear, but many of the words they use are well understood to mean the same as taking God's name in vain in a modified form."

"Christ said, 'Let your communications be Yea, yea, and Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil.' Bywords are silly and useless, and some of them wicked. Plain, straightforward language is the most forcible."

"Well," said Hope, blushing, "I do say 'mercy,' 'goodness,' 'gracious,' etc."

"And don't you see," said her mother, "those very words describe attributes of God, and are very improper words to use in such a trivial fashion?"

"I never did think of it before," said Hope, "but I mean to break myself of the habit as soon as I can."

Hope took her schoolbooks to a table to prepare her lessons, but uttered almost immediately an exclamation of impatience.

Mrs. Manton looked up reprovingly.

"I forgot, mamma, but I was so provoked."

"What about, dear?"

"Why, we are getting up a present for Miss Carleton, you know. She is to be married soon, and go West, and we hoped to give her something handsome. All of the class did real well except Gertrude Fletcher, and she was so mean, she wouldn't give a penny. We needed only $2.00 to get just what we wanted, but the rest of us had all given all we could, so we had to get a less expensive present. Don't you think it was a shame?"

"I am sorry you were disappointed, but what you have got will no doubt express your appreciation as well as a more costly gift."

"But it was so mean in Gertrude not to give. She is the proudest girl in school, and when I asked her she said, in her most superior way, 'I should like to give Miss Carleton something, but I can't do it.' I had all I could do to keep from giving her my opinion of her. She dresses nicer than any of us, and she is a good scholar, and if she wasn't so stuck up, she would be a favorite."

"Perhaps, my dear, you had better reserve your condemnation until you know more about her. There is danger that in your haste you may break the ninth commandment."

" 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,' " repeated Hope. "I thought that meant in court, mamma," she said wonderingly.

"Does it make any difference where you give a false impression of your neighbor? In fact, doesn't neighborhood gossip do more to injure one than any false swearing in court? It would be kinder in you not to say anything against Gertrude even if you hear her to be stingy, but as you know nothing of her circumstances, you had better not even condemn her in your thoughts until you do know."

"Why, mamma, she lives in that large, beautiful house next to Mrs. Stoughton, and she dresses so nicely."

"They are strangers here," observed Mrs. Manton thoughtfully, "and I have never called. I ought to, and I will. You may go with me, if you wish, to-morrow evening."

"All right, mamma," said Hope, "I shall like to go."

So after school the next evening Mrs. Manton and Hope started to call on the Fletchers.

Arrived at the house, they rang the bell, and a servant man showed them into an elegant little reception room, opening from a large, lofty hall. Hope gave her mother a meaning look, which said, "You see I was right; they are rich."

In a short time the lady of the house made her appearance. She was a stately, handsome woman, richly and tastefully dressed, very cool and ceremonious in her manners. Mrs. Manton, however, was not at all overawed, and after a few minutes' chat said:—

"My little girl would like to see your daughter, Miss Gertrude."

Mrs. Fletcher hesitated, then said indifferently:—

"Gertrude is not my daughter; she is Mr. Fletcher's brother's child, and when her father died she was brought here—against my desire, I must say"—and the lady's lips tightened disagreeably,

"but Mr. Fletcher would have it so. He insists on dressing her well and sending her to school. She is a peculiar girl. She had no money, only about ten dollars a month, and she gives that to her brother to help him through college. Of course I didn't countenance it, and the consequence is she has no pocket money. Her clothes don't cost so very much, made over from mine, but I don't like anyone in the house in her position. Certainly, dear, I'll ring to have her sent down."

Mrs. Fletcher touched a bell, and said to the servant who appeared, "Tell Miss Gertrude to come to me here."

Soon a tall, slender girl of thirteen entered the room. She bowed to Hope, who rose, and, taking her hand, led her to her mother, saying, "This is my classmate, Gertrude Fletcher, mamma."

Mrs. Manton met her cordially, and then Gertrude said:—

"May I take Hope into the library, Aunt Kate?"

"Yes, anywhere you please," returned Mrs. Fletcher.

As the girls left the room, she added to Mrs. Manton:—

"I can't repress a feeling of impatience in her presence. I never could bear her mother."

Mrs. Manton hastily introduced a new topic of conversation, while she formed an inward resolution to try to be a true friend to this friendless, orphan girl.

When she rose to go, the girls appeared in the hall from the room opposite, and she was pleased to see them apparently good friends.

As they were walking home, Hope began, with trembling tones:—

"I'll never judge from appearances again, mamma. That girl hasn't a friend. She is a dependent. She didn't complain, but I could see, after hearing Mrs. Fletcher talk. Supposing I had told everybody what I told you, what I believed to be true, it would have been—could it have been bearing false witness, mamma?"

"I think so, dear."

(To be continued.)