NELLIE'S WATCHWORD by Sallie V. DuBois

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 10, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 44.

NELLIE'S WATCHWORD.

By Sallie V. DuBois

BY SALLIE V. DUBOIS.

It was a perfect morning and Nellie Ashby felt a glad thrill of pleasure as she noted it. The graduating class of which she was a member had arranged to hold a reunion in Harriet Cobb's parlors. It had been planned months ago that they should thus meet, and the fact that they had not all been together since the fair June day when they had received their diplomas, marked the event as one of unusual interest.

Breakfast seemed to take longer than usual, and papa lingered over his coffee, paper in hand, while Nellie fairly ached to be at her morning task of clearing things away. Then she must hear Willie's lessons, sweep and dust the sitting room, and carry grandma her breakfast.

"Why, grandma, not up yet?" questioned Nellie as she set the tea tray down.

"No, dear," said grandma, "I've a headache this morning. The sun is shining brightly, isn't it?" she continued cheerfully. "I hope you may have a happy day, Nellie."

"But, grandma, I don't think I ought to leave you."

"My dear, you must not think of staying at home. All I need is quiet and rest." And though grandma spoke bravely, yet her face told the tale of suffering which Nellie quickly perceived.

She sighed softly and set her lips resolutely together. "Duty or pleasure," she said, as she laid her hand on grandma's silver hair. "Since I have chosen the former for my watchword, and am striving to run with patience the race that is set before me, it is no longer a question with me as to what I should do. Grandma, I shall stay at home to-day."

"God bless you, my child!" grandma answered. And the aged eyes lingered lovingly on the girlish form, as with quiet footsteps the invalid's room was set in order. "More and more like the dear Christ every day," she murmured, "who pleased not himself, but spent his life in self-sacrificing service for others."

Then a sudden thought came to Nellie, that it was the anniversary of grandma's wedding day as well as that of grandpa's death. "How could I have thought of leaving her?" she questioned, as she darkened the room and softly descended the stairs.

Through the long hours that followed Nellie was brave and patient. She had sent a brief note to the girls in the early morning.

"It was duty or pleasure," she wrote, "and I chose the former."

Grandma spent a day of suffering, but just at sunset she fell into a restful slumber. Nellie, who had been almost constantly beside her, went out into the garden for a breath of air, and there met Belle Shepherd, one of her former classmates, coming up the path.

"My dear Nellie," she said, "what does this mean?"

"It was one of grandma's headaches," Nellie answered.

"Excuse me, dear, but grandma's headaches did not always influence you in this manner. I believe that you are a Christian, Nellie."

Belle clasped her friend's hands closely in her own. "O Nellie, will you show me the way?"

Was Nellie sorry that night that she had crowded pleasure out and filled the hours full of duty?—Morning Star.