Mrs. C., running up to her daughter’s bedroom to fetch something, and hastily opening the door, was surprised to find her in tears, which Mildred, on seeing her mother, hurriedly brushed away.
“Why, what is the matter, darling?”
“Nothing, mumsie dear—I’m only stupid. Did you want something?” she added, with the evident desire to change the subject.
But her mother was not so easily put off!
“Tell me what is wrong; darling,” she went on. “I’ve noticed often lately you have looked worried and have not been nearly so bright as usual. What is upsetting you? Perhaps I may be able to help.”
Then bit by bit, by dint of most coaxing and questioning, Mrs. C, got the whole story out. For Mildred was very reluctant to tell, though her mother could see she was very miserable. Ella D. and Mildred were in the same class, both fairly equal as regards marks, but now for some weeks Mildred had got ahead of her and always came out top of the weekly list, an honor which formerly they had alternately shared, and now Ella was very angry and jealous, and out of revenge began in mean little ways a petty persecution. Mildred would remember putting all her books away carefully, but somehow one would be missing and nowhere to be found when required, though afterward it reappeared mysteriously. She would leave her drawer perfectly tidy and come back to find it all in disorder, and if this happened, as it sometimes did, when the teacher made a chance inspection of the class-room, this meant a bad mark for Mildred. Something of hers would be found lying about the room; poor child, she was always getting a severe reprimand, and the marks mounted up and threatened to spoil her report at the end of the term.
Miss Garnett, the head teacher, could not understand all these complaints about Mildred, who had always been such a good conscientious pupil. Ella did it all so cleverly and secretly that no suspected her, except Mildred herself.
“I cannot do my lessons badly just to let her be top, can I? She cannot alter my class marks, so she is making me lose my conduct ones. I have so prayed that God would touch her heart and make her different, but mumsie, please do not say a word! I should hate to be thought it sneak”—and Mildred looked very distressed.
“Trust me, dear, but I must speak to daddy and consult with him what is to be done. It is too serious a matter to be passed over lightly. Meanwhile let us pray, dear, for poor Ella.”
Mr. and Mrs. C. talked the affair over that evening, and decided upon the proper course to adopt, and Mrs. C. was to undertake matters the following afternoon, But God had His own plan and was going to deal with Ella Himself.
When Mildred arrived at school the next morning she found little knots of girls talking together in suppressed, excited tones. Mildred went up to a group.
“Hadn’t she heard? “Didn’t she know that Ella, returning home from school, the previous afternoon, had met with a serious accident and was very, very ill?”
The news cast a gloom throughout school, and no one was more upset than Mildred herself. At dinner time she told her mother, and begged to be allowed to go round and ask for Ella. In the succeeding days and weeks Mildred was constant inquirer. The doctors, after the first day or so, had every confidence that her life would be spared, but said she would not be able to walk for many months, as her back was injured.
After about a month, Ella was well enough to be told about things, and she heard of Mildred’s constant visits. As she lay there, thoughts of her past conduct and unkindness overwhelmed her. Her very accident had been the result of disobedience, and one day when her mother was sitting by the bedside, Ella poured out the whole story. After a time of quiet, sacred intercourse and prayer, her mother got up to go, and as she was leaving Ella said,
“I should like to see Mildred when she next calls, please, and O, mother, I would like you to write or see Miss Garnett, and tell her all about it.”
“I should like to see Mildred when she next calls, please, and O, mother, I would like you to write or see Miss Garnett, and tell her all about it.”
“Very well; darling, only go to sleep now. You must not get over tired and excited,” and with a kiss Mrs. D, crept quietly out of the room.
Two days later Mildred called and was shown up into Ella’s room. There was a little awkward pause for both girls were very shy—Mildred distressed to see her strong, lively schoolfellow lying there pale and weak; and Ella feeling she had sinned too deeply to be forgiven but soon the ice was broken and the reconciliation scarcely asked, before it was given, and a bond of friendship cemented between the two girls which was to grow deeper and stronger as years went by. In fact, the two became inseparable, Mildred spending much of her leisure time by her friend’s couch, making pleasant the weary hours for the invalid, Though no word of complaint ever, passed Ella’s lips, the forced inaction must have been very tedious to a high-spirited girl, but she felt he had been “forgiven much.” God had become very real to Ella, who had accepted the Saviour and was learning daily to love and serve Him more.
Mildred’s prayers, among others, had brone fruit, and Ella often told her it was her unselfish love and forgiveness which had first led her to understand and accept God’s love and His wonderful salvation.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:1919We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19). Do we? Have you yet come to the Saviour? Do you know His love, and forgiveness?
ML 07/21/1940