Our little friend, Nellie, was on her way to school, and as her mother bade her good-bye she generally add, “Don’t stop by the way, Nellie.”
So off started the little girl. It was a bright summer’s day, and as she tried lightly along, the birds were singing overhead, and the hum of passing bees fell distinctly on her ears. This made Nellie think that everything was at play except her, and she must go to school and learn lessons.
However, she did not mean to play about, although she lingered just a little on the bridge over the brook. Just then she saw a tiny fish trying to jump up the stream where it fell over some stones. Nellie stopped at once, and kneeled down to be nearer the water, but in a moment the fish darted away, and as she rose to continue her road to school her bag with books and dinner fell into the brook.
Nellie was now in trouble, and cried out loudly, when a farmer’s boy hearing her cry came near to see what was the matter, and being a kind boy, soon picked up the bag and handed it back to Nellie.
The tears now fell fast, for what could anyone do with wet books from which to learn lessons. All eyes were turned on Nellie as she entered school, and teacher asked how it happened, when a kind girl spoke up for Nellie and said, “She has to cross the little bridge, and I expect she dropped her books in the water.”
This was a great comfort to our little friend, till she began to think that it was not an accident, and as she did not want to get out of disgrace by pretending it was not her fault, she went to her teacher and told her how it occurred and that it was all her own fault.
I need not say how pleased her teacher was, and she freely forgave the little girl and sent her to her seat more hay than if she had not confessed it. But mother had to know too, for when twelve o’clock came Nellie had to return for some more dinner, and I do not think she got much beside bread this time, but Nellie did not mind that so much.
O, that all girls and boys were as wise as Nellie and get forgiveness whenever they do wrong. Let me quote a text in finishing my story. It is this: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
ML 04/21/1946