With such thoughts in her mind she returned home from
school one evening. When she reached the house,
she saw that no one was at home; but, knowing where
the key was kept, she easily gained admittance.
Finding herself alone in the house, she thought:
“Now is the time to learn to like my dress,
and I’m going to do it. Mother shall not
know how I have felt about it.” She hastened
into the parlor and stood before a large mirror.
Now, Bessie knew that she did not have a pretty face,
and she had gained the victory over that; but she
did want to feel that her clothes looked well on her,
and that was the battle she meant to fight that evening.
As she slowly turned from side to side viewing herself
intently, she liked the dress better and better.
At last she thought it very pretty and becoming, and
she knelt down and thanked God for giving it to her.
As she changed it for her work-dress, she wondered
why she had allowed the children’s remarks to
affect her so much and had not appreciated the dress
more. No more remarks were ever made about the
dress, and Bessie continued to admire it until it
was worn out. No one but herself and the Lord
knew of the struggle through which she passed.
Through the trial concerning the dress, Bessie learned
several valuable lessons: first, the less notice
one takes of unkindness, the better; second, God’s
grace can keep in time of temptation; third, one should
not murmur because of persecution; and, last, and best
of all, God usually gives his children some great
blessing before a severe trial, and the close relationship
between the two makes them almost one in effect.
She could now say with real appreciation:
A little trial often tries, But
proves a blessing in disguise. Just as the
rough rock holds the gem, The trial holds my diadem.
But a still greater trial was awaiting her. Bessie
had a thirst for knowledge. She was doing well
in school and wanted to do better. Instead of
taking exercise during the daily intermissions, she
often spent them in hard study. Her system, naturally
frail, could not stand the strain. She contracted
a fever and for three months despaired of life.
In the third month dropsy of the chest set in; and,
on account of smothering spells, she had to be bolstered
up in bed with pillows.
One day as Mrs. Worthington stood beside her child
she felt that God wanted to heal her. Kneeling
beside the bed, she prayed, “Dear Lord, heal
my child, and grant that she may be spared to work
for thee.” From that time Bessie began
to improve. She had no more smothering spells,
and before long she was well and strong.
Bessie found a blessing even in this trial. She
saw that, had she been able to push ahead as she had
desired, she might have lost sight of Jesus, and she
now understood that her Savior cared for her body as
well as for her soul.
