Little Prudy's Sister Susy eBook

Rebecca Sophia Clarke
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 97 pages of information about Little Prudy's Sister Susy.

Little Prudy's Sister Susy eBook

Rebecca Sophia Clarke
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 97 pages of information about Little Prudy's Sister Susy.

“But, mother,” said Susy, “you are not—­you don’t feel ‘stuck up’ above Mrs. Lovejoy?”

Mrs. Parlin smiled.

“That is not a very proper expression, Susy; but I think I do not feel stuck-up above her in the least.  I am only anxious that my little daughter may not be injured by bad examples.  I don’t know what sort of a little girl Annie might be with proper influences, but—­”

“Now, mamma, I don’t want to say anything improper,” said Susy, earnestly; “but wouldn’t it be the piousest for me to play with Annie, and try to make her go to Sabbath school, and be better?”

Mrs. Parlin did not answer at once.  She was thinking of what she had said to Susy about people who are “home missionaries,” and do a great deal of good by a beautiful example.

“If you were older, dear, it would be quite different.  But, instead of improving Annie, who is a self-willed child, I fear you would only grow worse yourself.  She is bold, and you are rather timid.  She wants to lead, and not to follow.  I fear she will set you bad examples.”

“I didn’t know, mamma; but I thought I was almost old enough to set my own examples!  I’m the oldest of the family.”

Susy said no more about becoming a home-missionary to Annie; for, although she could not quite see the force of her mother’s reasoning, she believed her mother was always right.

“But what does she mean by calling me timid?  She has blamed me a great deal for being bold.”

Yes, bold Susy certainly was, when there was a fence to climb, a pony to ride, or a storm to be faced; but she was, nevertheless, a little faint-hearted when people laughed at her.  But Susy was learning every day, and this time it had been a lesson in moral courage.  She did not fully understand her mother, however, as you will see by and by.

CHAPTER X.

RUTHIE TURNER.

                  “The darkest day,
    Wait till to-morrow, will have passed away.”

The next morning, Susy woke with a faint recollection that something unpleasant had occurred, though she could not at first remember what it was.

“But I didn’t do anything wrong,” was her second thought.  “Now, after I say my prayers, the next thing I’ll feed—­O, Dandy is dead!”

“See here, Susy,” said Percy, coming into the dining-room, just after breakfast; “did you ever see this cage before?”

“Now, Percy!  When you know I want it out of my sight!”

Then, in the next breath, “Why, Percy Eastman, if here isn’t your beautiful mocking-bird in the cage!”

“Yes, Susy; and if you’ll keep him, and be good to him, you’ll do me a great favor.”

It was a long while before Susy could be persuaded that this rare bird was to be her “ownest own.”  It was a wonderfully gifted little creature.  Susy could but own that he was just as good as a canary, only a great deal better.  “The greater included the less.”  He had as sweet a voice, and a vast deal more compass.  His powers of mimicry were very amusing to poor little Prudy, who was never tired of hearing him mew like a kitten, quack like a duck, or whistle like a schoolboy.

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Project Gutenberg
Little Prudy's Sister Susy from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.