My Uncle Toby's Library Aunt Amy. AUNT AMY; OR, HOW MINNIE BROWN LEARNED TO BE A SUNBEAM. BY FRANCIS FORRESTER, ESQ. AUTHOR OF "ARTHUR'S TEMPTATION, " "MINNIE BROWN, " ETC. BOSTON: GEO. C. RAND, 3 CORNHILL. WM. J. REYNOLDS & CO. 1853. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by DANIEL WISE, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. STEREOTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. PRESS OF G. C. RAND, CORNHILL. AUNT AMY. As Minnie Brown was walking one day along the principal street ofRosedale, she met Arthur Ellerslie, who said to her, -- "Minnie, there is a letter in the post office for you. " "A letter for me!" exclaimed the little girl, her bright eyes flashingat the bare idea of a letter being sent to _her_. "Yes, there is a letter for _you_, Minnie. I saw it myself in the postoffice window, " replied Arthur. "O, I'm so glad! It must be from my aunt Amy. I will run and get it;"and away she skipped to the post office, with a step as light as afawn's, and a heart as cheerful as merry music. It was very pleasant tosee her standing before the little window of the post office, her facewreathed in smiles, and her hand stretched out, as she said, -- "Please, sir, give me my letter. " "Yes, Miss Minnie, you shall have your letter, " replied the good-naturedman who kept the office, and who seemed, by his looks, to share thechild's delight, as he handed her the letter. "Thank you, sir, " said Minnie; and then, with swift feet, she ran intothe street, and almost flew along the sidewalk. When she reached home, she was nearly out of breath. Finding her mother in the parlor, sheexclaimed, -- "O mother! I've got a letter! I've got a letter!" and throwing herbonnet on the chair, she eagerly opened the letter, and, after lookingat it a moment, cried out, -- "Ma, it's from aunt Amy!" "From aunt Amy!" repeated Mrs. Brown. "Yes, mother, and she says she is coming to see us next week. O, I am soglad--ain't you, mother?" "Yes, Minnie, I shall be very glad to see my sister. " "She wants me to write to her directly, and tell her if it will beconvenient for you to have her come. What shall I write, mother?" "You may say we shall be very happy to see her at that time. " "Shall I answer the letter at once, mother?" "You may, Minnie. Though, perhaps, you had better let me read itfirst. " Minnie blushed a little, as she handed the letter to her mother. She hadbeen too hurried, and her mother's request sounded like a kind rebuke. Minnie's gentle spirit felt it, and she grew more quiet, as she waitedfor her mother to read the letter. "There, my child, that will do, " said Mrs. Brown, giving her the letteragain. "Now you may go to your chamber and write as pretty a reply asyou can to your aunt, inviting her to come, as she proposes. " Minnie carried the letter to her room, where she had some nice writingmaterials of her own. She spread a clean sheet of white paper on thetable, and began her letter. When she wanted a thought, she stood thepen in the ink-stand while she read over her aunt's letter anew. When anidea came, she wrote it down, and so kept on until she finished heranswer. [Illustration] And a nice little letter it was, written in neat style, without a singleblot. Minnie took it to her mother, who said it would please aunt Amyvery much. The thought of adding to her aunt's pleasure increasedMinnie's joy. So, after folding the letter very smoothly, she directedit in large, bold writing to her aunt, and, with her mother's consent, took it to the post office. When she had placed her letter in the box, Minnie thought she shouldlike to tell Arthur Ellerslie that her aunt Amy was coming to Rosedale. So she walked round by Arthur's house. Her gentle rap at the door wasanswered by Arthur's mother, with whom Minnie was a great favorite. Taking the little girl's hand, and printing a kiss on her lips, Mrs. Ellerslie said, -- "Come in, Minnie. I am very glad to see you. " "Thank you, Mrs. Ellerslie. I came to tell Arthur that my aunt Amy iscoming to see me next week. " "Is that what the letter was about which Arthur saw in the post officefor you, Minnie?" "Yes, ma'am; and I am glad aunt Amy is coming, she is _so_ good. I'msure you would love her, Mrs. Ellerslie, if you knew her. " "If she is like Minnie Brown, I think I should. But will you come in, Minnie, or will you go round into the garden? Arthur is there, studyinghis Sunday school lesson. " "I'll go into the garden, " said Minnie; and she tripped away, to findher friend Arthur. Arthur was seated on a bench, just within the garden gate. He was sobusy with his book he did not see Minnie until she was close to him. Then he looked up, and when he saw who it was, he smiled, and said, -- "Did you get your letter, Minnie?" "Yes; and it was from my aunt Amy, who is coming to see me next week. " "I'm glad for you, " replied Arthur; "because I've heard you say you loveyour aunt. But come here and sit on my bench, while I read you thisinteresting chapter in the Bible. " Then Minnie sat down beside Arthur, and he read some beautiful verses from the book of Daniel. Afterlistening a while to Arthur's reading, Minnie arose, and said, -- [Illustration] "I must go now, Arthur. Good by. " "Good by, Minnie, if you must go, " replied Arthur; and then, with a gladheart, Minnie hurried home again. The days seemed very long to the little girl during the next week. OldTime always seems to move slowly when any one wishes him to quicken hispace. But, like all other days, they were gone at last; and when thetime drew near for aunt Amy's arrival, Minnie took her work and sat downby the parlor window. I don't think she did much work, however, forevery sound which fell on her ear caused her to raise her head and lookdown the street to see if her aunt's carriage was coming. Sometimes shelaid her work on the table, and went into the street, looking in everydirection, and whispering to herself, -- "I wonder why aunt Amy don't come. " You may think all this was very silly in my gentle Minnie. Perhaps itwas; but you know she was only a child; and I have known some grown uppeople to do just as Minnie did when they expected visitors. Minnie'smother thought of this, and did not chide her daughter. She thought ofher own days of childhood, and only smiled at Minnie's eagerness. At last, a carriage, drawn by two noble horses, and driven by ajolly-looking coachman with a fat, red face, and arms which looked stoutenough to drive a war chariot, dashed up to the door. Minnie droppedher work, and exclaimed, -- "O ma, ma, aunt Amy's come! aunt Amy's come!" She was too well bred to rush into the street, as some little girlswould have done. So she waited until the hired girl had opened the door, and Mrs. Brown had welcomed her sister. Then it was Minnie's turn. Shesprang to return her aunt's kiss, and said, -- "I'm _so_ glad to see you, aunt Amy!" "And I am happy to see you, Minnie; especially as you look so well andhealthy, " replied her aunt. Aunt Amy was Mrs. Brown's sister. She was a widow. The grave had takenher husband and children from her; she was lonely in the world, and herheart dwelt in heaven with her children, her husband, and her Savior. She was rich, and delighted to spend her money in doing good. Havinglost the earthly objects she best loved, her life was spent in makingthe miseries of the world less, and in adding to its happiness. The day after her arrival at Mrs. Brown's, she took Minnie out with herfor a walk through the village. Minnie waited by her aunt's side, andpointed her to all the changes which had taken place since her visit ayear before. She was pleased to listen to the little girl's prattle, andtheir walk was a very happy one. The weather being fine, they went beyond the village and down a lanewhich led to an old granite quarry on the edge of a fine piece of woods. On reaching the quarry, they sat down upon a large fragment of graniteto rest themselves, for their walk made them feel a little tired. Asaunt Amy was viewing the scenery around her, she saw a wretched-lookinghouse, half hid by the foliage of the trees, on the opposite side ofthe quarry. Turning to Minnie, she pointed her finger towards it, andasked, -- "Minnie, what house is that yonder?" Minnie's eye followed the direction of her aunt's finger until she sawthe cottage, or hovel. She knew whose it was, and so she said, -- "That is Mrs. Button's house, aunt. She is very poor. " "Has she no husband to take care of her, Minnie?" "Her husband is a bad man, aunt. People say he used to beat her sadly. But he has gone away now, and no one knows where he is. " "Has she any children?" "She has a girl about my age; the children call her ragged Kate. " "Poor child! I think we must call and see her and her mother. Perhaps wecan do them some good. " "Why, aunt! You don't mean it, do you?" "Why not, Minnie? Our Savior, you know, loved to help the poor, and wemust try to imitate him. " "Yes, aunt, but--" and Minnie paused, as if unwilling to utter all shethought. "But what, Minnie?" "Why, aunt, I've heard say that Mrs. Button is a passionate woman; andthey say that Kate swears when Bill Boaster teases her. So I thought youwould not choose to call at the house of such a woman. " "Perhaps it may not be pleasant, Minnie. But the more wretched thesepoor creatures are, the greater is their need of aid and counsel. Come, let us walk over and see the poor woman; who knows but that we may be assunbeams to a dark and desolate spirit?" "As sunbeams, aunt! How can we be sunbeams?" asked Minnie, as she walkedalong with her aunt towards the cottage. "Sunbeams are bright, cheerful things, you know, Minnie. They scatterclouds and darkness, clothe nature with beauty, and fill the world withlight and joy. Do you understand that?" "Yes, aunt. " "Well, then, if we visit this woman, who is in trouble, and who has asad heart, and if we can lighten her burden, and make her heart glad, weshall do for her what the sunbeams do for the world. " "O, yes, aunt, I see; and I would try to be a little sunbeam if I knewhow. But here is the cottage. " Minnie's aunt gave a gentle tap at the door. A gruff voice replied, -- "Come in. " Pushing the door open, Minnie and her aunt entered the cottage. It hadbut one room, and that was wretched enough. Many of the windows werebroken, and pieces of shingle were stuck over the holes in the glass. Inone corner stood a miserable bedstead, with a ragged coverlet partiallyspread over a dirty bed tick filled with leaves. There was only onechair, and that was a broken rocker, on which the unhappy mistress ofthe cottage was seated. But there were two or three rough stools, madeof pieces of pine slab, standing beside the rickety table. Pointing tothese stools, Mrs. Button, without quitting her chair, said to hervisitors, -- "Take a seat. " Aunt Amy looked on the poor woman with great kindness; and Minnie, thinking all the time of the sunbeams, did the same. Speaking in gentletones, aunt Amy soon found the way to the poor woman's heart, and drewfrom her the story of her woes. It had been a long time since she hadheard a voice of kindness, or met with affectionate sympathy like thatnow shown to her by Minnie's aunt. It was not lost upon her. Trouble andsin had long frozen up her better feelings. But under the warmth ofaunt Amy's words of hope and love, the ice melted, and the poor creaturewept freely as she told of her early and better days; of her husband'sfall into evil habits; of her own evil temper, which his bad treatmenthad excited; and of her poverty, and sorrow, and despair. To all this aunt Amy listened with kind attention. She spoke words ofhope in the woman's ear. She urged her to seek pardon from God for hersins, to look with faith for better days, until the poor woman'scountenance lighted up, and Minnie said to herself, -- "My aunt is really a sunbeam to this woman. " At last aunt Amy rose to leave. The woman arose, too, with great respectin her manners. Aunt Amy placed a piece of money in her hand, andsaid, -- "Now, Mrs. Button, be hopeful. I will send you a few things, presently, to help you along. I will also try to procure you some plain sewing; andif you will try to help yourself, and trust in God, he will help you;friends will rise up around you, and you will yet see better days. " "Bless you, ma'am, for your kindness. You are the first friend I haveseen this many a year, " said the poor woman, while hot tears trickleddown her wan cheeks. Minnie and her aunt now left the cottage. The little girl had learned alesson, by what she had seen, which she did not soon forget. Her gentlenature was charmed by the love her aunt had shown to the poor woman. After walking in silence a while, she said, -- "Aunt Amy, I guess you are the brightest sunbeam that ever entered Mrs. Button's cottage! Why, her pale face brightened up and looked almostcheerful before you left. " "You see, then, Minnie, how little it costs to do good. Our visit hasreally made the misery of that woman less, and it has done us good. Wecan now think of our walk with pleasure, because it has been useful. " "Well, aunt, I wish I could be a sunbeam to somebody before I get home. " "Perhaps you may be. Look down yonder lane. There is a little boycrying. He looks as if he was in trouble. See if you can comfort himwith a kind word or two. " While Minnie ran to see what good she could do to the weeping boy, agirl came along, very poorly clad, and carrying a bundle of dry stickson her head. Aunt Amy's kind heart pitied the poor child. She stoppedher and said, -- [Illustration] "What is your name, little girl?" "Kate, " said the girl, looking earnestly at her questioner. "Kate! Where do you live?" "Down the lane, in yonder cottage. I'm Mrs. Button's gal. " "I'm glad to meet you, Kate. I've just seen your mother. I want you totry to be a good girl, and help her. Do you go to Sunday school?" "No. I'se got no clothes fit to wear there. " "Would you like to belong to one if you could get a new dress?" "Don't know whether I should or no. Never was in a Sunday school in allmy life, " replied Kate, looking at the lady with a stare of wonder. "Well, Kate, I'll send you some clothes and see your mother about theschool before Sunday. " Aunt Amy now walked slowly on to meet Minnie, who was running back fromher errand of kindness. Coming up to her aunt, with a flushed face andjoyous look, she said, -- "O aunt Amy, I'm a sunbeam now! I've made that boy's heart glad. " "What did you do for him, Minnie?" "Why, you see, aunt, he had been gathering a pail of berries for hisgrandmother, and was very tired. As he ran along the road with his pail, he kicked against a stone, fell down, spilled his berries, and hurt hisknee. The poor boy was weeping, and I told him not to cry, for I wouldpick up his berries while he rested himself and wiped the dirt from hisclothes. Then I picked up his berries, speaking kind words to him allthe time. He soon left off crying, and when I gave him the pail, helooked so glad it made me cry for joy; for I knew I was a sunbeam tohim. " "You are right, Minnie. I am glad to find you so apt a scholar in theart of doing good. But it is time for us to be going home now; yourmother will feel uneasy about us, we have been gone so long. " Minnie gave aunt Amy her hand, and they walked to the village, talking, as they went, about Mrs. Button, and Kate Button, and about gettingsome clothes fit for Kate to wear to Sunday school. And I doubt if therewere two happier persons in all Rosedale than they. That evening, aunt Amy proposed to take Minnie and her mother, in hercarriage, the next day, on an excursion to a pleasant seaport, aboutfive miles from Rosedale. This trip promised too much pleasure to berefused. So it was agreed that they should start early in the morning, and spend the day in rambling on the sea shore. Minnie awaked very early the next morning, and was up and dressed, allready for breakfast, before either her aunt or her mother came downstairs. She was all alive with thoughts of what she should see and doduring the day. Indeed, she was so full of happy excitement she atescarcely any breakfast; and I am afraid she thought too much about theride while her good father was offering his morning prayer at the familyaltar. This was hardly right; but Minnie was only a little girl, and wemust excuse her for feeling like a child. After family prayer was ended, aunt Amy's carriage, with its fine horsesand fat coachman, drove up to the door. Minnie smiled, as she glanced atthe jolly-looking driver, while on her way to the carriage. When shewas seated opposite to her aunt and mother, and the horses began tomove, she said, -- "Aunt Amy, how good natured your fat coachman looks!" "Yes, Minnie, John is a Christian, and that makes him cheerful. He is agood, careful driver too, and that, with my heavenly Father's care, makes me feel safe while I am riding. " By this time, the carriage was rattling rapidly along over the smoothvillage street. It soon carried them beyond Rosedale into a pleasantroad, and Minnie was busy all the rest of the ride pointing to thepretty scenery they passed, and asking many questions about themansions, cottages, and farms which met her eye. Thus occupied, itseemed but a few moments to her before the carriage drove up to thehotel at which they were to stop for the day. Very gayly did Minnie trip along at aunt Amy's side, as that lady walkeddown with her to the beach. Mrs. Brown, not being very well, did notwalk with them. Minnie was charmed with the broad, calm sea, sparklingso brightly in the sun. The splash of the waves, as they came rolling inupon the sand, and the constant hoarse murmur of the great sea, soundedlike grand music in her ears. "Hark!" she said to her aunt; "hark, aunt! The sea roars to-day, yet itis very calm. " "Yes, Minnie, that is old Ocean's mildest voice you hear to-day. In astorm, he speaks in a voice of thunder. You would tremble before itshould you stand where you do now. " Minnie now amused herself and her aunt by picking up shells, by runningdown to the edge of the water, and allowing the returning wave to chaseher, and by digging holes in the sand. Her good aunt sat upon a rock, watching her movements, answering her numerous questions, and rewardingher playfulness with smiles. She was a sensible woman, and knew thatchildren not only need time to play, but that they should also beencouraged in it by the approval of their friends and relatives. But after Minnie had played a long time, her aunt said to her, -- "Come, Minnie, you have played long enough for the present; let us walkback to the hotel. " When Minnie heard this summons, she did not pout, nor plead for moretime, as a self-willed child would have done; but she looked up to heraunt with a smile, brushed the sand from her fingers, and said, -- "Yes, aunt, I will come directly. " The moment after, she was standing close to her aunt, ready to return tothe hotel. As aunt Amy arose from the rock, which had served her for a seat, shesaid, -- "We must now sow some good seed, Minnie, before we return home. It wouldhardly be right to spend a whole day in seeking our own pleasure withoutdoing a little good to some one. " "But how can we sow good seed here on this beach?" asked Minnie, somewhat puzzled by her aunt's remark. "Do you see those little vessels down yonder, Minnie?" inquired auntAmy, as she pointed to a distant part of the beach. "Yes, aunt, I see them, a little this side of those great rocks. " "And do you also see those persons on the beach near the vessels?" "Yes, I see some men who look like sailors. " "Well, I have some tracts in this little package; and if we give thesetracts to those seamen, we shall sow some good seed; for the tracts maylead them to God and heaven. " "Then sowing good seed means the same as being a sunbeam, don't it, aunt?" "Yes, my child. By speaking a kind word, by smiling upon persons whoneed encouragement, or by giving a tract to do the same things for us, we are sunbeams to those we act upon. So that being a sunbeam or sowinggood seed amounts to one and the same thing. But let us go and sow ourseed. " They now walked down the beach until they came to the spot where theysaw the sailors. Here aunt Amy gave Minnie a tract to carry to a stoutsailor, who had on a large tarpaulin hat. She ran up to the man, withone of her sweetest smiles, and said, -- [Illustration] "Please, sir, will you accept a tract?" "A tract!" replied the man, looking at Minnie's happy face withsurprise. "Yes, sir, a pretty tract, if you please. " "Yes, little miss, I'll take it to please you;" and the rough-lookingman stretched out his hand and took the tract, very much to the delightof Minnie. While Minnie was giving her tract to the sailor, aunt Amy gave anotherto a fine-looking lad who was on the beach. She also sent one by thesame boy to a sailor; and then she and Minnie set out for the hotel. "Now, " said aunt Amy, "we shall have at least one pleasant thoughtconnected with our trip. " "Only _one_ pleasant thought, aunt? Why, all my thoughts of it will bepleasant ones. " "So will mine, my dear. But I shall be most pleased to think we have notspent the day entirely for ourselves. Our tracts to those men may dothem great good. They may be as sunbeams to light them on the way toheaven. Isn't that the most pleasing thought of the day, Minnie?" "Yes, aunt; but do you think tracts are always sunbeams to those whoreceive them?" "No, Minnie, by no means. Many persons get no good from them at all. Butthousands have been greatly benefited by them. We must hope and praythat ours will prove to be as good seed sown on good soil. If not, wehave done our duty. " By this time they had reached the tavern. Here they dined with Minnie'smother. After dinner, they took a long ride round the country, andreached home at an early hour. When Minnie lay down to sleep that night, she had many happy thoughts about what she had seen and done. But, asher aunt Amy had said, the thought which gave her the richest pleasurewas, that the tracts she and her aunt had given away might be doinggood. And she fancied how the sailor looked, at his own fire-side, reading her tract; and how it touched his heart, and made him weep, andpray, and seek the road to heaven. It was a beautiful fancy, and it madeMinnie's heart swell with a rich joy. She fell asleep thinking she wouldbe a sunbeam to some one every day of her life. Happy Minnie! She waslearning to taste the pleasure of being kind and good to others. The next day aunt Amy bought some things to make up for Kate Button. Minnie and her mother helped her, by sewing nearly all day upon Kate'snew frock. And they enjoyed themselves too. They kept thinking of thepleasure it would afford poor Kate to be neatly dressed, and to be amember of the Sabbath school. Many times during that day Minnie sprangup from her chair, held up her work, and cried aloud, with a gladheart, -- "O aunt Amy! won't Kate be happy when we dress her up in this nicefrock? It makes me joyful to think of it. " "That will depend upon the state of her heart, Minnie. Clothing may makeher comfortable; but it takes something else to make either children orgrown people happy besides clothes. If Kate seeks to be good, loving herSavior, she will be happy indeed. But if not, she will be wretched, even if we should dress her in silk, and adorn her with jewels. " "Yes, I know Kate must be good if she is happy. But I think she will bewhen she gets her dress, and goes to Sunday school. Don't you, aunt?" "We will hope so, my dear. But now let us lay aside our work and take awalk. " To this Minnie could make no objection. So she and her aunt walked outinto the shady streets and lanes of Rosedale. On their way, they saw apoor old soldier, with a wooden leg, hobbling towards them slowly. Assoon as Minnie saw him advancing, she said, -- [Illustration] "O aunt! here comes poor Corporal Jim, the one-legged soldier. " "Poor fellow!" replied her aunt. "It must be hard work for him to hobblethrough the world on his wooden leg. " "Yes, aunt; and he is very poor. He lives in a little shanty alone; andhe has not a relation in all the world. " "Well, let us speak kindly to him, and cheer him on his lonesome way. Wemay cast a sunbeam in his path. " Minnie looked up into her aunt's kind face, and smiled with delight atthe idea of being a sunbeam to poor old Corporal Jim, who, by the way, was a great favorite with all the children in Rosedale. By this time, the poor old soldier was close upon them, holding out hishat for a gift. Aunt Amy stopped, asked him several questions, and, finding that he was pious, cheered him with gentle words of hope. Shethen dropped a piece of gold in his tattered hat, and passed on. Poor Corporal Jim! The kind words of aunt Amy, and the sight of thepiece of gold, went to his heart. Tears filled his eyes. "Heaven blessye!" he murmured; and then he hobbled to the roadside, sat down upon alarge rock, and wept for joy. Minnie's keen eye had watched the effect of her aunt's words and giftupon the old corporal. She saw how glad they made his heart. The sightof his joy caused a stream of rich emotion to flow through her ownlittle bosom. It filled her so full she could not, for the moment, speak. But fondly pressing her aunt's hand, she walked on by her side insilence. As soon as she recovered herself, she said, -- "Dear aunt, you have been a sunbeam to Corporal Jim. I saw by his facethat you made him feel very happy. " "That is just what God expects us to do, my dear, to every one whocrosses our path. If every person in the world would smile upon and helpevery body, nearly all the misery and sorrow which make the worldwretched, would be prevented; and every heart would be cheered by thesunlight of love and sympathy. " "Yes, but you know, aunt, that every body is not rich enough to givegold pieces to the poor, as you are. " "That is true, Minnie; but all can speak _golden_ words, and look withfriendly smiles upon the poor and sad. " "_Golden_ words, aunt! What are _golden_ words?" asked Minnie, gazingwith surprise into her aunt's face. "_Kind_ words are _golden_ words, Minnie, because they are precious tothe heart. They are often worth more than gold to the unfortunate. " This Minnie could not deny. Indeed, it pleased her very much to thinkthat she could speak golden words, if she could not give gold pieces. Having finished their walk, aunt Amy and her delighted little niecereturned home. After tea, they worked again upon Kate's dress, and itwas decided that they should take it, the next day, with some otherthings, to Mrs. Button's cottage. So the next day, early in the afternoon, they started for the old stonequarry, to visit Mrs. Button and her daughter Kate. At Minnie's request, Arthur Ellerslie went with them to carry the bundle, which was quite alarge one. Aunt Amy was very much pleased with Arthur. As they walked, he told her all about his history, and she gave him much good advice. Presently they reached the cottage. There was quite a change in itslooks since aunt Amy's last visit, a few days before. The floor had beennicely cleaned, the shingles which formerly covered the broken windowshad been taken away, and clean paper pasted over the broken placesinstead. The bed in the corner was "made up. " The pine stools were setalong the sides of the cottage; and it was quite plain that Mrs. Buttonhad been trying to make her poverty appear as respectable as possible. In her person, too, she was greatly improved. Her face was now clean, her hair neatly combed, her gown mended, and she wore a hopeful look, which wonderfully changed her appearance. Her manners, also, were morecivil. When her guests entered, she spoke to them with respect, andinvited them to be seated. Her only chair she offered to aunt Amy. As toKate, she seemed to have caught her mother's spirit, and looked as wellas rags and bad habits would allow her to do. The gifts brought by aunt Amy were produced, and many kind words ofadvice offered by that good lady. Kate seemed half wild with joy whenMinnie spread her new calico frock out for her to look at, and when shesaw the nice little bonnet, the new shoes, and many other things whichwere meant for her. Mrs. Button was very thankful. And when aunt Amytold her of certain plans, which she had arranged through Minnie'smother, by which she would have employment, and when she placed a bankbill in her hand as she arose to go, the poor woman was so overcome withgrateful feeling she could not speak. She modestly raised the hand ofher kind friend to her lips, kissed it, turned away, sunk into a seat, and buried her face in her apron. Aunt Amy found her hand wet with thepoor woman's tears. After they left the cottage, Arthur hurried to school. Aunt Amy andMinnie walked leisurely, and, for a time, silently along. At last Minniesaid, -- "Aunt, I am very glad you came to see us. " "I believe you, Minnie, for you have given me full proof of that. Butwhy are you glad?" "Because you have taught me how to be a sunbeam, and how to speakgolden words. I used to think a little girl, like me, could not do muchgood. You have taught me that I may. " "I am glad to see you so willing to learn, Minnie. I hope you will tryto practise the precious lesson after I return home. Whatever your lotin life may be, you must always try to be a sunbeam to others. I know apoor old lady who is so lame she cannot leave her house; yet she notonly makes every one happy who comes near to her, but she contrives togive a handsome little sum of money every year to benevolent objects. " "How can she do so, aunt, if she is poor?" "She does it by the help of her dog. " "By the help of her dog!" exclaimed Minnie, laughing. [Illustration] "Yes; she has a little dog, named Fido. She has so trained the littlefellow that he brings home all the bones he finds in the street. Theseshe hoards very carefully, sells them at a junk shop, and gives awaythe money. " "That is a capital scheme, " said Minnie, clapping her hands, "but Ishould never have thought of it. " "Perhaps not; but you may find other ways of gaining means to do good. If not, you can make smiles serve for sunbeams, and gentle words will dofor gold. " "It makes me so happy to be kind, aunt Amy, I think I shall try to be soalways, " said Minnie. "Do, my dear child, and be kind to _every one_ with whom you have todo. " "I must speak kindly to my enemies, too, mustn't I, aunt?" "Yes, Minnie, you must; for so Christ has taught us, you know. And thereis nothing like kindness to change enemies into friends. It melts awaytheir enmity when they see us returning their evil with good. " "But suppose my heart won't let me love them, aunt, what shall I do?" "You must pray to God for aid. He will help you. So that you may be asunbeam in the path of the worst enemy who may seek to injure you. " In a few days after this visit to Mrs. Button's cottage, aunt Amyreturned to her home. Minnie was sorry to have her go, but she knew itwas proper for her to do so, and she did not complain. She feltlonesome at first; but she did not forget the precious lesson her aunthad taught her. She had been a good and gentle girl before; now she wasa light in her home, and her presence was as sunshine to all who knewher, and especially to Kate Button, who became a bright scholar in herSunday school. She had her little failings, it is true; but she triedhard to subdue them; and henceforth the purpose of her life was TO BE AS A SUNBEAM, ALWAYS SHINING ON THE HEARTS OF OTHERS.