Kitabı oku: «Little Frankie and His Cousin», sayfa 4

CHAPTER IV.
NELLY'S PUNISHMENT

In a few days Frankie was quite well again, and able to play merrily with Nelly, who had sadly missed him in her out-door exercise.

The little girl had not been long with her aunt before the lady saw that the right training of her niece would require much skill and patience. Nelly had never been taught to obey, and could not be made to understand why she should not have her own way, as she had done at home. There was another thing which made her aunt feel very badly. She found that, young as Nelly was, she had already learned to deceive, and no one could trust her word a moment. Then she was selfish, and while she would not oblige her cousins by lending them her books or toys, she was very angry if they did not at once yield theirs to her, when she asked for them.

She was so pert and uncivil in her talk, that Sally, and even Jane, disliked to have her about; and at last her aunt was obliged to shut her in her own room, she spoke so impudently to the servants. Instead of asking the nurse to do her a favor, as the other children did, she used to say, "Go right up stairs quick, Sally, and get my bonnet;" and once, when Sally did not start, she said, "You're an ugly girl," and struck her in the face.

Nurse started forward to hold her hands, when at this moment Mrs. Gray entered the room.

Nelly was ashamed that her aunt had heard her, for she loved her aunt better than any one in the house; but when the lady took her hand firmly to lead her up stairs, she screamed and struggled to get away. "I don't like to stay here," she cried; "this is an ugly house. I wish my mamma would come home and take me away."

Mrs. Gray led her to a chair in her own room, and going out locked the door after her. But Nelly kicked and pounded the door so hard, and threw over the chairs, that her aunt was obliged to call Sally to help her tie the naughty girl to a chair.

She was very sorry to do this, and the tears were in her eyes; but Sally was right glad to have the child punished as she deserved. Indeed, she had told Jane the day before that she did not see how mistress had so much patience with the naughty child.

Mrs. Gray did not intend to hurt Nelly. She only meant to fasten her hands and feet to the chair so as to prevent her doing any more mischief. She took large towels from the washstand to do this; but Nelly kicked and screamed, and at last made a great scratch on her aunt's face. After that Sally took the child in her arms, and held her so tight she could not move.

When they had fastened her firmly to her seat, they went out, and left her to think of her bad conduct.

Mrs. Gray went into her closet, and asked God to direct her what to do in order to make Nelly a good, obedient child.

After an hour she went back, and said, "Are you sorry, my dear, that you have been so naughty?"

"I don't love you. I want to go to Maria," was the only reply.

Her aunt sighed, when she found the little girl was not at all subdued, and she went out again.

If Nelly could have put her finger in her mouth, it would have been no punishment for her to stay there, for she could lie back in the chair and go to sleep.

When her uncle came home to dinner, he found Willie, and Frankie, and mamma, sitting silent and sad in the parlor, while from above stairs came the sound of loud and angry crying. The lady wept as she told her husband how naughty Nelly had behaved. "I had no idea," she said, "that she had so bad a temper."

"Shall I go up and talk with her?" asked the gentleman.

"If you think it best," replied mamma; "but I fear it will do no good. I have already been to her three times."

"Well, perhaps I had better leave her with you, then. I hope this will be a good lesson to her."

After dinner, Mrs. Gray carried a plate full of pudding to Nelly, and offered to feed her with it; but the stubborn child refused to eat. She made up faces at her aunt, and said many naughty words, which I should not want any little boy or girl to hear.

The lady came out of her room looking very pale and anxious, and at last began to cry. She was quite discouraged, and thought she would write to her brother, and tell him she could do nothing with his child. But if I do so, she thought, Nelly will be ruined. If she grows up with such a bad temper, is so untruthful and selfish, she will be a trial to herself and to her parents; and what is more than that, she can never have the blessing of God. "I will not give up yet," she said, aloud. "I will try her a little longer."

She then went down stairs, and told Frankie he might go out doors and play with his wheel-barrow; but the little fellow said, "I want to stay with you, mamma. Nelly makes my head ache." Poor child, he did not feel like play while his cousin was so naughty.

It was almost time for tea, when the lady, having once more asked God to direct her, entered the little chamber where her niece was sitting. Nelly was quiet now; but her lips stuck out with an ugly pout.

"My dear child," said the lady, sitting down near her, "it makes us all very unhappy to have you up here by yourself, when you might be playing and enjoying yourself with your cousins. When you came to live with us, we thought it was so pleasant to have a dear little girl running and dancing about the house! But now it seems sad because we know by your naughty temper you have not only offended us, but you have displeased God. I wish you would let me untie your hands, and see you my darling little Nelly once more."

"I'm sorry now," said Nelly, her lip quivering. "I will be good, aunty." The tears ran down the little girl's cheeks, but this time they were not angry tears.

Her aunt made haste to untie the towels, and took Nelly in her arms.

"I love you now," sobbed Nelly; "I love you dearly."

"And I love you, my dear, or I could not have kept you here so long," said her aunt, kissing her again and again. "I came a great many times to the door, and longed to take you from this great chair, and hear your happy voice once more; but I knew it would be wrong in me to do so until you were ready to say you were sorry, and to promise to be a good girl. You have offended God, my dear child. Shall I ask him to forgive you?"

"Yes, aunty."

Mrs. Gray then knelt with Nelly by the chair, and prayed God to forgive all her sins, and to help her to keep her new resolution to be good.