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diff --git a/34614.txt b/34614.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1240ef5 --- /dev/null +++ b/34614.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1090 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Girl Who Was Taught by Experience, by +Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Little Girl Who Was Taught by Experience + +Author: Anonymous + +Release Date: December 9, 2010 [EBook #34614] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE GIRL *** + + + + +Produced by Heather Clark and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + THE + LITTLE GIRL + WHO WAS + TAUGHT BY EXPERIENCE. + + [Illustration] + + BOSTON. + BOWLES AND DEARBORN, 72 WASHINGTON STREET. + + Isaac. R. Butts and Co. Printers. + 1827. + + + + + District of Massachusetts, _to wit_: + + _District Clerk's Office._ + +Be it remembered, that on the nineteenth day of June, A.D. 1827, in the +fifty-first year of the Independence of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, +_Bowles and Dearborn_ of the said district, have deposited in this +office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, +in the words following, _to wit_: "THE LITTLE GIRL, WHO WAS TAUGHT BY +EXPERIENCE." + +In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, +"An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of +maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, +during the times therein mentioned," and also to an act entitled "An act +supplementary to an act, entitled, an act for the encouragement of +learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books to the +authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein +mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, +engraving and etching historical and other prints." + + JNO. W. DAVIS, _Clerk of the District of Massachusetts_. + + + + + THE + LITTLE GIRL + WHO WAS + TAUGHT BY EXPERIENCE. + + +Little Lucy's mother had died when she was a very small child;--this was +a great misfortune to Lucy, for her mother loved her very tenderly, and +she would have taken the trouble to tell her what she did wrong, and +when she _felt_ wrong, and would have taught her to correct all her +faults; she would have taught her that happiness could not dwell in her +heart, while she permitted wicked passions to rise up and grow strong +there, any more than the beautiful flowers which she planted in her +little garden-bed, could thrive and bloom when she allowed all the rank +weeds which sprang up with them, to become strong and remain there to +choke them: wicked passions like troublesome weeds, grow very fast, and +they soon root out all the mild, gentle virtues which are just budding +into beauty, if we do not take great pains to check them, and pluck them +out of our hearts. + +Lucy's mother would have taught her all this, for she saw these evils +were already springing up to destroy the lovely blossom of virtue in her +young bosom; but she died, and Lucy was left to the care of a most +indulgent father; he did not like to correct his little girl, for he +only saw her when his busy day was over, and then he wished to gratify +all her desires, to fondle over her and play with her and bless her +while he thought of her dear mother whom he had lost; he did not see her +faults the little time he was with her, the servants did not like to +tell him of them, and poor Lucy was growing up a _vain_, selfish, +self-willed, prying little girl, with an obstinate temper which could +bear no contradiction. + +Lucy had a _pretty face_ and her father and the servants talked to her +so much about it, that at last she really thought it was something good +in her to be pretty, that she was in some way better because she was +handsomer than other little girls; no kind friend ever said to Lucy, +"that as she had not made her own face, she could not be more good for +its being a pretty one; and that as she could not by any care keep it a +moment, if it should please her heavenly Father to take it away, that it +was very silly in her to be vain of it, and value it so much; but that +she could do a great deal, to make herself good, and amiable, and +obliging, and affectionate; and therefore she would be more dear to her +friends and more happy in herself every time she even tried to correct a +wrong feeling." + +It was a _sad_ thing that Lucy had no one to teach her all these things, +for she might have learnt them easily then, and she was growing more +selfish, and vain, and obstinate, and disobedient as she grew older, she +thought a great deal about her dress, fine things to wear, and nice food +to eat, and she liked to pry into things which did not concern her to +know. + +Lucy had an aunt living in Boston, who was a sensible and a very +kind-hearted woman. She heard that Lucy would become a disagreeable if +not a wicked child, if some friend did not have compassion and try to +save her from her growing faults. She kindly sent to Lucy's Father who +lived in New York, and persuaded him to let his daughter come and pass +one year with her; she had a little girl of her own about the same age +as Lucy, who had been watched, and guarded, and taught by this kind +mother, and she was now a lovely child, so good--obedient--and amiable, +that every one who knew her, saw that she would grow up a blessing to +her family and friends; her mother had early taught her, and made her +feel from experience, that she was always happier when she governed her +temper, corrected a fault, and thought more about making others happy +than she did of pleasing herself; she told her that her heavenly Father +always looked down with peculiar love upon her, when she resisted a +wicked feeling or a selfish action, and sent his _best_ and sweetest +reward of peace and joy into her heart, a reward he bestows only on +goodness, but which is more delightful than any pleasure which the +wicked can purchase. Now the little Emily had already learned to feel +this delightful peace, and she would give up any thing to obtain it. + +It was on her birthday morning, about a month after Lucy's arrival at +her aunt's, that she received a very kind letter from her father +enclosing two beautiful crown pieces which he said "he thought would be +an acceptable present for herself and cousin, and he hoped this would +make his little darlings happy." Lucy _did_ feel happy for one moment, +and she looked at the pretty shining pieces again and again, then she +began to feel dissatisfied, and went slowly and with a sullen +countenance, into the parlour where Emily was finishing her work. + +"My father has sent me these two crown pieces," said she, "but he says I +must give one of them to you, Emily, I'm sure I don't know what for;" +and Lucy looked unhappy, and selfish, and sour, because she could not +keep both the pieces which her father had sent, and no one who had seen +Lucy then would have thought she could ever have a pretty face; the +naughty temper in her heart, looked out at her eyes, her scowling brows, +and her pouting lips, and made her quite disagreeable, as she threw down +the piece of silver upon the table with a loud noise. + +"Oh how good your dear father is," said Emily, "what a beautiful bright +piece it is--but do not give it to me, dear Lucy, if you don't wish to," +continued she, as she looked up at Lucy's unhappy face, "I should like +to have it to be sure, because I am saving all my money for a particular +purpose, 'tis to get poor nurse Hooper a new gown, mother says she has +not been to meeting all this summer because she has had nothing decent +and whole to wear, and she told me that if I would save all my money +till I had enough I should have the pleasure of getting her one my own +self; and I should be so delighted to see how happy she would look, for +mother says all the pleasure nurse has is going to meeting; we you know +go to dancing,--and learn music--and read entertaining books--and have a +great many pleasures, but poor old nurse never leaves off hard work from +morning to night, laboring with all her strength--only when as _she_ +calls it 'the blessed day of rest comes;'--how I should like to get her +a nice new pretty gown, and see her walking along to meeting with it on, +and her psalm book and fan wrapped up neatly in her clean checked +handkerchief as she used to last year. But," added she, as she looked a +_second_ time at Lucy's sour face, "not if you don't wish to give me the +money Lucy." + +"But I must give it to you, I suppose, if I do not like to," said Lucy, +"for papa will ask you when he comes next week what you did with it and +all about it, and I know you will tell him, 'tis just like you." + +"If he asks me I must tell him, you know Lucy, I can't help it, can I; +but if he does not ask me, I will not tell him any thing about it, if +you don't wish me to." + +"Oh but I know he will ask you, so you may as well have it, and spend it +too as foolishly as you choose; I know what I shall do with _mine_ +though, I will buy that pretty pair of silk slippers which I saw at Miss +Rust's yesterday, and wished for so much, and I will wear them with my +new silk frock with Barage trimmings, when we go next week to Brookline, +for there I shall see that proud Miss Prince again, with all her fine +clothes;--she thought nobody could dress as smart as she did, but I will +show her that I can,"--and Lucy began to smile with pleasure at the +thought of mortifying Miss Prince. + +"But I would not dress so much just to go out to Mrs. Russel's," said +Emily, "we shall wish to walk out in the grounds, and you will be +obliged to take so much care not to hurt your dress, you will not have +half the pleasure; how can you jump about the grass, and gather +flowers?" + +"I don't care for that," said Lucy, "I will wear the gown and the +slippers too. Papa always lets me dress as I like. I shall take care +enough." + +Emily did not say any thing more, but she ran away to show her mother +her present, and to ask her if she would be so kind as to tell her what +sort of a gown she should get for Nurse Hooper, and to count over all +the silver pieces she hoarded in her purse. Her mother told her she was +much pleased to find she remembered the poor friendless old woman, and +that she should have the pleasure of getting the gown the next day,--and +she said she would advise her all about it. Then her mother counted her +money and found she would have some left after the gown was bought, +which she could spend for herself. Emily said she would not determine +what she should do with it then, but put it away till she wanted +something very much. Her mother told her that was a very prudent and +wise determination. + +The day at last came for their visit to Brookline, the carriage was +ordered, and Emily came down with her plain Cambric slip and thick +shoes, which looked very proper, and comfortable, and neat. But Lucy put +on her trimmed silk dress, and the lilac satin slippers she had bought +to wear with it. + +"Why my little girl," said her aunt, as she came into the room, "what +could induce you to put on that rich silk to-day? you can have no +enjoyment of play in such a dress, and those delicate slippers too,--you +cannot _walk_ in them; remember we are going into the country, and shall +wish to taste the sweet air of the fields, you had better run and +change your dress now my love, there is quite time enough, and Emily +will go and assist you." + +"O no, aunt," said Lucy, "I had rather not go at all, than do that, I +shall take care, I am big enough to take care I hope;" and she again +looked sullen and sour. + +"I shall not compel you my dear, most certainly, because that would not +convince you that you are wrong, but I advise you once more to go and +change your dress for a more proper one; I warn you that you will not +have half the comfort, but a vast deal more trouble in going as you are; +I wish indeed that you could believe, that I must know better than +yourself about such things, because it might save you from much +suffering, but if you prefer to learn by your own experience, you +certainly shall;--experience is an excellent instructer, but we often +pay very dearly for her lessons: well what do you say?" + +"I am not at all afraid," said Lucy, impatiently. "Papa always lets me +dress as I like." + +"Let us go then," said her aunt. + +The day was balmy and mild as possible, and the ride to Brookline was +without accident, and perfectly pleasant. Lucy forgot all that her aunt +had said, she was thinking how all the company would admire her fine +dress and how mortified, and vexed, and surprised, the proud Miss Prince +would be. At last they reached the beautiful seat of Mrs. Russel, and +were received most kindly by that excellent lady. But what can express +Lucy's disappointment to find there was to be no one besides themselves, +not even Miss Prince, whom she was so sure of meeting, and that after +Mrs. Russel had permitted a smile of pity to pass over her face as she +looked at her dress, there was no more notice taken of it in any way. + +Presently a walk in the garden was proposed, and they all proceeded to +view the grounds. Emily went skipping about with a heart light with +innocence and peace, smelling the sweet flowers, and eating the rich +fruit which was ripening in profusion around her;--Lucy also took some +fruit for she was very fond of it, and she thought she ate it very +carefully; but presently she felt something wet upon her arm, and when +she looked to see what it was, she found she had dropped some of the +juice on the front part of her dress, which had already taken out the +color in several places. + +Now this was her best and her favorite dress, it was a present from her +father when she left New York to visit her aunt, and it was quite new. +She felt very uncomfortable at this sad sight, and she already began to +wish she had not put it on:--however she could do nothing to it, and she +continued to walk slowly and carefully through the shrubs and flowers, +until she saw the party all collected round a fish-pond at the bottom of +the garden, viewing something very attentively. + +"O the beautiful gold fish," exclaimed Lucy, "I had quite forgotten to +ask about them, I dare say they are in that pond, and I do long to see +them," and away she ran with all her speed, thinking only of the pretty +gold fish which Emily had told her about so often; but the wind filled +out the light folds of her beautiful silk dress, and as she passed a +turning in the walk, the trimming was caught by the briars of a +rose-bush and torn almost entirely off, before she could stop herself. +Lucy stood aghast at this sad rent! the delicate trimming was quite in +tatters, and the thought of what her aunt had said to her (for she now +remembered it every word) made her ashamed to look her in the face; +however, she pinned it on as well as she could, and again she walked +slowly and carefully, quite forgetting the gold fish and every thing but +her misfortunes and her shame, and wishing she had not been so +self-willed and perverse. But when little children will not be guided by +the experience and judgment of their best and wisest friends, and will +try for themselves, they often learn through much suffering and trouble, +and pay dearly for the instruction which they might have had for +nothing. + +While Lucy was thus sauntering along, one of Mrs. Russel's little girls +came running up to her full of spirits. "Come with _us_ dear Lucy," said +she, "we are going to the bottom of the pasture-field to look into Mr. +Barrel's beautiful garden, 'tis much handsomer than ours, and there is +an opening in the fence so that we can see it all plainly through the +cracks. There are a great _many_ images in the garden. In one place +there is an old woman feeding chickens, and she is holding up her apron +of corn so naturally, exactly as our Betsey does when she feeds our +little ones; and her gown is pinned away behind her, and shews her +quilted petticoat and she _does_ look _so_ funny; and then in another +part of the garden, there is a man raking hay, he looks as natural as +_life_--come--this way, my dear, there is Emily just jumping over the +stone-wall." + +The pasture was very large. It was made perfectly dry by a ditch which +was dug along on one side; this drained off all the water, so it was +easy and dry walking. The girls went on jumping and springing, and Lucy +once more forgot her troubles, and began to enjoy herself, while Emily +felt _so_ innocent and happy, that she could not express her delight. +They came at last to the opening in the fence which gave them a good +view of this fine garden; the flower beds were all laid out in squares, +and diamonds, and circles, which were all bordered with beautiful green +box. And Lucy saw the old man with his rake, who looked exactly as if he +could move and was just going to turn his hay; and she saw the droll +looking old woman holding up her apron of corn; and they were very much +amused, discovering new beauties in this garden for a long time, but at +last they were startled by hearing the snorting of a horse very near to +them. They had not seen that there was any horse in the pasture before, +but when they looked up they saw Mr. Russel's great black horse +galloping up to them, rearing and kicking up his hind feet in the air, +while John the stable-boy was running after him with a halter to catch +him. + +The little girls were very much frightened when they saw such a great +loose horse so near to them, and they began to run towards the house as +fast as their limbs would carry them, for they thought the black horse +was close at their heels, and they did not stop to look behind them. +Sarah Russel and Emily got on a great deal faster than Lucy, because her +slippers were tight and her dress troublesome, but she used her utmost +speed, and had nearly reached the stone wall over which the girls were +jumping, when in attempting to leap across the ditch her foot slipped +in, and down came poor Lucy flat upon her face. What a sad situation she +was in! she had lost her shoe in the black muddy ditch,--her unfortunate +silk frock was all covered with green slime, from the slippery grass on +the banks,--she had hurt her ancle so badly she could scarcely +stir,--and she expected every moment that the great black horse would be +upon her, and trample her to death,--the other little girls thinking she +had kept up with them had jumped over the wall and were gone out of +sight and hearing, and she could not possibly get up alone. + +"Oh! dear, what shall I do?" cried Lucy, "will nobody come to save me." + +Now it happened that young Mr. Thomas Russel had come out to assist +John in catching his horse, (because he was a frolicksome and +troublesome horse to catch) and he was already so near that he heard +Lucy's cries. He came to her, kindly took her up and quieted her fears, +and showed her that the horse was a long way distant, and then he felt +with his stick round in the ditch to find her beautiful lilac slipper. +Alas! it was beautiful no longer; for when he fished it out of the muddy +gutter on the end of his cane, it was so filled and covered with the +filth that no color could be seen. Mr. Russel kindly carried her in his +arms to the house, and then he took her slipper to the pump and pumped +upon it till he got it clean enough to dry at the fire. An old shoe of +Sarah Russel's was found for Lucy to put on, after her stockings and her +clothes had been wiped, but it was much too large for her to walk in, if +she had been in a condition to walk. + +While the rest of the party were enjoying the garden, the summer house, +the shrubbery and the lawn, eating fruit and gathering flowers, poor +Lucy, placed in a chair by a roasting kitchen fire to dry, her beautiful +dress _tattered_ and _filthy_, her fine satin slippers quite and +_entirely_ ruined, her face bruised, and her ancle lame, had time to +feel all her folly and perverseness. + +"If," said she to herself, "I had not been so self-willed and so very +silly as to put on this silk dress, any other, even my best muslin, +might have been washed and repaired, and if I had only worn my thick, +easy shoes, I should not have slipped at all; and if I had slipped, any +other shoes but _these_ might have been made tolerably clean again; but +now my beautiful silver crown might as well have been thrown into the +sea, for it is _all_ gone and has only purchased pain and disgrace. O +how ashamed I shall feel to look at aunt and Emily, for they both told +me almost exactly how it would be if I would wear this improper dress, +though aunt did not know that I wanted to wear it just to vex that proud +Miss Prince; and after all she was not here to see it, and will only +rejoice to hear of my mortification and disgrace. I dare say that Emily +is as clean and as nice as she was when she came, at least she don't +feel so sore, and so dirty, and wet, and uncomfortable as I do, nor so +much ashamed." + +Lucy shed most bitter tears. She had not the consolation under all these +accidents, of feeling that she had had good or innocent motives for +wishing to wear the improper dress, and that her friends would pity her; +and again she wept over her vanity, her wilfulness, her envy, and +malice. + +At last she heard the happy party returning to the house full of mirth +and gaiety, and as they entered she heard Emily say, "I have looked all +round for Lucy, I wonder where she has hidden herself; I suppose she has +found something new and delightful in this charming place, but she will +soon be here now, because the sun is almost down--our _happy day_ is +ended, for mother has ordered the carriage to be ready as soon as tea is +over," and she came bounding into the house rosy and smiling with +innocent delight; but her countenance became sad as she caught sight of +Lucy through the open door, sobbing at the kitchen fire, in the +deplorable condition which we have described her. + +Emily was immediately at her side, trying with kind words and an +affectionate manner, to sooth and comfort her. She was too good-natured +to tell Lucy that she suffered for her own faults, she was too kind +_once_ to say to her "I _told_ you so, I _knew_ you would be sorry, +_now_ don't you wish you had done as _I_ advised you?"--Emily did not +say any thing like this; but she looked kindly at her, took hold of her +hand, and wiped her eyes, and said, "come, never mind it now dear Lucy, +but think of all the pleasures we have had, and what a pleasant ride +home we shall have in the moon-shine--and besides, I dare say we shall +be able to mend the trimming, I will help you, and see if we can't get +out these spots with Cologne water, and some of mother's patent soap, +which is made on _purpose_ to take out spots from silk; come, never +mind, accidents will happen, and I am so thankful that the horse did not +kick you, how frightened we were when he looked so wild." + +Thus Emily kindly tried to divert poor Lucy till supper was ready. Now +Lucy had thought a great deal about the nice supper, and the good things +which she expected to see on the table, but she had cried till her +stomach was sick, and her appetite quite gone; she could not taste any +of the delicacies on which she had depended so much, and besides, she +did not wish to show herself before her aunt and Mrs. Russel in such a +condition, so she crept into the carriage which had been drawn up to the +door, and waited there till her aunt and cousin were ready. + +Lucy's aunt had been told before she reached the house of what had +happened, by Mr. Thomas Russel, who had gone out to meet her; but, as he +told her that Lucy was not so much hurt as she was mortified and +frightened, she spared her the pain of seeing her before company, and +even after she was in the carriage, and had begun their ride home, this +kind aunt said nothing about the accident; for she thought it best to +let Lucy reflect in silence upon the events of the day, that the +_lessons of experience_ for which she had paid so very dearly, might +induce her to correct those faults from which all her sufferings +proceeded. + +When they arrived at home, and were all collected in the parlour, Lucy's +aunt desired to look at the bruises, and as she kindly bound them up, +said to her,--"You have had your first lesson of experience my dear +little girl to-day; it has indeed been a hard one, and I dare say will +be long remembered; you were much frightened, much bruised, much +disappointed, and very much mortified. I am sure I am _sorry_ for your +sufferings, but if you will let them convince you, that +pride--malice--selfishness--wilfulness--and obstinacy, are all faults +which will make you suffer more and more as long as you keep them, you +may _yet_ bless this day, as I shall most certainly, as the most +fortunate of your life, and worth a _purse full_ of such pieces as that +which you have so foolishly thrown away. You start, my little girl, but +I assure you that all these dreadful faults were in your heart when you +determined to use your father's present as you did, and kept to that +determination; for I heard all your conversation with Emily on the day +it was received. + +"_Pride_ and _malice_, my dear Lucy," continued her aunt, "induced you +to desire to dress yourself so richly, to astonish your friends, and to +mortify (as you thought it would) the proud Miss Prince. Selfishness +made you unwilling to part with the piece which was in fact sent to +Emily, and did in no way belong to you. Wilfulness united to make you +resist her advice, when she told you (and from her own experience) that +you would be sorry if you dressed in this manner; and lastly, obstinacy +made you feel that you 'would rather stay at home' than give up to my +wishes and recommendation:--let _to-day's_ experience be sufficient for +you, and I shall truly love you; go now, my dear, to bed." + +Lucy, however, was more mortified and angry than repentant; she had +thought so little about correcting her faults, and submitting to the +government of older and wiser people, that she had a great deal more to +suffer before she could resolutely set about becoming docile, obedient, +humble, and submissive; she had never restrained her inclination, or +controlled any of her desires or passions, and knew very little about +self government; for no one had taught her till she came to her aunt's, +that she ought to do so. + +Emily's mother had done as she said she would, for she always kept her +word in every thing. She had advised her about the gown she was to get +for poor Nurse Hooper, the day after she had received her crown piece; +she had done more than she had promised; she had cut and fitted the +gown, and shewed Emily just how to make it all herself, so that she had +double pleasure in giving it to her. It was now done and folded neatly, +and Emily went with her mother to carry that, and some other little +comforts, to the poor woman. + +Emily's delight was full and _complete_, when she witnessed the +brightened eyes and grateful countenance of Nurse Hooper, and heard her +say, that, "now again she should be able to hear her dear minister, and +to thank her heavenly Father for all his mercies to her, in the Lord's +own blessed house;" and when on the following Sabbath, Emily stood at +her mother's window, and saw the good woman walking to meeting, exactly +as she had pictured her, with her psalm book and her fan nicely folded +in her handkerchief, and looking so peaceful and happy, Emily thought +she felt more pleasure than she had expected, and would not have +exchanged her feelings, for any thing which could have been offered her. + +Time passed on, and the adventures we have related were over and nearly +forgotten. Lucy sometimes thought of her faults, and of the lessons +which had been given her; she sometimes thought she would try more to +correct them, to be more amiable, and good; and when she saw how happy +Emily always appeared, and how much she was beloved, she wished she too +had learned to control herself, and resist temptation, that _she_ might +be as happy; but she did nothing in earnest, and when temptations came, +she did not try at all. Her aunt, however, continued to take the kindest +care of her, she watched for every opportunity to instruct and amend +her, and she hoped that her heart was a little less selfish, her temper +a little more restrained, and that she began to have more fear of doing +wrong, to remember more constantly that the eye of God was ever upon +her, even when she was alone and in thick darkness, and could see not +only what she did do, but what she even wished to do in her mind. + +One morning a few months after their ride to Brookline, while Lucy was +sitting in her chamber opposite to the open door, putting together a +dissected map which her father had just sent to her, she saw her aunt +come up stairs and go into her own room, with a little package in her +hand, wrapped in white paper and tied with twine. Lucy supposed that it +had come from New York with her map, and she felt very curious to know +what it could be, that her aunt had folded up so neatly in white paper. +She immediately thought that her aunt had received some pretty present +from New York, and she watched her to see if she opened the paper, and +what she did with it, and saw that she went to her closet, stood up in a +chair, and reaching to the highest shelf of her closet, opened a small +trunk, and put the parcel into it; then she went to her bureau drawer, +opened that, and laid something in, shut the drawer and left the +chamber. + +All this puzzled Lucy exceedingly; so she determined to ask her aunt as +she went down stairs, what was in the paper, though she ought to have +known it was impertinent to question her aunt about a thing which did +not at all concern herself, and that she ought to restrain her +curiosity. + +"Did you get that little bundle from New York, aunt?" said Lucy. + +"No, my dear," replied her aunt. + +"What was in it, aunt?" continued the inquisitive little girl. + +"It is nothing which it concerns you in the least to know, my dear," +said her aunt; "nothing that would please you, or interest you in any +way; you should be less curious." + +"I wish I could see it, though," said Lucy to herself, as her aunt left +her, "I don't doubt papa has sent something pretty, and I think she +might have shewn it to me. I can't think what it can be; it was such a +nice little package, all tied up in white paper; I wonder if it was not +a pair of new ear rings. I _heard_ her say she needed a new set; I do +_wish_ I could see them." + +She continued to allow her curiosity to puzzle over the little white +bundle, instead of trying to forget it, till her map no longer pleased +her in the least; so she left it on the table, and sauntered into her +aunt's room, and would not attempt to conquer her idle curiosity, but +kept wondering, and wishing to know what was in the paper, that her aunt +had taken so much trouble to put up so high and so secretly. It came +into her head that she might get up into the same chair and look into +the trunk! She saw her aunt walking at the very bottom of the garden, +and thought she would never know any thing about it. + +Now when this thought first came into Lucy's mind, she knew it was a +wicked thought, and she did not intend at first to do so very wrong a +thing; but she let it remain in her mind, and thought how easily she +might do it if she pleased, till after thinking, and thinking, she +determined just to try if she could reach the trunk by standing up in +the chair, as her aunt had done; so she crept softly to the closet, +placed the chair and got up into it, but she was not tall enough to +reach the trunk; so she looked about to see what there was to put into +the chair, and make it high enough, and she saw the little cricket on +which she had been sitting to play with her map; so she brought that +and placed it on the chair, and then she found herself quite tall +enough, for she could reach the shelf with ease; she put out her hand +tremblingly, for Lucy's conscience told her plainly that she _was doing +very, very wrong_, and the thought made her tremble very much, but she +put out her hand and tried to open the trunk. It was locked. + +"Now I do know, almost, that it was something very important, since aunt +has taken such particular pains to hide it away, and very likely it is +something for me too, that papa has sent me, and she won't let me even +see it," said Lucy; "I wonder if it was not the very key to this little +trunk, that she put into her bureau drawer. I saw her go there after she +left the closet. If it was the key, 'tis easy enough to get it, the +_bureau_ is not high, I shall not hurt the bundle just to look at it, +and I don't mean to touch it; besides, she ought to have shown it to me, +if my papa sent it to her." + +Lucy crept down carefully from the chair and stood before the +bureau--she stopped there--for something said to her that "she was +sinning;" but she did not turn resolutely away and busy herself about +something else--she did not fly from temptation--but kept thinking that +she might easily enough open the drawer, and see if it really was the +key which her aunt had put there; till at last she said to herself, +"there is no harm in just seeing if the key is in here, I am not obliged +to touch it." + +She gently opened the drawer; the little key lay down in front, so that +she could reach it without opening the drawer any wider. She stood +looking awhile--and then this temptation also was too strong; she +slipped in her hand and took up the key to see if it was the very same; +having it in her hand she no longer hesitated, but once more got upon +the chair and put the key into the lock--she turned it--the trunk was +opened--and Lucy saw the little package tied up in its white paper, +laying in one corner. + +O, why did not she then stop and sin no more. Alas! when we go so far +wrong it is hard to find the right path back; every step we take renders +return more difficult. Lucy had now gone so far out of the path of duty, +that she no more thought of any thing but satisfying her curiosity. She +took up the parcel, and untied the string; but what can express her +great disappointment when she found it contained--only a little white +sugar, as she thought it was. Lucy loved sugar, and had often taken a +little pinch from the sugar dish on the table, and as she had untied the +paper, thought she would just taste a little before she did it up again; +she took a pinch of the sugar and was beginning to fold up the paper. + +But all this had taken much more time than Lucy had expected; and before +she could get it folded up, as she had found it, she heard her aunt on +the stairs. And now that the poor girl was likely to be _caught_ doing +this naughty thing, she felt _all at once_ how _very_ bad it was; she +was _dreadfully_ frightened at the thought of her aunt's finding her in +such a guilty situation, and she tried to jump down quickly, but in +doing so, her sleeve caught in the fatal key, pulled over the trunk with +all its contents upon her; the cricket was unsteady in the chair, it +was jostled by her agitation, and Lucy, the cricket, and the trunk, all +came together upon the floor with a loud noise.--Her aunt was just then +at the door; she was greatly alarmed by the crash, but her fright was +intolerable when she entered the chamber; the first glance told her what +had happened. + +"O, my poor child," said she, "have you _tasted it_," for the paper of +sugar lay scattered all around the floor. Lucy was in such pain she +could not answer, but the sugar on her mouth spoke for her,--"Oh run, +run quickly for the Doctor," said her aunt, "she has tasted the +arsenic!--she is poisoned!" + +The servant who had been alarmed at the noise, and was with her in the +chamber, went instantly for the Doctor. Poor Lucy, though she was +suffering dreadfully from a broken leg, heard all her aunt had said, +and she was certain she had spoke the truth, her countenance was so full +of pity and of fright; she well knew what she suffered on her account. +Lucy thought she must surely die, and to die in the very moment when she +was sinning so sadly, to die in consequence of her own wicked conduct, +to die in such agonies and convulsions as this poison produces--how +shocking! she was already in so much distress from her broken leg, that +it was exceedingly difficult to get her on the bed. No one who has not +been so unfortunate as to break a bone, can tell how very painful it is. + +At last the Doctor came; but before he could set the bone and relieve +the distress in which poor Lucy lay, he said "he must give her most +disagreeable medicines, for he feared he might already be too late." No +one could tell how much or how little she had taken of the arsenic, +because it was all spilled from the paper and mixed with other things; +so the Doctor gave her the most powerful emetics. Fortunately for Lucy +she had spilled the most of the poison as she carried it to her mouth +and had but tasted it, so that the immediate attention prevented her +suffering so much from that as was expected; but the fright and the pain +she endured, and the quantities of medicine she took, all united to +confine her a long time, and made her suffer prodigiously. Lucy remained +some months very feeble; she lost much of the beauty which she had +prized so highly. She was but the shadow of herself. The hours of +penitence and sorrow she had passed--the tears of grief which had flowed +for her many transgressions during this long confinement had reduced +her strength, but they purified her heart, her repentance was sincere +and her amendment sure, because she was now in earnest. + +One day while her affectionate aunt was sitting beside her, Lucy looked +into her mild, patient, and benevolent face, bent over her in tenderness +and pity; and her little heart which had been almost bursting with its +load of grief, could no longer contain its emotion. "Oh, my dear, +_kind_, forgiving aunt," said she, "I do hope this last dreadful lesson +of experience will make me a better girl. I would not learn from you, +though you talked to me so very kindly and so often too. Nor when I +suffered so much from my foolish and wicked conduct about the dress, +that disagreeable day at Brookline. You shewed me then as clear as day, +the lesson my heavenly Father was teaching me, by all the bad accidents +I met with and all the shame I felt; but I soon forgot all that--though +you told me that if I did not correct my faults with a little suffering, +something worse would be sent to me. And now my great sins have brought +this great punishment. Oh my dear aunt," continued Lucy, sobbing with +deep repentance, "tell me, shall I forget this too?--shall I forget how +patiently you have watched by me all through my sickness, and how kindly +you have spoken to me, just as if I had not brought it all on +myself--and though I have often, very often been cross to Emily, and +never liked to share any of my good things with her, she has left all +her companions, and all her plays and pleasures to come and sit up in +this dark, dull room, to amuse me and wait upon me--shall I--can I +forget all this as I did the other things?" + +"No my dear, penitent girl," said her aunt, kissing her affectionately, +"you have indeed paid most dearly, (as I have feared you would) for your +instruction. I rejoice to see that you are determined to improve by +these painful lessons, they will not I am sure be lost upon you; God has +mercifully spared your life. When I think of your dreadful fall, and all +the circumstances of that sad day, I am truly astonished that you have +lived through them all, that your neck as well as your limbs was not +broken; and when I remember the chance there was of your taking so much +of that horrible poison into your stomach, as would have rendered all +medicines useless, I shudder at the thought; you have felt the danger, +and have suffered much pain--you know your own faults have caused it +all--you say you repent, and if you do so sincerely you will amend." + +"Oh, I do, I do repent," sobbed Lucy. + +"Then be comforted my love--you will amend, and be forgiven, I am +certain, and we shall all have reason to rejoice with you, and bless +these distressing but most useful lessons of _experience_. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Girl Who Was Taught by +Experience, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE GIRL *** + +***** This file should be named 34614.txt or 34614.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/6/1/34614/ + +Produced by Heather Clark and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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