CHAPTER XVII
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
CHAPTER XVII.
Frank and Charlie stayed several weeks, and during the whole time there was no quarreling.
Before their mother would take them from home she made them promise to try to be gentle and obedient, and to do all they could to make
Susy and Robbie happy.
And Mrs. Love said a good deal to Susy about forgetting herself, and trying to please her cousins.
"A little girl who loves Jesus, and is like him," said Mrs.
Love, "will be kind, and will not be vexed at every trifle.
She never will envy others, think. ing people love them better than they do her, or give them better things.
She does not spend her time in pleasing herself, nor is she easily provoked.
It is hard to make her believe anything evil of others, and when she sees them do wrong she never is glad.
"Am I such a little girl?" asked Susy.
"Mr. Ought can tell you," said Mrs. Love.
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
Mr. Ought gave his answer in a whisper.
Nobody heard it but Susy.
"You can be such a little girl," said Faith.
The children could not play out of doors much of the time, for the weather was cold and damp.
But they amused themselves with their toys and books, and the time flew away very fast.
One afternoon two little boys, who lived near, came to stay a few hours.
Their names were George and Willie.
Their mamma had been dead ever since they could remember, and they were sometimes invited to come and see
Susie.
Frank and Charlie were a little younger than they were.
"You may play in the attic," said Susy's mamma.
"JI am going out with Aunt Maria, and shall feel easier to have you there than out of doors."
So they all ran up, making a great noise with their boots, at least the four boys did, and Susy said they would have a swing.
Just then Robbie's little feet were heard on the stairs, and his little pleasant voice, say: ing:
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
"My Susy! I'm toming up!"
"He'll be in our way," said George.
"Yes, he'll be in our way," said Susy.
But just then Mrs. Love said to her gently: "Susy, dear, do you love these four boys better than your little brother ?"
"Tl take care of him," said Susy.
"T wish you would," said nurse, "for he feels lonesome down in the nursery, when he hears you all playing up here."
Susy had to watch Robbie very carefully.
He kept running before the swing, and she was afraid he would be thrown down.
Do you think it was easy for her to do this, just as she was expecting to have a good play with her little friends 2? No, it was not easy. You should love her for it, and do as she did.
George was a selfish boy. When he saw what Susy was doing he laughed, and said he was glad he hadn't any little babies to take care of.
But Frank said: "Let's play something Robbie can play.
He isn't a baby.
He is three years old.
What can he play, Susy?"
" He can play horse," said Susy.
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
"Then we'll play horse with him," said Frank.
"And he shall be the driver, and we'll be the horses."
"T don't like to be a horse," said Charlie.
"Td rather be the man, and say, 'Get up.'"
"Robbie doesn't care whether he's the horse or the man," said Susy.
But Frank persuaded Charlie to let Robbie be the man, and then he and Susy and Charlie and Willie were horses, and Robbie drove them all round the attic till they were out of breath.
He was so happy that they all felt repaid for what little trouble he had made them.
His nurse now came for him, and he went down with her.
" Now you shall all be robbers, and I will try to catch you and put you in jail," said George.
"That would be first-rate fun," said Frank.
"We ought each to have a den to live in."
"Those big trunks would make good dens," said George.
"But they're full of things," said Susy.
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
"We can take them out, just while we play," said George.
"T am afraid mamma would not like it."
"She won't know it," said George.
"When we've done playing we can put the things back again.
She'll never know it."
Susy looked at the trunk.
She thought it would be delightful to be a robber and have a big trunk for her den.
But then was it right to tumble her mamma's things out on the floor without leave ?
"No!" said Mr. Ought, "it is not right."
"We mustn't do it," said Susy, " without leave."
" You are afraid your mother will whip you, I suppose," said George.
" But she won't know about it, so what's the use of being afraid 2"
"She wouldn't whip me," said Susy. "But she would say it wasn't right.
But Tl ask nurse if we may.
Perhaps nurse will know."
"Oh! yes,do ask her!" said Frank.
"It would be such fun !"
"She shan't go," said George.
"I know that old nurse will say no, just to tease us."
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
"Run, Susy!" said Frank.
Susy ran, and George ran to prevent her.
Her foot caught in the string with which they had been playing horse, and she fell across one of the trunks which Willie and Charlie, not noticing the dispute, had dragged from its corner.
"Oh!
Pm killed!
I'm dead!" cried she.
George and Willie, on hearing this, ran downstairs, and out of the house as fast as they could.
Frank lifted Susy up, and kissed her, and begged her not to ery, while with his handkerchief he wiped the blood that was running down over her face.
She had cut a little place in her cheek.
Charlie was very sorry, and very much frightened.
He did not know what to do.
At last he ran down into the nursery and said in a loud voice:
"Susy's killed and dead !"
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
CHAPTER XVII
On hearing this dreadful news, poor little ytobbie's heart came near breaking in two. His nurse ran up to see what was really the matter, and Robbie threw himself down on the floor, and began to cry very softly, but very mournfully, as it he never meant to get done.
" What's the matter?" said nurse to Susy.
"Charlie says you are dead !"
"No, I am only most dead," said Susy. "And one of my leys is broken all to pieces.
I know it is.
I can't move it a bit."
Nurse lifted her up, and carried her down.
"Tll lay you on my bed," said she, "and then we'll see how many pieces you're broken into.
That leg is whole; and so is that one."
"Tt's my ankle," said Susy.
"Oh! I guess you have sprained it," said Frank.
"T guess it's nothing but a sprain."
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
"You wouldn't call it nothing if you had it," said Susy.
She kept on crying, and making a great ado, till all at once Aunt Patience came and sat down on the side of the bed.
"Susy, dear," said she, "don't cry so.
Try to bear the pain quietly, or it will make you sick.
Come! sit in my lap, and I will rub your poor ankle, and by and by it will feel better."
"How soon 2" asked Susy.
"T don't know.
It is swollen a good deal.
You may be lame some days.
Perhaps all the time Frank and Charlie are here.
But what then?
Why, Mrs. Love will take good care of you, and Miss Joy will sit by you and make paper babies, and as for me, I will not leave you a minute."
Susy stopped crying.
She looked up into the kind face above her, and said: "Do you like to be with sick folks, Aunt Patience ?"
"Yes," said Aunt Patience, "I do."
" What can you do for them ?"
"T can help them not to scream and cry and
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
make a great uproar.
If they have sprained ankles, I help them lie still, and keep quiet till they are better."
"Tt seems kind of hard," said Susy, "to have to be lame when Frank and Charlie are here."
"Ah! but don't you remember that you were trying to please me, when you fell?" said Mr.
Ought. "Dear Susy, don't you remember that ?"
Susy's ankle ached, but her heart was full of joy and peace.
"Oh ! there's darling little Robbie lying on the floor crying!" said she.
" Robbie! Rob. bie! look here !"
"Aren't you all killed and dead?" asked Robbie, lifting up his head.
"No, indeed !" said Susy.
Then Robbie got up and wiped away his tears, and began to think what he could give her.
At last he remembered his red apple that his Uncle Thomas had sent him.
"You sall have my wed annie," said he.
"Tsn't he a little de7>%" aaid Mrs. Love.
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
declare! I don't know which of them is the best !"
"T wish mamma would come home," said Susy.
"And I wonder where George and Willie have gone 2"
"They've gone home," said her nurse.
"I heard them come running down and go out, so I went to the window and saw them go home,
Had you been vexing them 2"
"They are not good boys," said Frank.
"That's because they've not been well taught," said nurse.
"There's great excuse to be made for boys who have no mothers."
"T don't like boys that haven't mothers," said Charlie.
"You mean you don't like them if they're bad," said Frank.
"They ought to be good," said Charlie, " because if their mothers are in heaven they can look down and see how they behave, and it would make them feel sorry to see their boys naughty."