CHAPTER XX
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
CHAPTER XX.
Ir Mr. Pain is to be at the meeting I can't go!" said Miss Joy. She stood on tiptoe before the glass, dressing herself in her holiday clothes.
"Perhaps he would be willing to leave his rod behind him," said Mrs. Love.
"I will ask him, at all events."
Mr. Pain thought he should not feel at home without his rod. He said he always liked to have it in his hand, whether he was to use it or not.
Miss Joy was full of fun and mischief about this time.
So she slipped up slyly behind Mr.
Pain while he was talking, and snatched away the rod before he could turn round.
Mrs. Love smiled on seeing this little trick, and they all went down to the parlor and seated themselves with much gravity.
Little Susy sat in the midst in her own low chair, looking wide-awake you may depend.
Her papa and mamma sat
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on each side like two judges.
Mrs. Love rocked herself in the rocking-chair in a contented, easy way, and Aunt Patience, who liked to do such things, helped Miss Joy to find the leaves of her report, which might have been rose-leaves, they were so small.
Mr. Ought looked very good indeed, and the angel Faith shone across the room like a sunbeam.
"Susy will be six years old to-morrow," said her papa.
"You have all been teaching her ever since she was born. We will now listen to your reports and hear what you have taught her, and whether you have done her any good."
They were all silent, but everybody looked at Mrs. Love as much as to say she should begin.
Mrs. Love took outa little book with a sky-blue cover and began to read.
She was so modest that she had not written much in it, but this is what she read :
"T have not done much for Susy, but love her dearly.
And I have not taught her much but to love everybody.
When she was a baby I tried to teach her to smile, but I don't think
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I could have taught her if Miss Joy had not helped me.
And when she was sick I was always sorry for her, and tried to comfort her."
"You have done her a great deal of good," said Susy's papa.
" We will engage you to stay six years longer, should God spare her life."
Then Mr. Pain took up his book.
It had a black cover, but the leaves were gilt-edged, and the cover was spangled with stars.
"JT have punished Susy a great many times," said Mr. Pain.
"Sometimes I slapped her with my hand.
Sometimes I struck her with my rod.
Sometimes I made her sick.
But I never did any of these things because I was angry with her or liked to hurt her.
I only came when Mrs. Love called me."
"You have taught her excellent lessons," said Susy's papa.
"If it had not been for you she would be growing up disobedient and selfish.
You may stay six years longer."
Then Mr. Pain made a low bow, and said he was thinking of going away, and sending his brother, Mr. Sorrow, and his sister, Mrs. Disappointment, to take his place.
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
"Qh, no!" cried Susy's mamma.
"Not yet! not yet!
Susy is still so little!"
Then Mr. Pain said he would stay without a rod, as Susy was now too old to be whipped.
Then Miss Joy took up her book with its rainbow covers, and tried to read.
But she laughed so heartily all the time, and her leaves kept flying out of her hands at such a rate that it was not possible to understand what she was saying.
It was all about clapping hands, and running races, and picking flowers, and having a good time.
Everybody laughed just because she laughed, and Susy's papa could hardly keep his face grave long enough to say: " You have done more good than tongue can tell.
You have made her just such a merry, happy, laughing little creature as I wanted her to be.
You must certainly stay six years longer."
Then Mr. Ought drew forth his book.
It had silver covers, and its leaves were of the most delicate tissue.
"T have taught little Susy to be good," said he.
"Never to touch what is not hers.
Never
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to speak a word that is not true.
Never to have a thought she would not like the great and holy God to see.
If I stay six years longer I can teach her a great deal more, for she begins now to understand my faintest whisper.
She is such a little girl as I love to live with."
Then Susy turned rosy-red with pleasure, and her papa and mamma got up and shook hands with Mr. Ought, and begged him never, never to leave their darling child as long as she lived.
It was now the turn of Aunt Patience.
Her book had covers wrought by her own hands, in grave and gay colors well mingled together.
"When I first came here," said she, "Susy used to cry a great deal whenever she was hurt or punished.
When she was sick she was very hard to please.
When she sat down to learn to sew and to read and to write, she would break her thread in anger, or throw her book on the floor, or declare she never could learn.
But now she has left off crying when she is hurt, and tries to bear the pain quietly.
When she is sick she does not fret or complain, but takes her medicine without a word.
When she is
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sewing she does not twitch her thread into knots, and when she is writing she writes slowly and carefully.
I have rocked her to sleep a thousand times.
I have been shut up in the closet with her again and again.
And I hope I have done her some good and taught her some useful lessons."
"Indeed you have, Aunt Patience!" said Susy's papa.
"But Susy is not yet perfect.
We shall need you six years longer."
And now the little angel Faith opened his golden book and began to read.
"T have taught Susy that there is another world beside this, and have told her that is her real home, and what a beautiful and happy one itis, I have told her a great deal about Jesus and the holy angels.
I do not know much myself.
Iam not very old.
But if I stay here six years longer I shall grow wiser, and I will teach Susy all I learn, and we will pray together every morning and every night till at last she loves the Lord Jesus with all her heart and soul and mind and strength."
Then Susy's papa and mamma looked at each
94.
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX TEACHERS.
other and smiled, and they both said:
"Oh, beautiful Angel! never leave her!" and the angel answered: "I will stay with her as long as she lives, and will never leave her till I leave her at the very door of heaven !"
Then the teachers began to put up their books and Susy's papa and mamma kissed her and said: " We have had a great deal of comfort in our little daughter.
And with God's blessing we shall see her grow up a loving, patient, and obedient child, full of joy and peace and rich in faith and good works!"
So they all bade each other good-night and went thankfully to bed.
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SUSY'S SIX SERVANTS.