MARION'S ORNAMEHTS.
"MAMMA," said a little girl one morning, after she had sat by her mother some time, apparently very busy thinking, " I have a favor to ask of you: will you let me wear the gold watch and chain that Aunt Anne gave me a long while ago, you know I will take great care of them; may I, mamma?"
Mrs. Clifford looked up from her work into her little daughter's eager face.
"Why do you want to do that, Lucy?" she said. "I think you look much nicer as you are."
"Oh, no, indeed, mamma! Do please let me wear them! Yesterday, when we were at grandpa's, Ellen Baird had on the most beautiful watch; every one was looking at it, and saying how pretty it was. I did so wish I had had mine on."
"Oh! And mamma," interrupted Carry
"will you buy me a hat like Minnie Oakley's? You must have noticed it, it had the most beautiful long sweeping feather; and her sash was such a lovely blue, I never saw one like it before; do get us sashes like that, dear mamma. Do you know we were the only ones who had no sashes, except, indeed, Marion Elton?
But then she is not a lady; she-- "
"I thought Marion Elton was the best dressed little girl amongst you," said Mrs. Clifford, quietly. The children both exclaimed at once--
"Marion Elton! Why, mamma, how funny! She had not a single pretty thing on; she had nothing but a print frock and a plain white hat, with scarcely any trimming. Don't you think you must have made a mistake, mamma?"
"I think not," said her mamma; I know Marion quite well, and I repeat, that I saw some beautiful ornaments on her; indeed, I wish I could have some of them for my own little daughters."
The two children opened their eyes wide with astonishment; for to tell the truth, they had rather looked down upon little Marion, because she was poorly dressed; and they knew she did not live in a great house, like themselves and their little companions. They had neglected her, too, yesterday, leaving her out of their games, and had been unkind enough to laugh at her simple dress. So you may imagine their astonishment when they heard their mamma speak of Marion's ornaments.
"Do tell us what you mean, mamma," said Lucy. " I'm sure I did not see a single ornament about her, and
I know her mother is quite poor, too, so of course she could not afford to buy her any."
"Well," says Mrs. Clifford, "I saw at least six, and I have reason to think she has many more at home. Don't interrupt me while I count them up.
In the first place, when you were all hunting for violets in the wood behind the house, Marion discovered quite a nest of them. I know some little girls who would have been quite quiet, and gathered them all, as fast as they could, for their own nosegays; but I observed that she ran immediately and told the others, and even helped some of the little ones to gather; then I saw that she had one very valuable ornament, unselfishness. When little Fanny Hall fell down, and tore her nice new dress in the bushes, no one stopped to help her, for you were all in such a hurry to go and see the greenhouse with grandpa; but Marion ran back when she saw what had happened, soothed the little girl, and waited behind to pin up the tear in her dress; that showed me she possessed another very bright jewel, loving-kindness. When George Keith pushed against her so rudely, and knocked over all her strawberries, she looked vexed for a moment, but directly after she spoke quite gently and as she stooped to pick up the fruit,
I saw two other very rare and precious ornaments; these were, forbearance and patience. She never talked and laughed loudly. She had the beautiful jewel, gentleness. And, lastly, I saw one ornament of great price; it shone so brightly that it lighted up all the other jewels. When you left her out of your games, and laughed and made fun of her because she had not a smart, blue sash, or a feather in her hat, then I saw it. Many children would have been angry and sullen, but Marion was as sweet-tempered and gentle as possible. She had ‘the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of God, of great price.' I observed several more precious jewels, but I will leave you to find them out for themselves, when you know her better. I have told you of six. Do you not agree with me, my children, that Marion Elton was at least as well dressed as Lucy and Carry Clifford?"
The little girls looked very much confused, and neither of them spoke for some time; at last, Lucy said, with tears in her eyes,
"Mamma, if you will let me go and see Marion some day, I will try to, to make her forget our unkindness. Is she a lady, mamma?"
"If you mean does she live in a grand house, with a great many servants and carriages, and a great deal of money, I must answer no; but, my child, all these things do not make a lady. People may have all these, and not be what I wish my Lucy to be, whither she lives in a palace or a cottage a lady. A lady is humble, and gentle, and considerate. Think less about your outward adornment, and more of the ornaments of your hearts.
Never value people from the richness of their dress. Education and experience will teach you some day how much better the inside may be than the outside."
Home Companion.