Minnie Brown; or, The Gentle Girl

  MY UNCLE TOBY'S LIBRARY

  Minnie Brown.]

  MINNIE BROWN;

  Or, The Gentle Girl.

  by

  FRANCIS FORRESTER, ESQ.

  Author of "Arthur Ellerslie," "Redbrook," etc.

  Boston:Geo. C. Rand, 3 Cornhill.Wm. J. Reynolds & Co.1853.

  Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, byDaniel Wise,In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District ofMassachusetts.

  Stereotyped at theBoston Stereotype Foundry.Press of G. C. Rand, Cornhill.

  MINNIE BROWN.

  Minnie Brown had not so handsome a face as some little girls; yetpeople called her a beautiful child. Her beauty was not in her eyes,her cheeks, her chin, her nose, her forehead, or her hair. These wereall well enough; her face was pretty enough in its way, but it was noprettier than the faces of many other girls whom no one ever thought tobe very beautiful. Still, almost all who knew Minnie spoke of her as abeautiful child. Why was this? What was there in Minnie to make peoplecall her beautiful?

  I will tell you. Minnie's mind was beautiful. She had a lovely spirit,a mild temper, and an obliging disposition. Minnie appeared to loveevery one. She was never angry, unkind, or rebellious. She almostalways wore a pleasant smile on her rosy lips; a light of lovingtenderness generally shone in her soft blue eyes. She always spoke in agentle voice. Whoever looked upon her felt pleased at her appearance;and hence it was that she was called a beautiful child.

  I do not mean to say that Minnie was faultless. There has never beenbut one faultless child in the world, and that was the sinless Child ofMary. But Minnie's faults were very few. Her natural disposition wasvery gentle, and she had learned to pray to Christ as her loving Saviorand holy elder Brother. And thus, by studying to oppose all that wasbad in her heart, by encouraging all that was good, and by expectingher Brother Savior in heaven to help her, she had become such a childas I have described.

  But Minnie had many trials of her patience and goodness, like all otherchildren. These troubles, however, did not set her crying and frettingas some girls do, when vexatious trials annoy them. Her mother hadtaught her that trials were for her good. Minnie always remembered thislesson, because of the way in which it was taught to her. It was bymeans of a little tree, which Minnie's father set out in front of theircottage, one spring, with great care. Mr. Brown was a man of taste. Hespared no pains to make his residence a pleasant one. He meant thistree to grow into a shade tree; and a beautiful little tree it was.It was tall, slender, smooth, and had very graceful branches. Minnieadmired it very much. She hoped it would live and become a great tree.

  At first, it appeared as if it would do so. The buds swelled, theleaves began to show their green edges, and Minnie was looking everyday to see them burst into beauty. But the weather grew very cold, wet,and windy. For more than a week, the sun refused to shine. The sky wasas dreary, and the air as cold, as rough November. Minnie often lookedout of the window at the little tree in the storm; and when it swayedto and fro, she said to her mother,--

  "I hope that little tree will live, mother."

  "I hope so, too, my child," replied Mrs. Brown.

  But when the fine weather and sunshine returned, the tree gave signs ofdrooping.

  "I think it will die," said Mr. Brown, one day, after examining itsappearance.

  "I hope not," said Minnie.

  But the tree did die, and in a few weeks was fit for nothing but to becut down and burned.

  "What made it die, mother?" inquired Minnie, one day, as she waswatching the men who were digging it up.

  "It was not vigorous enough to endure the late storm. Your father tookit from the middle of the woods because of its beauty. It had alwaysbeen sheltered from the storm by other trees; and so it died when itwas exposed without shelter."

  "Would it have lived, if it had been grown on the _edge_ of the woods,mother?"

  "Probably it would. Had it always stood in the face of storms, it wouldhave grown up hardier."

  "Well, that's funny. I should never have thought of such a thing."

  "Perhaps not," replied Mrs. Brown. "There are a vast many things youhave yet to learn. In one respect you are like a young tree."

  "Why, mother! How can I be like a young tree?" asked Minnie, with anair of surprise.

  "Well, you need storms to blow on you while you are young, that you maybe able to endure trouble when you are older."

  "Storms, mother! What storms?"

  "I mean _trials_, Minnie. When you are ill used by a schoolmate, andare tempted to be revengeful, you are tried as the tree is tried bya storm. If you remain patient and loving under the trial, you arebenefited by it, and will be more likely to endure the next trial youmeet. Thus all your little storms, or trials, will be for your good."

  "What, always?"

  "Yes, Minnie, always, if you act right under them."

  "Was it for my good to be pushed into the pond by Ralph Rattler,mother?"

  "If it has led you to exercise a spirit of forgiveness towards Ralph,it has done you good."

  Minnie paused a moment, as if in deep thought. She was asking herselfif she had really forgiven Ralph for pushing her into the pond at therisk of her life. She thought she had. A gush of feeling poured up fromher heart. Her eyes filled with tears, and, looking lovingly into hermother's face, she said,--

  "I do think, mother, that I have forgiven Ralph."

  "That is right, my dear Minnie. And having done so, you are betterprepared to suffer wrong patiently than you were before."

  "But, mother," added Minnie, "I don't think I love Ralph quite so wellas I do Arthur, who saved my life. Is that right?"

  "I suppose you cannot help the preference you feel for Arthur, mychild. He is a good boy. Ralph is not. Arthur loves his mother, and isthe best boy in the village. Ralph is disobedient, proud, and unlovely.But while you thus prefer Arthur because of his better qualities, youmust feel nothing but kindness and pity for wicked Ralph, and a desireto benefit him."

  "That is just as I do feel, mother. But what's that?"

  "I think I heard the door bell ring. Run and see, Minnie."

  Minnie stepped quickly to the door. A little girl, named Lillia, stoodon the threshold.

  "How do you do, Lillia!" said Minnie.

  "I am very well, Minnie. I want you to come down to my house and play awhile. Mother's gone out, and I am all alone."

  "I'll ask my mother," replied Minnie. "Wait a moment."

  Minnie returned to the parlor, and said to her mother, "Lillia Leet isat the door. She wants me to play with her at her house a little while,because her mother is out. May I go, mother?"

  "Do you wish to go, Minnie?"

  "I am not very particular, mother. Only Lillia is alone, and perhapsshe will feel bad if I refuse."

  "You may go, then. Only be sure and return to tea."

  "Yes, mother, I'll be at home by tea time."

  Now, Minnie had been taught to be neat and careful. So she did notleave her things in disorder because she was going out, or becauseLillia was waiting for her. But she took the book she had been reading,and placed it carefully away in the bookcase. Then she put herneedlework into the work basket, and carried it into the closet. Afterwhich, she took down her bonnet and shawl, and joined her playmate atthe door.

  Lillia had grown impatient at this little delay. She was not a veryamiable girl, and did not try to control herself.

  "Come, Minnie," said she, a little pettishly; "I thought you would beall day getting ready."

  "O," replied Minnie, gently, "I had to put my book and work away."

  "Well, come, let us make haste, now. I've got a new swing at my house."

  "A
new swing! Where is it fixed, Lillia?" said Minnie.

  "Out in the garden, under the arbor."

  "O, that is a beautiful place, it will be so nicely shaded by the grapevine."

  The two girls soon arrived at the summer house. Lillia took hold of theswing, and showing the large new rope to Minnie, said,--

  "Don't you think this is nice, Minnie? See how strong it is. There isno fear of its breaking down, as your old thing did last summer."

  "Yes, it is a beautiful swing, indeed, Lillia. You will have a nicetime with it; and--"

  "Swing me," said Lillia, interrupting Minnie. She had placed herself inthe seat of the swing, and was pushing herself to and fro.

  Minnie obeyed her wish, and pushed the swing with right good will,until