friends will not be able to come this afternoon,
Isabella," said Mary; "but we will all try to make the evening of your
birth-day pass pleasantly; and when our father comes home, I am sure he
will read to us in any book you wish."

Isabella thanked her sister, and said she thought she deserved the
disappointment.

After tea Mr. Gardner read a very interesting book to his children. They
listened with pleasure, and had a happy evening; and when they knelt in
family devotion, Isabella deeply felt her father's petition, that as his
children grew in years, they might, like their divine Master, "grow in
favor with God and man." She went to bed that night with a cheerful
heart, rejoicing that she had been able to keep her resolution for one
day. "I give God thanks," said she, "that his grace has been sufficient
for this purpose."

One afternoon Isabella asked her sister Mary to go with her to see their
cousins, who lived about half a mile from their father's house. Mary
told her that she would be glad to go with her on any other day, but
that she was engaged that afternoon, to visit her Sunday-school
children. Mary had been a Sunday-school teacher but a short time, and
she was deeply interested in the sacred work. Isabella had set her heart
upon going to see her cousins, and doubted not that Mary would have been
ready to go with her. She was disappointed; and, forgetting herself,
she told Mary that she thought she was very unkind, and that she had
better oblige her sister, than go and see children that did not care
anything about her. Isabella spoke angrily, and looked displeased. One
moment after she remembered her resolution; but she was then too proud
to confess her fault.

Mary made no reply, but soon went out upon her errand of love. The faces
of the little children brightened with pleasure as she entered their
doors. "Dear Miss Mary," said one little blue-eyed girl, "I have learned
my verse in the Bible every morning, as you said I must; and to-morrow I
shall say to you seven verses out of the second chapter of Matthew,
about the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, of Judea."

"And I," said her little sister, "have learned my hymn, about 'little
children, love each other;' and I have tried to love brother John, and
to be kind to sister Susan, as you said was right."

"Does no one but I say that you must love your brothers and sisters,
Nancy?" said Mary.

"O yes," said Nancy; "our Lord Jesus Christ says so; and he