The
little lamb had gotten back into the branch and said: "Please, little
girl, pick me up and put me on the bank to dry."
But Sarah said: "I won't do it."
The lamb replied: "Spit in your mother's hand when you go home."
So Sarah had to go through the briars, that scratched her, and the old
man beat her, and the gate slammed on her, and when her mother met her
she was a "sight." Her face was dirty, her dress torn, her legs and arms were
scratched and bleeding, and her curly hair was in a mass of tangles. Her
mother washed the dirt off and scolded her for being so naughty. Mary
helped to wash and dress her for supper. Then they all sat down to eat,
and every one was happy but Sarah.
Sarah said: "Mother, the lamb told me to spit in your hand."
"Very well, come on," answered the mother. So Sarah spat in her
mother's hand and out jumped a lizard and a frog.
A child ever so small will see the moral, and that, I never forgot. Of
course the pearls and the diamonds are the politeness and kindness, which
is so beautiful in children; and the lizard and the frog are rudeness
and impudence. Very often the nurse would say: "Look here, you Sarah,
you."
I remember how shocked I would be to think I would ever be like that
naughty Sarah.
A positive indication of a corrupt age is the lack of respect children
have for parents. This is largely owing to the neglect of teachers.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50