“What is the matter Miss?” asked Joe, as soon as Nockells turned away.

“The matter, oh Joe!  I want Muff drowned; my cat I mean, my dear cat;” and then she told her tale up to the point of Miss Webster’s refusing to admit Muff as a lodger, and cried most bitterly as she said, “and I won’t have her ill-treated, so I will drown her, will you do it for me Joe, please do now, or my courage will be gone? but I won’t stay to look at it, so good-bye,” said she, and slipping a shilling into Joe’s hand, ran home with the news to Fred, that the cat was by this time at the bottom of the tea, and his canaries were safe for ever from her claws.

Fred was not a hard-hearted boy, and his sister’s tale really grieved him.  He kissed her several times over, as he said he now wished he had never bought the birds, that they had caused Edith nothing but trouble and that he was very sorry.

“I am not sorry, Fred dear, at least I am only sorry for being forced to drown Muff.  I like to give you my room, and I like to give up my cat to you, and I shall not cry any more about it, so don’t be unhappy.”

“And all this for me,” said Fred; “I who teased you so yesterday afternoon, and always am teasing you, I think!” How pleased Emilie looked!  She did not praise Edith, but she gave her such a look of genuine approval as was a rich reward to her little pupil. “This is the way.  Edith dear, to overcome evil with good; go on, watch and pray, and you will subdue Fred in time as well as your own evil tempers.”

How easy all this looks to read about!  How swift the transition from bad to good!  Who has not felt, in reading Rosamond and Frank, a kind of envy that they so soon overcame their errors, so soon conquered their bad habits and evil dispositions?  Dear young reader, it is not easy to subdue self; it is not easy to practise this law of kindness, love, and forbearance; it is not easy to live peaceably with all men, but believe me, it is not impossible.  He who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, will give you grace, and wisdom, and help to do this if you ask it.  The promise is, “Ask and ye shall receive.”  Edith In her helplessness naked strength of God and it was given.  That which was given to her He will not withhold from you.  Only try Him.

For the comfort of those who may not have such a friend as Emilie, we would remind our readers that the actual work of Edith’s change, for such it was, was that which no friend however wise and however good could effect.  There is no doubt but that to her example Edith owed much.  It led her to think and to compare, and was part of the means used by the all-wise God, to instruct this little girl; but if you have not Emilie for a friend, you may all have the God, whom Emilie served, for a friend.  You may all read in the Bible which she studied, and in which she learned, from God’s love to man, how we should love each other.  She read there, “If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”