Golden Moments Read online

Lily: she is not so well to-day."

  "Oh! yes, mother," cried Dolly and Ralph together. "May we go on theice?"

  "Well, it is just because I said you might, that I feel a littleanxious," said Mrs. Ferrars, stroking Dolly's fair hair. "My Dollysometimes forgets mother's wishes for her own; still, as it is the lastday at home, I feel inclined to trust you."

  "Of course, mother," said Ralph confidently, "I'll take care of Dolly;all the boys will be there, and heaps of people we know."

  "You won't skate beyond the point?" said mother; "never mind if theothers do or not; remember you are both on your honor."

  Full of delight, the children bounded off, skates in hand, and soonarrived at the gay scene by the frozen lake. The ice was already crowdedwith skaters, big and little, and Ralph and Dolly espied two or three oftheir friends as busy as themselves fastening on skates.

  The band played, the sun shone, and merry voices and laughter echoedthrough the frosty air.

  "Let's have races!" cried Frank, one of Ralph's schoolfellows. "You takeyour sister, I'll take mine."

  They all four flew across the ice, backwards and forwards again andagain, Frank and his sister winning at every turn.

  "Now change partners," said Frank, pairing off with Dolly, "perhaps thatwill be fairer."

  "I'm rather tired of going over the same road," said Dolly presently, asshe and Frank stood resting, while the other two ran a short race bythemselves. "It looks so lovely out there. A broad sheet of ice withoutany one on it, and all the trees at the foot of the terrace bending overthe lake. See, Frank, icicles are hanging from every twig; wouldn't youlike to go close to them?"

  Ring Happy Bells Across the Snow]

  "Perhaps it isn't safe," replied Frank. "No one seems to venture so far;I shouldn't wonder if the ice were thin."

  "But our weight would be nothing on such a great space," urged Dolly. "Idon't mean far off, only just beyond the point."

  Mother's words came back to her, but mother did not know. She was notthere to see how beautiful it all was, and of course Dolly did not meanto run into danger.

  They began skating near the point. Again Dolly turned towards theterrace.

  "Oh, Frank! I must," she said. "I see a long icicle like a sword with ahilt; it's on a low branch--you can reach it for me." She sped away, andFrank followed. In a moment they were side by side, and close to thecoveted icicle. As Frank raised himself to grasp it, he saw a thinstream of water welling up from beneath the ice on to the bank. Heseized Dolly's hand. "Back, back!" he cried wildly. "The ice is giving,we shall go in." Away they fled. The ice creaked, but their weight waslight, and once more the point was gained in safety.

  "Dolly," said Ralph, hurrying up to his sister, "have you forgotten whatmother said?"

  "No," replied Dolly, trying to laugh, though really ready to cry afterthe fright she had undergone; "but mother isn't here to see the icicles.I wanted one for her, and--"

  "We are on our honor," said Ralph, "and I trusted you too, when you wentoff with Frank."

  Dolly's tears began to fall. "I won't tell tales of you," said Ralph."Perhaps I am partly to blame, I ought not to have left you. Come andskate with me, now."

  "I don't want to. I'll go home," said Dolly.

  Mother did not come back to lunch. She sent round a note to say she wasstaying with Lily; and by and by when she returned, her heart was sofull of sorrow for the suffering child that she forgot to ask about themorning's pleasure. If Dolly was silent, mother thought it was fromsympathy with herself.

  The next day school began. All thoughts of skating were banished; therewas a prize to be fought for, and Dolly had set her heart on winning it.

  Somehow the spirit that had hitherto animated her now failed. The worldseemed all out of tune. Again and again she was on the point ofconfessing her wrong-doing, as mother bent above her for a good-nightkiss. But weeks passed, and still the words remained unspoken. Ralphnever mentioned the ice; yet Dolly fancied he had loved her less sincethat morning.

  "You musn't be too anxious about the prize, Dolly, darling," said hermother, noticing the tired face, "or I am afraid you will fall ill fromworry. I am quite glad to think the breaking-up party is to-morrow.Mind, dear, I shall not be disappointed if you fail. I can trust mychild, and I know she has done her best."

  Dolly flushed crimson. Her mother trusted her, and imagined she knewevery thought of her childish heart. How little mother knew the miseryDolly was enduring!

  All was excitement at the school. The prize-giving only took place oncea year, and many and great were the hopes and fears on that eventfulday. Some girls were of opinion that Dolly would carry off the covetedprize, others that she had lost ground of late, and failed utterly.Dolly, quite aware of her shortcomings, was yet vaguely longing forsuccess. Her rival in the class was older and cleverer than herself, butwithout the perseverance that characterized Dolly, therefore Dolly hopedon until the prize-giving began.

  Everything passed as in a dream, until Dolly's class was mentioned, whenMiss Danvers, the head mistress, in a short speech declared that theprize had been won, after a severe struggle, by Lucy Trevor. At the sametime she was giving a special prize, because of the good conduct andperfect uprightness and truth of the unsuccessful competitor. This prizeshe awarded to Dolly Ferrars. She held up a beautiful Bible, bound inwhite vellum.

  "This is the prize of honor," she said.

  Dolly's heart stood still. She had forgotten her disappointment aboutthe class prize in an overwhelming sense of shame.

  "Go up, Dolly," said mother proudly.

  "I can't," said Dolly. "I--I--"

  "Go on, darling," said mother, gently pushing her. And Dolly went.

  In silence she accepted the Bible, and laid it on her mother's knee.

  "I am so tired," she said.

  "We will go now," whispered mother. "The excitement has been too muchfor you."

  They slipped quietly away and returned home.

  "Mother!" cried Dolly, as they were alone. "Oh, mother dear, I can'ttake that prize, I don't deserve it. I have failed in truth and honor. Iam so miserable!"

  Mrs. Ferrars, bewildered at Dolly's words, soothed her while she pouredout the story of her conduct on the ice.

  "And I have no right to the prize," she said. "What shall I do?"

  "We will return it to Miss Danvers," said mother, gently; "at least fora time." She looked very pale and sad. "But, darling," she added, as shefolded Dolly in her arms, "if you are really sorry and have throughrepentance learned to conquer in the fight between right and wrong, youare still a winner of the true prize of honor!"

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  The WAVES.

  A pert little wave by the sea-shore one day,Came dashing along in its impudent way;A wee little maiden was straying too near.Said the wavelet--I'll catch you my child, never fear,"I will carry you home to a bed in the sea,"I will rock you as snug as on Mother's own knee."But the child answered merrily, Mother is near,"So dash away, splash away, I do not fear"Dash away, splash away, back to the sea,"Mother is keeping her watch over me."

  A cruel wave rolled o'er the night clouded sea,And the sailors were fearful as e're they could be,The vessel lay tossing, the north wind blew drear,Said the wave, "I will rock you to sleep, never fear,"But a brave tar looked up, with a light in his eye,And a swift prayer was sent thro the threatening skyTo his heart came the answer, in voice, sweet and clear,"Ye shall weather the tempest true heart, never fear."Splash away, dash away, danger is past,The vessel is anchored, in harbour at last.

  M. I. H.

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  A LABOR OF LOVE.

  "Oh, Claude, do look at that poor woman! Doesn't she look ill! I don'tbelieve she can drag that great pail of salt water up the beach. There,she's let it drop! all the water is spilt, and she is leaning againstthe boat. I must go and see if I can help
her."

  So spoke kind-hearted little Elsie, but Claude pulled her back.

  "Don't, Elsie! The woman will be all right directly, and we don't knowanything about her."

  "But she's in trouble," urged Elsie. "See how she trembles, and youknow, Claude, what we heard on Sunday at the catechising."

  Claude could not but remember, for it was only yesterday that theclergyman had told his little hearers to try and sympathize with any onein trouble. "Let them