BELLE'S MITE. 153

darling sister Belle and no little girl, I and wreaths, and a bedstead, and a pic-
am sure, ever had a more gallant and ture-book, besides you and the boys, dear
devoted knight than Willie was mamma." And her mamma thought so
 Belle was in raptures; and in great too; and all the while she knew Belle
danger of not being ready for breakfast, had more delights in store-for the day
so many admiring glances did she have was scarcely yet begun.
to take at her treasure! As they passed the old church on their
 Then she knelt down by her mother's way to the candy store, Belle's eyes fell
knee, and prayed the good Lord to make upon the words she had so often seen
her one of his own little lambs, adding, before, placed over the little box which
as she always did, "And, God, please to had been made in the old stone wall-
make everybody love me." FOR THE POOR." She read them aloud;
 Mrs. Gilbert had contrived Belle's fa- and for some reason, on this particular
vorite breakfast ; and under her plate, morning, they seemed to say something
she found the big, red penny which Willie to her, which they had never said before.
had left, after buying the picture-book. This is what they whispered down into
 What should she buy with her penny ? little Belle's heart:
This all-important question was repeated You've got a mamma and two dear,
over and over again ; and somany impos- good brothers, little Belle and a rose-
sible things were suggested, that hermam- bush, all your own, and a bedstead and a
ma's heart began to ache-just a little. She big, elegant picture-book, and-a-penny!
would never have had her darling know a Some little girls haven't any of these-
want, if she had been able to help it. not one. Couldn't you possibly spare
 The boys went off to school; Belle your penny for them ? "
had not been very strong, and so learned Belle looked straight away from the
her lessons at home, every day. She box, over to the opposite side of the
could already read and spell so well as to street, while in her heart she answered:
astonish her friends. Mrs. Gilbert pre- "But I haven't any candy; and I do
pared to go to market, and Belle made love candy so; and I haven't any more
ready to accompany her, the big penny, pennies to buy any with; and my mamma
which she had finally decided to spend can't give me any more if I put this one
for candy, tied up very tightly in one into the box."
corner of her little handkerchief. Then she hurried by, as fast as she
 How brightly the sun shone, as they could, pulling her mamma along, so that
walked along over the hard, frozen ground! she wondered what could be the matter;
Belle felt as happy 'as a little bird. She and all the while Belle was wishing very
told her mamma that she thought God hard that she hadn't happened to see the
was gooder to her than to most other Poor-box. It seemed all at once to shut
little girls-a rose-bush, all her own; out all the sunshine from the sky.
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