Willie's Grandmother. 135

 

kindness. What I do for Willie will prove to have
been done for us all.”

Certainly Willie’s grandmother showed herself
a very wise old lady. The wisest old ladies are
always those with young souls looking out of their
eyes. And few things pleased Willie more than
waiting upon her. He had a passion for being
useful, and as his grandmother needed his help
more than any one else, her presence in the house
was an endless source of pleasure to him.

But his father grew anxious. He did not like
her giving Willie so much money—not that he
minded Willie having or spending the money, for
he believed that the spending would keep the
having from hurting him; but he feared lest
through her gifts the purity of the boy’s love for
his grandmother might be injured, and the service
which at first had looked only to her as its end
might degenerate into a mere serving of her for the
sake of her shillings. ,

He had, therefore, a long talk with her about it.
She was indignant at the notion of the least danger
of spoiling Willie, but so anxious to prove there
was none that she agreed to the test proposed by
his father—which was, to drop all money transac-
tions between them for a few months, giving Willie
no reason for the change. Grannie, however, being
in word and manner, if possible, still kinder to him
than ever—and no wonder, seeing she could no