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 88 JOHN STREET. 
 
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THE 
 
 SELFISH GIRL. 
 
 " Shut the door, Anna, the wind is 
 fold from the hall, and makes our room 
 uncomfortable." 
 
 ** Oh, mother, why do you ask me, to 
 close the door, when you can ring the bell, 
 and let a servant come in and shut it]'' 
 
 **What, Anna, bring James through 
 the bleak wind to save you from the 
 trouble of crossing the floor ? I am 
 ashamed of you, my daughter. See 
 little Clara has jumped down and gone 
 unbidden, and done what I requested you 
 to do. Kiss me, Clara, I love obliging 
 girls/' 
 
4 THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
 The elder of the children thus spoken 
 to, was at the time reclining upon her 
 mother's lap, while the younger, was on 
 the couch at her side with her head fond- 
 ly resting upon her shoulder. The two 
 were as opposite in looks as in temper. 
 Anna was about eight years old, and 
 Clara three years younger. Anna was 
 very pretty. Her light brown hair fell 
 in graceful curls over her white neck ; 
 she had bright blue eyes, her cheeks were 
 like roses, and when she was a good girl, 
 she was extremely lovely. Everybody 
 admired, when they first knew her, but 
 her disobliging and selfish temper soon 
 made them withdraw their admiration 
 — for no one is worthy of esteem, who 
 has nothing but beauty of person, with- 
 out that of mind, to recommend them. 
 Clara seldom attracted attention at first, 
 for she was by no means beautiful. Hei 
 complexion was pale, her eyes gray and 
 without lustre ; but in a little time she 
 
THE SELFISH GIRL. O 
 
 became the favorite, for she was always 
 ready to oblige, and would leave her 
 play to render any person a benefit, and 
 if smaller girls than herself came to visit 
 her, she gave them her dolls and toys, 
 and would try in every way to amuse 
 and please them. But Anna never did 
 so ; she was too lazy to do a favor for 
 those around her, and too selfish to care 
 for the pleasure or convenience of any 
 one but herself. It distressed her mother 
 very much to see so beautiful a girl of 
 such a disposition, and she could not 
 avoid loving little Clara more every day 
 for her goodness and obedience. After 
 the last scene, the party sat silent for a 
 few minutes, but Anna was too obstinate 
 to think of feeling sorry for her conduct, 
 though reproved by her mother's words, 
 for her sister's different behavior. — 
 ** Anna," said her mother, *' you will nev- 
 er be happy nor beloved, while you con- 
 tinue so much absorbed by your own 
 
6 THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
 comfort, and so regardless of that of 
 others. Do you think servants are des 
 titute of feeling, that you have so little 
 consideration for them ] Remember 
 that you will hereafter have to give aii 
 account of your conduct to them — and 
 that of every unkindness God takes no- 
 tice, and vs^ill judge you for it in the last 
 day. Now, you do not wish to leave 
 your netting for an instant, nor your warnci 
 fire, and yet you did net mind disturbing 
 the sei vants when you know how fatigued 
 they are all day, and that at night they 
 strive to do a little work for themselves, 
 such as platting straw for baskets and 
 mats, by the sale of which they earn 
 money, to purchase a few luxuries for 
 their families. Believe me, my child, 
 if we do not think of the comforts of 
 others, we shall be neither respected nor 
 valued o irselves, and shall find few 
 friends, l^esides all this, you have dis- 
 obeyed me, but I need not dwell upon 
 
THE SELFISH GIRL. 7 
 
 this point, you know as well as I do, the 
 command of God on the subject." 
 
 Anna hung down her head, and seem- 
 ed for a moment to reflect on what she 
 had heard, but a quick rap at the door 
 made her forget the advice in curiosity 
 to know who was at it. She hastily 
 jumped up, and ran into the entry (in 
 spite of the cold she had refused to en- 
 counter a few minutes before) and open- 
 ed the door ere James could reach the 
 spot. The snow blew in her face, and 
 enwreathed her soft ringlets, and her 
 cheeks were crimsoned with the sharp 
 air, but Anna reirarded not all this, for 
 she was delicrhted to see the milliner's 
 girl, with a basket containing their new 
 bonnets — and taking them from her, she 
 ran into the parlor to look at them ; 
 Olara passed by her, without attending 
 to the exclamations of pleasure she 
 heard, and kindly went to the girl, who 
 was trembling with cold in the passage, 
 
8 
 
 THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
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THE SELFISH GIRL. 9 
 
 and begged her to come in to the fire. 
 She gladly did so, and as the children 
 tried on the beaver hats and feathers she 
 had brought, she could not help think- 
 ing, that with all i\nna's beauty, Clara's 
 was a sweeter countenance, there was 
 so much goodness and consideration in 
 its expression. Thus by one little act 
 of kindness, was a friend obtained ! 
 
 The next mornino^ was briirht and 
 clear — the girls were in the nursery 
 playing with their dolls. Mrs. Mortimer 
 was in her chamber when she called out, 
 ^Aima, go down stairs, and tell Jacob 
 to get the sleigh — the day is so fine we 
 will take a ride.'' — "Oh, mother! do 
 send Clara, for I am so busy with this 
 baby's frock, that I can not leave it." 
 Clara ran off without her mother's speak- 
 ing, and gave the order. When the 
 eleigh drove to the door, Mrs. Mortimer 
 went into the next room, and there saw 
 A.nna, ready to go out, dressed in her 
 
10 THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
 new hat and feathers, and with a gay 
 cloak on, looking very prettily. ** Where 
 are you going, Anna?" said her mother. 
 ** To ride with you, mamma/' — * Indeed, 
 you are going to do no such a thing — as 
 it was too much trouble for you to give 
 my orders, I am sure it will be too much 
 trouble for you to go down to get into 
 the sleigh. Betty, undress Miss Anna, 
 and put on her calico frock again, she 
 will not leave the house to-day. How is 
 this, Clara, not ready ?'/ — ** "Why, mother, 
 when I went to call Jacob, to give your 
 message, I saw poor Fidelle limping 
 along, and I stopped to bind up his foot; 
 a thorn had got in it ; but do not wait for 
 me, mamma, I will stay at home, as An- 
 na will be alone. '* — '* No, my daughter, 
 I will wait for yoi • I like to oblige 
 obedient girls, and permit them to go 
 out with me. Come here, and let me 
 see your bonnet." 
 
 Clara was sorry to leave her sister, 
 
THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
 11 
 
12 THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
 but she was very much delighted with 
 her ride. Her uncle went with them ; 
 and the merry jingle of the sleigh-bells, as 
 they glided swiftly over the snow for 
 several miles into the country, was music 
 to her ears. She only regretted that her 
 sister had not been more obedient to her 
 mother, so that she might have enjoyed 
 the ride with them. 
 
 Their father had that morning gone 
 to a neighboring town on business of im- 
 portance. He went on horseback, his 
 favorite mode of riding, in summer or in 
 winter if the weather would permit of 
 it. As they were on their way back, 
 they discovered him some distance ahead, 
 apparently urging on his horse that he 
 might get home to his family before sun- 
 down, little dreaming that they were so 
 near him. But he was soon apprized of 
 their presence by the joyous ringing 
 laugh of Clara as they came up with 
 him. They continued on in company, 
 
THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
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14 
 
 THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
 till they came into town, when Jacob 
 was ordered to drive to the milliner's in 
 order that Mrs. Mortimer might pay for 
 her daughters' hats, while Mr. Mortimer 
 rode directly home. The same servant- 
 girl who brought their hats, was in the 
 store, and while Mrs. Mortimer was set- 
 tling with her mistress, she brought a 
 little gilt cage with a beautiful bird in it, 
 
 and begged Clara to accept it as a keep* 
 sake from her for the kindness she had 
 shown her the night before in calling 
 her in from the cold. ** Whenever you 
 look at it," said she, ** it will remind you 
 
m 
 
 THE SELFISH GIRL. 15 
 
 that a good action always meets its re- 
 ward." 
 
 Anna was much mortified when she 
 saw this gift, and heard how much praise 
 was bestowed on Clara, and nobody loved 
 her, for being selfish. She determined 
 to conquer her disagreeable temper, and 
 took Clara for an example. In a short 
 time she became an amiable girl, and 
 then no one could tell which was the 
 sweetest, herself or Clara. 
 
 Now I hope all Uttle girls, who read 
 my story, will be good too, and oblige 
 every one, and never try to please them- 
 selves at the expense of another's pleas- 
 ure ; and I hope, too, they will remem- 
 ber, that the prettiest face looks ugly 
 when spoiled by ill-humor ; and the 
 ugliest looks pretty if it expresses be- 
 nevolence and virtue. I trust they will 
 ever avoid that feelino: which consists in 
 oving self to excess, in thinking upon, 
 and seeking eagerly at all times, one's 
 
 tm 
 
16 THE SELFISH GIRL. 
 
 own comfort, interest, and pleasure. It 
 is a feeling which, by indulgence, gains 
 strength, and freezes up all the finer emo- 
 tions of the heart. That they may avoid 
 this error, and learn to be kind and 
 generous, and to study the comfort and 
 happiness of others as earnestly as they 
 do their own, is the sincere wish of one 
 who has written for their improvement, 
 this " Tale of Tru^h." 
 
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