CHAPTER IX.

One day Susy and her mamma and Robbie were sitting alone together in the nursery. Susy was in the corner, with her toys, and Robbie sat on his mamma's lap. Every now and then he put up his little hand to pat her cheek or to play with her hair. His bare white foot was nestled in her hand, and more than once she leaned over and kissed it. After a time Susy got up and came and stood by them.

"You love Robbie dearly, don't you mamma?" she asked.

"Yes, darling--dearly. And I love my little Susy just as well."

"You wouldn't like to kiss _my_ little foot," said Susy.

"I used to kiss it when it was a little baby foot, and wasn't covered up with a shoe. But it would be rather funny for me to take off its shoe and stocking so as to kiss it when there is this nice, round cheek, all handy."

Susy laughed; and kneeling down she took Robbie's foot in her hand, kissed it, laid it on her neck and cheek, and talked to it as if it were a doll.

"Some body said Robbie's hands were whiter than mine," said she.

"That is nothing," said her mamma. "The question is not whether Susy's hands are white, but whether they do all they can for God."

"They are too little to do any thing for God," said Susy in a mournful voice.

"Why no, indeed, Jesus said that whoever gave a cup of cold water in his name, that is, for His sake, should not lose his reward. And you can do as much as that, I am sure. Besides that, every time you pick up Robbie's toys for him, you do something for God."

Susy looked puzzled.

"If you can't understand how this can be, just believe it because your mamma tells you so, and by and by, when you are older, you will understand it. God sees every thing you do, and when you leave your own play, and run to do a little favor for Robbie, or papa, or any of us, then He is pleased. When I was kissing Robbie's feet and hands just now, I was praying to God to keep them always pure, and to teach them very early, to work for Him. And so I often did for yours when you were a baby, and do now, every day."

Susy was pleased to hear this, and she tried to think of something she could do. Her papa came in just then, feeling very tired, and hoping to find mamma at leisure to rub and comb his head.

"Isn't Robbie well?" he asked.

"Not very well," said his mamma, "and I am trying to keep him quiet, hoping he may fall asleep. But I have one hand to rub your head with, if that will do."

"Oh! let me rub papa's head," said Susy, in a joyful voice. "Lie on the sofa, papa, and I'll rub it!"

So papa threw himself down, and Susy pushed a chair up to the bureau, and climbed up for the brush and comb, and though she tangled his hair and pulled it dreadfully, papa let her work at his poor head, till Robbie fell asleep, and mamma could come to the rescue. Susy felt very happy, and she whispered to her mamma:

"I love you, dear mamma, and I like God, too."

She felt very sweet and happy, and looking about to see if there were any thing else she could do, she saw a fly on Robbie's face. She ran quickly, and drove it away.

"Little fly! do you think you are going to have Robbie's face for your dinner?" said she. "No, indeed! I shall sit here, and drive you away. And you can go home and tell your mother there is a great big giant named Susy, sitting by the cradle, and you are afraid to try to eat Robbie's face."

The fly, on hearing this, flew away, and Susy sat so still that all at once she fell over, fast asleep. Then her mamma came softly and tucked a pillow under her head, threw a cradle quilt over her, and left her to enjoy a sweet sleep.