"No, not to me, my good woman, but to God and this child," said Mr. Morris, pointing to Jessie; "but for her, your Madge would have gone to the alms-house, and you, perhaps, would have been kept in prison. It was to please my niece, here, that I took Madge to our house."
"A thousand blessings upon the dear child, and upon yourself, too, Sir," replied the woman with tears in her eyes.
Jessie's heart sent up gushes of sweet feeling at the sight of Mrs. Clifton's gratitude. With some trouble she coaxed poor Madge to kiss her; after which she and her uncle left the house.
"It is more blessed to _give_ than to _receive_," said Uncle Morris, as they walked through the soft snow to the next cottage.
Jessie dwelt upon that remark, saying to herself, as she silently trudged by her uncle's side--
"That is _so_, I really do believe. I always did like to _receive_, to have those I love _give_ me something. But I really think I felt happier in _giving_ Uncle Morris his watch-pocket, and in taking poor Madge home, than I did in receiving my skates, or rubber boots, or any thing else I ever had given to me. It's queer it should be so, but so it is. Yes, it _is_ more blessed to _give_ than to _receive_. I'll remember that as long as I live."
These musings were broken by their arrival at Mrs. Moneypenny's. Here they found poor Jack, Guy's _protégé_. He had arrived from the hospital the day before. His leg, though still sore and stiff, was healed. Long confinement had made his face thin and pale. But he was very glad to find himself at home again, and was very busy helping his mother get the turkey, sent the day before by Uncle Morris, ready for the oven.
Here again Jessie found grateful hearts. After some other remarks, the old lady said--
"That nephew of yours is a wonderful boy, Sir. There ain't another such boy in all Duncanville. Only think, Sir, how he, a gentleman's son, has milked and fed my cow, twice a day, ever since my Jack, there, was hurt! Why, Sir, we should all have been in the alms-house if it hadn't been for him. May the dear lad never know what trouble means!"
"I'd die for Guy Carlton, any day!" said Jack, his eyes glistening with grateful tears as he spoke.
"Rather strong language that, my lad!" observed Mr. Morris.