Emma cheerfully obeyed, and though she felt extremely languid,
compelled herself to walk briskly as her mother had desired; but coming
to the foot of the hill she paused, and looked doubtfully upon its
steep sides and lofty top. "It reminds me of 'the Hill Difficulty,'"
thought Emma; "but the Christian pilgrim did not allow himself to stop
and think over the difficulties, but 'addressed himself to his
journey.' So must I:" and ceasing to look at the top, but only at the
place for her feet, step by step, she at length gained the summit, and
waved her handkerchief toward the house. The signal was answered from
her mother's window, and then she sat down upon a rock to rest. But the
morning was too dazzlingly beautiful there. She felt oppressed by the
glory of distant mountains, sparkling rivers, and wide-spread fields of
corn and grain; but looking down a gentle slope of the hill she saw a
delightful place--it was a bend of the little brook gliding through the
meadow-ground of Appledale. The pines had cast their spiral leaves
there, so that the hill-side and the borders of the rill looked as
though covered with sunlight, though there was in fact nothing but
shade, for the trees clustered together, and locked their green arms,
as if to shut the brook from day-light; yet close upon the borders of
that brook Emma saw a large flat rock, around which the waters played,
looking so cool and inviting that she longed to be there. She put her
hand into her pocket, and found, to her joy, that the dear companion of
her rambles was there: it was her Bible. Happy for Emma, she had
learned to prize its gentle converse above that of human tongues; and
now, sitting down upon her feet, she smiled to see how glassy the pine
leaves had made the hill-slope, for she could slide along with but
little exertion, and soon found herself upon the broad flat rock.
Taking her little Bible, she was just turning to some passages Dora had
marked, when she heard a deep sigh, and saw, to her surprise, Susan