Mrs. Burton's Best Bedroom by Hesba Stretton

Mrs. Burton was very proud of the her bedroom, "if pride of any kind or degree is allowable to a Christian." One morning she woke up and found a very big surprise. Hesba Stretton called this story "strictly true, and happened within the writer's knowledge." The moral in this story involves pride of possessions and knowing God's love no matter what a person has done. Important Scriptures are Genesis 16:13— "Thou God seest me," and 1 John 4:8—"God is love."

Paperback 4X6, 1 illustration, 32 pages. ISBN 9781941281239; Pocket Moral Stories

SARAH SMITH (1832-1911) was born in Wellington, England.  She had the good fortune of being able to read books from her father's bookshop, a printer of evangelical literature. Her mother was a strong evangelical, but died when Sarah was young. In the March 19th, 1859 issue of Household Words, a publication conducted by Charles Dickens, she published her first short story called The Lucky Leg. It is an intriguing story about a man who wanted to marry a woman with a missing leg. It was more secular, but her talent was recognized. Hesba Stretton became her pen name, Stretton coming from the name of a neighboring village, and Hesba coming from the initials of her siblings. H (Hannah or some sources Harriett), E (Elizabeth), S (Sarah), B (Benjamin), and A (Annie).