"Mardie," came a soft little voice from across the room; "Mardie, what is a
backslider?"
"Where did you hear that long word, Sue?" asked Susanna, rousing herself from
her dream.
"'T is n't so long as 'regenerating' and more easier."
"Regenerating means 'making over,' you know."
"There'd ought to be children's words and grownup words,--that's what I
think," said Sue, decisively; "but what does 'backslider' mean?"
"A backslider is one who has been climbing up a hill and suddenly begins to
slip back."
"Does n't his feet take hold right, or why does he slip?"
"Perhaps he can't manage his feet;--perhaps they just won't climb." 295
"Yes, or p'raps he just does n't want to climb any more; but it must be
frightensome, sliding backwards."
"I suppose it is."
"Is it wicked?"
"Why, yes, it is, generally; perhaps always."
"Brother Nathan and Sister Hetty were backsliders; Sister Tabitha said so. She
told Jane never to speak their names again any more than if they was dead."
"Then you had better not speak of them, either."
"There's so many things better not to speak of in the world, sometimes I think
't would be nicer to be an angel."
"Nicer, perhaps, but one has to be very good to be an angel.
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