BE KIND TO SERVANTS.
The next morning, when the Aunt went into the room, she found Ruth helping the girls to get up, and both of them in high health and spirits. But, as she came in, she thought she heard some harsh words from Kate and Blanche to the maid; and she asked what was the matter? It seems that Ruth had not mended a gown for Blanche, as she had been bid to do, and as she had given her word she would do. Ruth said she was sorry, "but I forgot it, miss." She was about to receive a smart answer, when her mistress mildly bade her put down the gown and go away: as soon as she was gone, "How is this, girls?" said the good Aunt; "so cross to Ruth, who but last night was so good to you?" Blanche blushed, and turned away her head. Kate said, "Ruth always forgets all that is told her."—"That is more her misfortune than her fault. Pray, do you never forget, Kate, that you are so harsh to one who does?" It was now Kate's turn to blush, for she was apt to forget. "But, why was Ruth to mend this frock; surely, Blanche, you are old enough to do it yourself?"—"Yes, ma'am, but it is work I don't like; I don't like darning and mending."—"I dare say, Ruth dislikes it also; servants have their feelings as well as we." Kate and Blanche began to see how selfish and unjust they had been; and their Aunt went on to say—"Pray, who tore this frock?"—"I did, ma'am, two days ago, when I was at play in the garden."—"Indeed! And so what you tore in the midst of your pleasure, Ruth is to sit down and mend, though ever so much against her convenience! Really, this is a new mode of acting fairly and justly!"
The girls were quite hurt at themselves, and began to declare how fond they were of Ruth, and how civil and kind she always was to them. "I quite agree with you, that she deserves your favour; but do not let caprice make you sometimes behave well to her and sometimes ill; a steady system of kindness does more to gain friends than all the ardour and warmth in the world. Nothing is so bad in our intercourse with our fellow-creatures,—nothing so bad as caprice!"