Then she turned to me again; and I said the story was pretty, I have been wondering since if that was quite honest; only really one might call almost anything "pretty." And then I said that perhaps, if I were Maggie, I would try writing it out once more, so as to improve and polish a little. But Maggie said, "Oh, that would be a bother! It will do well enough as it is."
I am afraid I don't understand Maggie. For I should think one never ought to be content with doing a thing just "well enough." It ought to be always one's very best and very utmost. Isn't that meant when we are told in the Bible to do "with our might" whatever we have to do?
One could hardly look for success, except with one's best. Of course success is not the chief tag in life; and sometimes I am afraid that I wish for it too much. The chief thing is doing all that God gives us to do for Him. One may think too eagerly about success, but never too much about doing His will. And that only makes the struggling after our very best and utmost still more needful. For if it were only for oneself, it wouldn't matter so much how one worked; but if it is all for Him, I don't see how one can be content with any sort of hurried or careless work.
[CHAPTER XIII.]
LETTERS—VARIOUS.
FROM MAGGIE TO NELLIE.
April 15.
DARLING NELLIE,—We are all so glad to hear better accounts of sweetest Mother, and that she likes the idea of going soon to Germany. The weather has been so lovely this week, that tennis is beginning, and I am getting several invitations. So I do hope it will keep fine. Thyrza is asked too, but she won't go. She says she can't possibly spare the time from lessons. It is so tiresome, for I don't half like going alone—at least to some houses.
I wish Lady Denham and Sir Keith would come back, for tennis at The Park is nicer than anywhere else, of course. Did I tell you about Miss Conway meeting Sir Keith in the train, the day she came to us, and getting him to see after her luggage or something of the sort? Poor Millie says she could never have done such a thing. I believe Sir Keith caught a bad cold that day, and that was why Lady Denham hurried off with him to Torquay, and has stayed there ever since. If I were a man, I should not like to have such a fuss made. Lady Denham seems to be always getting into a fright about him.
I expect I shall hear very soon about my book now: and when that is settled I mean to write another. Gladys does, you know. Has Gladys said anything to you about my story? I thought it so funny of Gladys not to say more, when I asked her how she liked it. Millie says Gladys is jealous of anybody else writing books as well as herself: and I do really think she must be—just a little bit. Else, why shouldn't she like my story, as much as the others do?
I wonder if I shall have fifteen pounds for it, like Gladys. It would be very nice: and I don't see why I shouldn't. I think writing books is great fun.
Tell darling Mother I will write to her next. It is your turn now, and Father is sending a long letter to Mother.—Ever your loving sister, MAGGIE.
Private half-sheet, enclosed in, the above:—
I can't say more for Mother to see, of course, as she mustn't be worried, but you know we settled that you should have private scraps now and then only for yourself, darling, and I must tell you how disagreeable things are. Miss Con will have everything just as she chooses in the schoolroom; and poor dear Millie is so unhappy. Miss Con seems quite to forget that Millie has been here so much the longest. I do think it is too bad. Millie says she feels just like an intruder now, when she has to go into the schoolroom.
Only think! Yesterday I found poor Millie crying so in my room, and she said she had come there for comfort. It was something Miss Con had done. I can't imagine what Mother finds to like so in Miss Con. She is so cold and stiff. Thyrza defends her through thick and thin; but of course Thyrza always must go contrary to everybody else. If I liked Miss Con, Thyrza would be sure to detest her.
Elfie is the only one besides who pretends to care for Miss Con: and that is only because she makes a fuss with Elfie. I'm sure I don't know what Mother would say. Yesterday, Nona says, she actually told Elfie to leave off doing her German translation for Fraulein, because she "looked tired"—just imagine!—and made her lie down on the schoolroom sofa, and Elfie went off sound asleep for more than two hours. And Popsie wasn't allowed to practise, when Millie sent her down, for fear of waking Elfie. And it must have been all a nonsensical fancy, for I never saw Elfie look better than she did yesterday evening. We shall have no end of fusses, if she is coddled like this.