A taste for beautiful things began to be developed in their minds too, and the stars, the sunset, and a snow-fall were seen with new eyes. They learned, too, to know that God was about them, around them, above them; that there was no thought in their heart but he knew it altogether; that he must be the Guide in the daily walk of his baptized children. So the days went on in content.
There came sometimes a girl of Jennie’s age to visit the children; Mary Noel was her name; her parents lived on the opposite shore of the lake, about a quarter of a mile from Mr. Graham’s, and were very careless, worldly people, keeping but a loose watch over their child.
Miss Lane did not fancy her from the first, and disapproved of the intimacy with her young charges; but she had never seen anything positively evil in the child’s behavior, and therefore could not forbid it. But one afternoon, while Mary Noel was there, something occurred which decided her to prevent all intercourse between the children.
Lillie and Mary in passing Miss Lane’s door found it ajar, and looked in curiously at the pictures, curious boxes and books that adorned it, all arranged with most exquisite neatness and taste.
“Let us go in,” proposed Mary. “She is not there, is she?”
“No; but I would rather go in when she is there,” answered Lillie.
“Well, I’d like to see those pictures; come,” and she pushed the door open.
“I don’t think Miss Lane would like it,” persisted Lillie.
“Why? what need you care? The room’s in your father’s house.”
“I don’t think it would be quite right, quite polite; Miss Lane is so precise.”