V.
LITTLE FANNY’S PLAN.
Little Fanny used to spend part of every afternoon in sitting at work with her Mamma, which she liked very much, especially when she was allowed to talk; but being apt to take very long stitches, her Mother was, at last, obliged to make it a rule that Fanny should not talk while she was at work; and Fanny, being upon the whole a good little girl, seldom gave her Mamma occasion to complain; though she sometimes found it very hard to wait till her work was put away, before she began talking.
One afternoon, her Mother had been amused to see how much interested Fanny looked while she was sitting at needle-work by her side;—a great deal more so than if she had only been thinking about her work.
“What have you been thinking about, that has pleased you so much, Fanny?” said her Mother, as she was folding it up.
“I have been thinking, Mamma,” replied Fanny, “what a pleasant thing it is to be generous and to do good; and, if you please, I will tell you what I should very much like to do.—I should like to have some poor children come every day for me to teach them to read and work; and so I should like to have a nice snug little room, about as large as your dressing-room, Mamma, with two little new forms in it, and a chair beside, for myself, and all sorts of books, and some needles, and thread, and every thing that I should want: and then I should like to have six little girls, nice, clean, good tempered, clever little girls, just the size of Susan Hervey, that would not be much trouble to teach; and for me to be their governess: and I should like them to learn to read and work very fast, (I dare say they would) and then for Papa to give me some money, and I would buy six pretty frocks, (pink ones, I think,) and sister Harriet, I dare say, would cut them out for me, and I would let the little girls make them, but I would not say who they were for; but one day they should all come, and I would pull off their old frocks and put on these nice new ones, and they would be so surprised;—only think what a delightful plan it would be, Mamma, would it not?” said Fanny, almost out of breath.
“It would be delightful, indeed, my love,” said her Mother, smiling: “but, Fanny, did you ever hear of a little governess of ten years old?”
“O, Mamma, I think I am old enough to teach some very little girls; for you know you often let me hear little Edward say his spelling.”
“But suppose there were six little Edwards all saying their spelling together, then what would you do, Fanny?”
“O, Mamma, I think I could manage it,” said Fanny, looking rather puzzled:—“I think I could.”
“And pray where would you find six such very nice little girls as you wish for, Fanny; all clean, and good tempered, and clever, and just the size of Susan Hervey?”