Miss B. Will you, ma’am, allow Miss Vincent to come and spend this evening with me, or to-morrow evening? Mamma said, any evening that was agreeable to you. I hope it will be convenient to you to permit her to come soon.
Mrs. V. Julia, my dear, what are your own wishes?
Julia. Thank you, mamma; not this evening, I shall have so many, many things to tell Mary, and to hear from her.—If you will give me leave to go to-morrow, I shall be very happy.
Mrs. V. I will trouble you then, my dear, to return Lady Beauchamp my thanks for her kindness to my little girl, who will be happy to accept her ladyship’s invitation for to-morrow evening.
Miss B. Good morning, ma’am. Mamma told me not to stay long, lest I should be troublesome. Good bye. Pray come early to-morrow evening: I have a great many pretty things to show you, that I think you will like very much.
On turning to go out she saw the rose-tree, and returning, added, “I had forgotten the rose-tree. I brought it to help ornament your sister’s room. See, there are several buds on it, besides the full-blown roses. If you take care to water it, and give it fresh air, it will continue blowing a long time. It is my own tree, so I may give it to you.”
Julia was delighted with her presents. She knew not how to express sufficiently her thanks. She repeated, “thank you, thank you,” many times. She smelled the nosegay again and again.—She jumped and danced in ecstacy.—She exclaimed, “Mary will be quite astonished! I wonder what she will say! My dear Miss Beauchamp, I am greatly obliged to you. I will take care of the rose-tree, after all the roses are gone. I shall always love it, because you have given it to me. I never thought, last night, when I went to gather some primroses, that I should enjoy all this pleasure.—Pray do not forget to tell your mamma, I thank her very, very much indeed. How good she is!—Kiss the lamb for me, and give him my love: I hope he will be very well by to-morrow evening.—I dare say we shall be very happy.”
As soon as Miss Beauchamp was gone, Julia begged she might put the flowers into water immediately, before they began to droop. Her mother was kind enough to lend her a large flower-pot and two small ones, and to offer her assistance in arranging her treasure, that the various colours might appear to the greatest advantage.—“Dear mamma, that water is still warm, I am sure!” exclaimed Julia, in amazement, on observing her fill the large flower-pot out of the urn which was standing on the table: “though it is a long time since the urn was brought up for breakfast, I do not think the water can be quite cold yet.”
Mrs. V. Neither do I wish that it should be quite cold, Julia.
Julia. You are not going to put the flowers into warm water, mamma! I always put mine in cold water. I never remember your putting any into warm water before!