Anna looked at her friend, as if doubting she had heard her plainly. "Bella always mends my things," said she.
Mrs. Meridith smiled, but it was accompanied by a sigh; "one would think," said she, "that this little girl had been bred in India, where she had slaves at her command, rather than in a farm-house, for the first four years of her life: I must alter my plan with her, she will expect too much and be disappointed,—as I shall be," thought she, and another sigh escaped her. Anna watched her countenance, and saw sorrow expressed in it, and her own instantly bore traces of the same.
"What is the matter, dear Mamma?" said she, "are you sorry that I have torn my frock? if Bella is busy now, she can mend it another time, or if you wish it," continued she, "I will try if I can do it myself, but I never—" did darn, she would have added; when Mrs. Meridith thus addressed her.
"It is not that I am sorry for the frock, my dear, but that you appear so little sensible of the trouble you give, when you are so repeatedly tearing your clothes: if you considered others you would be sorry Bella should be forced to work for you; her eyes are not good, and she is getting old; and because she is kind and would do any thing for you, you seem disposed to give her what trouble you can without any apology."
"I will mend it myself," said Anna, with a face reddening with shame, and no little anger, as she thought Mrs. Meridith had never spoken so unkindly to her before.
"You shall try at it," said that lady; "and it may be you will then find out the trouble it is to other people; you are now seven years old, and had you continued with Mrs. Campbell, would most likely have been better able to do it than you are now." The tears stood in Anna's eyes, and for the first time she almost wished herself again there; but she took out a needle and thread from her work-bag, and began the task she was quite unaccustomed to. Already the rent appeared ten times larger than it did before; she looked at it each way, and began to think her Mamma was right in saying she would now know the trouble of it; but still her pride prevailed, and she would not own she could not do it.
After holding it some time in her hand, she said, "may I go and ask Bella to begin it for me, Mamma? it is impossible I should know how to do that, but if it was once began I could go on with it."
"I have told you Bella is very busy," returned Mrs. Meridith.
"Will you begin it for me then, Mamma?" said the little girl in a more humbled tone, and after she had pulled it backwards and forwards, and looked at it again and again.
"Yes; and do it too;" thought Mrs. Meridith, who could scarcely bear to see her so distressed; "and kiss those frowns from your face if I dared; but your nature would not bear it." She therefore only desired her to bring it to her, and began the darning, which she returned into Anna's hand; well knowing that she could never finish it for it to be worn any more; but the frock was of little value in Mrs. Meridith's opinion, if Anna might be taught a lesson of humility by it. She continued her own work, and Anna set a few stitches, but very different from the pattern set her, and often did she turn her eyes to the window hoping to see either her uncle or cousins coming up the lawn, which she hoped would put an end to the work.