"No, no, Minnie; don't do that. You know the last time one of those ugly blue letters came it made mother ill," pleaded Selina.
"That was because it brought the news about poor Fanny," said Minnie.
"Yes; and that will bring some other nasty news, though it can't be about Fanny. Still, it will be sure to make mother cry and be miserable. The sight of the old thing is enough to do that," said Selina. "Tear it up, Minnie," she added.
"Why, Selina, what are you saying? The letter isn't ours to do as we like with it; and even if it should make mother ill again, she must have it, for it wouldn't be right to do anything else with it." Minnie was quite clear in her own mind upon this point.
Selina pouted and tried to snatch the letter away from her sister, and even proposed that they should take it to school and ask their teacher about it.
But Minnie still shook her head. "I know what Miss Martin would say," she answered; "she would tell me to take it home to mother at once. And so you had better tell her I have had to go back; but you run on to school now, or we shall both be late." And as she spoke Minnie turned towards home again, and left Selina still pouting, and exclaiming that she did not love her mother, or she would not want to take the letter to her.
Minnie, however, paid no heed to these upbraidings. She knew that it was the only right thing to do, whatever the consequences might be, and so she went on, though her steps flagged, and she wondered again and again what would happen when this blue envelope was opened.
Mrs. Brown saw Minnie from the bedroom window before she reached the door, and she came down to see what had happened, for she had caught sight of the large official envelope, and she wondered what fresh trouble it could bring to her.
"What is it, Minnie?" she asked, as the little girl reached the doorstep.
"Selina had this letter, mother. She was afraid to give it to you for fear it should make you ill; but I thought you had better have it;" and Minnie handed the letter to her mother.