“You see, I’m very busy to-night, Shireen,” said Emily. “Mending stockings for father. But baby is asleep, and so I have all the evening to myself, for I have already done my lessons.”
Poor Emily! her life was a somewhat hard one. Her mother had died but recently, and her father, who was only a labouring man, had been left all alone with Emily and her baby sister. All day long the child was taken care of by a neighbour, but as soon as school was dismissed Emily went for her, and then her work, indeed, began. Board Schools, as a rule, are a benefit to the nation, but there are cases when compulsory attendance falls heavy on children and parents too.
Emily’s father was sitting on the other side of the fire smoking his humble clay.
He bent down and stroked the cat.
“Ay, pussy,” he said, “Emily is very busy, and the Lord Himself knows what I should do without her. The Lord be thankit for a good kind daughter.”
So Shireen sat there nodding and singing by the fire, until she sang herself asleep. But when Emily arose at last, she asked to go, and her request was immediately granted.
“Good-night, pussy,” said Emily. “Mind to come again.”
And while pussy went trotting homewards through the darkness of a starless autumn night, Emily went in to prepare her father’s supper.
No, it is true, Emily was not a very good-looking girl, but she had a right kind heart of her own. And this is even better than beauty.