"I'm afraid the flowers will begin to droop, if we don't sell them soon," said Bella at last; and the thought spurred her into going up to a house near by and knocking at the door.
"Please, do you want any flowers?" she asked timidly of the rather grim-looking woman who came to the door.
"No, I don't," snapped the woman crossly. "The idea of bringing me to the door for nothing! Anybody'd think I'd got nothing else to do!" And the door was shut in Bella's face with a bang.
"Doesn't it make a difference how anybody speaks?" said Tom, receiving unconsciously a lesson in good manners and bad that he never forgot to the end of his life. But the woman's bad manners and temper had affected Bella so strongly that her eyes had filled with tears, and the little courage she had had ebbed away.
"I shall know now what it feels like to be spoken to so," she said in a husky voice, as she hastily wiped her eyes.
"Flowers, ma'am? Tuppence and a penny a bunch. Fresh this morning," said Tom brightly.
An old lady was peering closely into his basket, examining the contents.
"Give me three of those that are smelling so sweet."
Tom picked out one of stocks and 'boy's love,' and one of pinks and mignonette, and a bunch of roses.
"Have you got any lavender?"