One fine summer's evening, Marianne and Owen were setting out, with several of their little companions, to school. It was a walk of about a mile from the town in which their fathers and mothers lived to the school-house, if they went by the high-road; but there was another way, through a lane, which was a quarter of a mile shorter.
Marianne, and most of the children, liked to go by the lane, because they could gather the pretty flowers which grew on the banks, and in the hedges; but Owen preferred going by the high-road, because he liked to see the carts and carriages, and horsemen, which usually were seen upon this road.
Just when they were setting out, Owen called to Marianne, who was turning into the lane.
"Marianne," said he, "you must not go by the lane to-day; you must go by the road."
"Why must not I go by the lane to-day?" said Marianne; "you know, yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, we all went by the high-road, only to please you; and now let us go by the lane, because we want to gather some honey-suckles and dog-roses, to fill our dame's flower-pots."
"I don't care for that; I don't want to fill our dame's flower-pots; I don't want to gather honey-suckles and dog-roses; I want to see the coaches and chaises on the road; and you must go my way, Marianne."
"Must! Oh, you should not say must," replied Marianne, in a gentle tone.
"No, indeed!" cried one of her companions, "you should not; nor should you look so cross: that is not the way to make us do what you like."
"And, besides," said another, "what right has he always to make us do as he pleases?—He never will do any thing that we wish."
Owen grew quite angry when he heard this; and he was just going to make some sharp answer, when Marianne, who was good-natured, and always endeavoured to prevent quarrels, said, "Let us do what he asks, this once; and I dare say he will do what we please the next time—We will go by the high-road to school, and we can come back by the lane, in the cool of the evening."