VII.
UNDER THE APPLE-TREE.
"Never the little seed stops in its growing."—Mrs. Osgood.
Linnet moved hither and thither, after the dinner dishes were done, all through the house, up stairs and down, to see that everything was in perfect order before she might dress and enjoy the afternoon. Linnet was pre-eminently a housekeeper, to her mother's great delight, for her younger daughter was not developing according to her mind in housewifely arts.
"That will come in time," encouraged Marjorie's father when her mother spoke faultfindingly of some delinquency in the kitchen.
"I should like to know what time!" was the sharp reply.
It was queer about Marjorie's mother, she was as sharp as she was good-humored.
"Linnet has no decided tastes about anything but housekeeping and fancy-work, and Marjorie has some other things to be growing in," said her father.
"I wish she would grow to some purpose then," was the energetic reply.
"As the farmer said about his seed before it was time for it to sprout," laughed the children's father.