But if Effie could have noticed and understood the expression of her mother's face, she would have read the maternal longing even through that unnatural coldness; for all the while Margaret thought to herself: "I would give worlds to clasp my child to my bosom as other mothers fold their little children in their arms; but I will never love aught again, lest it should be taken from me. I will not be wounded through my child as I was by the loss of her father."
Poor, vain, rebellious soul! To think that its puny strength could successfully contend against Him who holds the winds in the hollow of His hand, and to whom we poor sinful creatures are but as the clay which the Potter fashioneth as he will. So, at home, Effie was ruled less by the law of love than by that of fear, and she became accustomed to hush the merry laugh and check the bounding step when she reached the little gate at the entrance of the garden amid which stood her pretty home.
One Saturday afternoon, two women, next-door neighbours, having seen little Effie pass an hour before, ceased their household work to make remarks about the mother and daughter.
"How grave Effie looks," began Mrs. Brown, leaning the while upon the sweeping-brush she had been busily plying the minute before. "Poor thing! I declare she is beginning to look like a little old woman."
"And well she may," replied Mrs. Green, "only think what a dull time she has at home. If she had no more cheerful company than her mother, she would be fairly moped to death."
"Ay, Mrs. Henderson has grieved sorely for her husband. Nobody has ever seen her shed a tear, but I believe she never will forget him. Dear, dear me! Who, to look at her now, would think she was the laughing lass that Frank Henderson was so delighted to bring to Deerhurst."
"To be sure, she is changed, and no doubt she has mourned terribly; but still I can't think it is right to be so hard and cold with poor little Effie. I call it both sinful and selfish to nurse one's grief until it makes others miserable."
"Come, come, neighbour," said Mrs. Brown; "we must remember what the Bible says about judging. It isn't easy to see the thoughts of another person's heart, and I am sure Mrs. Henderson never neglects anything to make Effie comfortable. There is not a child in the place that wears such beautiful clothes and goes so neat as that little thing does."
"Well, to be sure, the Bible says, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged,' and I don't mean to say for a moment that Mrs. Henderson means to be unkind to the poor child. Still, one can't help having some idea of a person's heart if one sees their actions. Now, do you think a child cares half so much for fine clothes as for loving words and kind looks? Why, if my little lass were not allowed to run and throw her arms round her father's neck and mine, and tell us all her little pleasures or troubles, she would wonder what was going to happen. Depend on it, you must treat children just like little friends, if you want them to grow up honest, truthful, and loving."
"I don't think Mrs. Henderson understands much about a child's ways, or cares for poor Effie's pleasures or troubles. It does seem strange, too, for she is so like him that's gone. I would look at her till I fancied I saw poor Frank Henderson himself."