“Is my coat nearly ready? I think the coach will be here in five minutes.”
“I am sorry to say that Clara forgot the buttons,” replied his wife, “and there is no time to send her again to the shop.”
“Oh, no!” said Mr. Gray, “I must wear the coat as it is. I should be gone before she could reach the shop. It is not pleasant to think that my little daughter’s forgetfulness obliges me to wear a shabby coat; but do not trouble yourself about it. I will get a tailor to repair it at the town where we stop for the night.”
A few minutes passed, and the coach rattled to the door. Mr. Gray hastily bade his wife an affectionate farewell, and stooping to kiss Clara he said, “My daughter must remember that forgetfulness is, often, only another name for selfishness.”
In another minute he had taken his place in the coach, the door was closed, the driver sprang to his seat, and they whirled away as fast as the four stout horses could carry them.
Clara stood at the door until the coach was out of sight, and then slowly and sadly returned to the parlor, and seated herself by her mother.
“I am very sorry I forgot the buttons,” she said; “but what did father mean by saying that forgetfulness is only another name for selfishness? I did not mean to forget, mother; I was willing to go for them. Selfish people are unwilling to do any thing to help others.”
“There are many kinds of selfishness, Clara, and forgetfulness is certainly one kind. You have a bad habit of excusing many acts of thoughtlessness and carelessness by saying, ‘I forgot.’ Now can you tell me why you forgot to buy the buttons?”
“Because I was so engaged in selecting the worsteds and in admiring the pretty colors, mother.”
“And was not that selfish, Clara? You did not forget your own errand, but you allowed it to engross your mind so entirely, that you forgot the real object for which you were sent to the shop. If you loved to be of use to me, as well as you love to please yourself, you would have remembered what I sent you for, and purchased that before you attended to your own wants.”