BUTTONS PREPARING TO “COOK A PIE.”—[Page 138.]
“No.”
“Do your father and mother ever go to church?”
“No,”—moving forward now of her own accord, with some haste toward the door.
“O you’re gone, are you? Well, little girl, you needn’t call again. Do you hear?”
“There, that’s splendid,” said Sadie admiringly. “To think what a little heathen she is! Do you suppose it’s safe to live near such people?”
“We shan’t have any more trouble from her, I’m thinking,” returned the “protector of the family,” feeling that he had vindicated his character.
But little Mary was not quite satisfied. This behavior was hardly in accordance with the daily precepts and examples of her parents, who had taught her that she ought to pity and try to help the poor, ignorant, and unfortunate.
She pondered on the subject at intervals all the morning, as she sat in the hammock, amusing her devoted little friend, Kittyleen. Pecy looked as if she never had a good time in her life. Was it fair to drive her away? Could she herself do anything for the child? If so, what, and how?
Fanny and Blanche were off in the meadow making daisy-wreaths as a pretty surprise for to-night’s ice-cream party. In the house Sadie arranged pond lilies in a cracked bowl, repeating to Preston the stanza,—