"O, no, ma; not exactly proud; pleased and gratified, I mean."
"You always gratify me, my child, when you do your best. As for your excelling your schoolmates, why should I care for you to do that?"
Grace thought her father would not listen to her story as coolly as her mother had done.
"What's this I hear about a prize?" said he that evening. And Grace grew quite eager again, describing the benevolent looks and manners of the trustees, and declaring that the prize must be something elegant, everybody said. "But how did you hear of it, pa?"
"Your head trustee and I talked the matter over yesterday."
"You didn't approve of it, Henry?" asked Mrs. Clifford, looking surprised.
"I did, Maria; why not? Dear knows there's need enough of ambition in our schools."
"But, Henry, I don't like children to strive so hard to outdo one another. Don't you think prizes are likely to awaken envy and ill-feeling?"
Grace listened with her eager mind all awake. She very well knew that on such a question a little girl's opinion is worth nothing; still it seemed strange that her mamma could talk of "envy and ill feeling" in the same breath with the Girls' Grammar School. Mrs. Clifford, however, did not know of the Ruby Seal, which had united the girls in such strong bonds of friendship that it would never be possible for a trifle like this to part them.
Captain Clifford settled himself into his dressing-gown and slippers. "I know," said he, "there are various opinions with regard to giving prizes; but so far as my own experience goes, they are real helps to industry. Begging your pardon, Maria, I highly approve of anything that quickens the ambition."