It is true the beautiful face of Nature had grown sad each winter, and her flowers and lovely things had yearly passed away, but Nellie had not then loved them.
Here she was found by a boy rosy-cheeked and bright, who all his life had been loved and caressed to the same extent that Nellie had been neglected. He lived beyond the forest, and had come this afternoon to look for walnuts. Seeing the girl unhappy, he essayed some of the blandishing arts his mother had often lavished on him, speaking to her in a kindly tone and asking her why she cried.
The child looked up at the sound of this new voice, and her astonishment stopped her tears. After gazing at him for some time with her eyes wide open, she remarked, wonderingly, "You are little, like me."
"I am not very small," replied the boy, straightening himself.
"Oh, but you are young and little," she insisted.
"I am young, but not little. Come stand up beside me. See! you don't more than reach my shoulder."
"Shall you ever get bigger?"
"Of course I shall."
"Shall you grow up nasty?" she continued, trying to bring her stock of experience to bear on this new phenomenon.
"No, I sha'n't!" he answered very decidedly.