Aunt Mary | Page 5

you would like to see it, so I brought it with me.
We can look at it while we sit to rest in the Park.'
'Oh yes, that will be delightful,' said Mabel; but she almost immediately
added, 'I think I would rather look at the gay dresses of the ladies; we
can look at books when we are at home.'
'Mabel is always talking about dress,' said her sister, laughing. 'I'm sure
I don't care how I am dressed, if I am only clean and neat; it is such a
trouble to be afraid of spoiling what one has on.'
Julia's opinion was echoed by Dora and Annie Maitland, so Mabel
found she had no seconder; and they tripped along silently until they
arrived at the desired spot for resting, a nice seat under the shade of a
large tree. Here they were just going to seat themselves, when an
exclamation from Mabel attracted the attention of the others, who
inquired eagerly what was the matter.
'Oh, the brooch--mamma's beautiful brooch!' said the excited girl, in
great distress; 'it is gone out of my necktie. Oh, what shall I do? what
shall I do? It is mamma's favourite brooch; the one that papa gave her
many years ago. Oh, I cannot go home without it!' continued Mabel, in
a state of great distress.
'How could you be so foolish as to put it on, when you were only going
for a country walk?' said Dora Maitland.

'I can't think why you should wear your mamma's brooch at all,'
remarked Annie, 'unless she gave you leave.'
'But mamma did not give her leave; mamma has forbidden us to wear
it,' said Julia, 'and I begged Mabel not to put it into her necktie to-day,
for fear she should lose it; but she would do it, and now all our pleasure
is spoilt.'
'You need not talk in that way,' angrily retorted her sister; 'you are fond
enough of putting on mamma's gold chain when she leaves it out of the
box, though she has often told you not to do so.'
'Hush, hush!' said Dora Maitland; 'quarrelling won't find the brooch;
and see, there are a lady and gentleman coming toward us. Let us return
home at once, the same way that we came: there were not many people
on the road, and if we all look diligently we may find it, though I am
much afraid that we shall not.'
This advice seemed the best that could be adopted by the young party,
and they turned their steps homewards in no very enviable state of
mind. There had been, indeed, much to damp the spirits, and prevent
the enjoyment of this afternoon's walk. It is true that all around was
beautiful, but that little monitor within, which insists upon being heard
whether it is attended to or not, had acted like a thorn in the flesh to
Mabel and Julia: and though Dora and Annie Maitland had nothing
really to reproach themselves with, yet they could not forget the pale
face of poor Mrs. Ellis, and her words of remonstrance to her selfish
children seemed still to sound in their ears; and now they were
returning home with a fresh trouble to the invalid lady.
Dora's beautiful book, which had been presented to her by her papa as a
reward for her kind and dutiful attention to him, when he was suffering
severely for some days from nervous headache, had of course not been
thought of; the brooch, the unfortunate brooch, engrossed every faculty;
yet with all the search, and research, it was not found, and the young
people took a dolorous leave of each other, and repaired to their
respective homes.

'Now don't you say a word about the brooch to mamma to-night,' said
Mabel to her sister; 'I dare say it will be found, and it is no use teasing
her about it, now she is poorly.
'Mamma is sure to miss the brooch off the dressing-table in the
morning,' replied Julia; 'and if I am spoken to about it, I am not going
to tell a story, Mabel.'
'Who wants you to tell a story?' exclaimed Mabel, sharply. 'I know you
are always very ready to tell tales, when it would be much better for
you to hold your tongue.'
'You always go on in that way when you are vexed about anything,'
replied Julia. 'I'm sure I wish we had not gone for a walk; we have had
no pleasure, all because you would try to make yourself look smart.
You know, I begged of you not to put on the brooch, but, as papa says,
you are so wilful!'
'You have no right to repeat what papa says. Better look at your own
faults than talk