The Twin Cousins | Page 7

so sorry I ran away from my party, mamma. Ever so long ago. I s'pect Auntie Prim told of that too?" said Flaxie, twisting herself into odd shapes, for the thought of that unfortunate affair filled her with shame.
"Yes, Mary, she did."
"Well, I felt so sorry, mamma. And Milly 'n' I, we didn't get but one tart and one piece o' cake; for auntie had a party with 'em her own self. Do you think 'twas right when she made 'em for Milly and me?"
Here Flaxie's eyes flashed.
"My child, we are talking of you now, not Auntie Prim."
"Yes'm, I know it, and I'm real sorry I'm so naughty; but Auntie Prim makes me naughty."
"Mary, Mary, you must not talk so about that good woman!"
"Oh, I know she's good, mamma. Why, she is the best woman in this town; she's the best woman in the world! And she knows she's good, and it makes her just as proud!"
Now Mrs. Prim really was a person who seemed to be proud of her goodness, and Flaxie had described her very well; but Mrs. Gray said again:
"Mary, we are talking of you now, not of Auntie Prim."
"Oh dear, I don't like to! I s'pect you think I don't try to be good; but, mamma, I do! I try real hard. But," said the little girl, patting her chest and her side, "there's something in me that's naughty clear through."
The tears had come now and were dropping over the little fat hands, for in spite of her queer way of talking, Flaxie felt really unhappy about her bad conduct; though perhaps nobody but her mother would have believed it.
These two good friends had a long talk,--the kind mamma and her little daughter who meant to do better,--and when Ninny came to call them to dinner, Flaxie said, joyfully,
"O Ninny, I'm going to begin new, and you mustn't 'member I ever was naughty."
That was the way Mrs. Gray forgave her children; she put their naughtiness far off and never talked of it any more. Is that the way God forgives his children?
After this, Flaxie was one of the most charming little girls you ever saw for two whole months. She said it was because Mrs. Prim was gone; but of course it was simply because she tried harder to be good; that was all. Toward the last of the winter, Uncle Ben Allen, Milly's father, passed through Laurel Grove on business, and spent the night at Dr. Gray's.
"When I go home to-morrow," said he, "I'd like to take one of these little girls. Have you one to spare?"
Now he knew very well which he wanted, but it wouldn't have been polite to say so; he wanted Julia. He had always admired her gentle ways, and her sweet patience with her trying sister Flaxie, and had often told his wife that he loved Julia because she was "like a little candle." Perhaps you will know what he meant, for I dare say you have learned these lines at Sabbath school:
"Jesus bids us shine with a clear, pure light, Like a little candle burning in the night; In this world of darkness so we must shine, You in your small corner, and I in mine."
But just because Julia was such a beautiful little candle, her mother couldn't spare her from home just now; it was much easier to spare Flaxie.
Uncle Ben tried to look delighted when he heard Flaxie was going; but it was not till her valise had been packed and she stood by the window prepared for the journey, that he happened to remember it wasn't a good time to take her to Hilltop, for Milly was gone!
This was a blow! Flaxie winked hard, trying not to cry.
"That is," said Uncle Ben, "perhaps she is gone. When I left home, a week ago, her mother was talking of sending her to Troy, to her Aunt Sarah's: but I declare I had forgotten all about it till this minute."
Mr. Allen was a man of business, and very forgetful, or he could not have made such a blunder as this. And there was Flaxie's new and elegant doll, Christie Gretchen, all packed in cotton, in a box by itself, on purpose to show Cousin Milly.
"Well, my daughter, you can wait and go another time, that's all," said Dr. Papa, oh, so cheerfully, as if it didn't make a bit of difference.
"Another time!" That was a little too dreadful. Flaxie felt as if it was more than she could bear, when her bonnet was on and everything ready.
"Oh no, papa, I don't want to wait till another time. I want to go now."
"Yes, let her go," said Uncle Ben.
There wasn't much time to discuss the matter, and Flaxie was so eager that it seemed a pity to disappoint her;