Melbourne House, Volume 1

, until the very Tuesday afternoon before the birthday. Then everything was right; the pony chaise before the

ing out w

, Ran

, Daisy-I'm g

am going on business.

haise this afternoon and that Loupe wanted exercise. So!

embling, "I have got bu

, and you

ess you have. Girls have a great deal of business! Here Sam-ride round mi

ery much disturbed at missing her errand, very sore at Ransom's ill-bred treatment of her. Nobody was near; her father and mother both gone out; and Daisy sat upon the porch with all sorts of resentful thoughts and words boiling up in her mind. She did not believe half of what her brother had said; was sure her father had given no order interfering with her proceedings; and she determined to wait upon the po

ve Ransom out and out?-say nothing about it?-not tell her father, nor make her grievance at all known to Ransom's discomfiture?-Daisy did not want to yield. He deserved to be reproved and ashamed and made to do better. It was the first time that a real conflict had come up in her mind between wrong and right; and now that she clearly saw what was right, to her surprise she did not want to do it! Daisy saw both facts. There was a power in her heart that said, No, I will not forgive, to the command from a greater power that bade her do it. Poor Daisy! it was her first view of her enemy; the first trial that gave her any notion of

al she could have plenty of time to go to Crum Elbow and return before the family were assembled. Splendid! Daisy went down the back stairs and gave her orders in such a way

g air smelt so fresh, with the scent of the trees and flowers coming through the dew; and the light was so cool and clear, not like the hot gl

as Daisy, to judge by the songs they were singing; and by and by out from the beautiful grounds of Melbourne, into the road. It was pleasanter there, Daisy thought, than she had ever seen it. The fields looked more gay in that clear early ligh

business of the day. It was a scattering village; the houses and the churches stood and called to each other across great spaces of fields and fences between; but just where the crossing of two roads made a business point, there was a little more compactness. There was the baker's, and the post-office, and two s

Mr. Lamb. "What

rawberries-little b

skets. That, ma'am

ind of baskets commonly used to hold strawberries for the market; co

d-regular strawberry baskets-we have sold '

nough, nor pretty eno

storekeeper with a knowing look at her. "But here's a kind, ma'am, ar

amb's question was thrown at her over the counter, in a tone very different from his words to herself. She saw a pale, freckled, pensive-faced little girl, in v

, sir,

t attend to you just now; you must wait.-Are these baskets be

ed to attend to her business. Sh

is quite a tasty basket," said Mr. Lamb, balancing one on his forefinger. "Being o

said Daisy pointin

are not straw

me see one.-Wh

nother figure. These are not intended for fr

hould. The sixpenny ones were barely neat-they had no gala look about them at all. While Daisy's eye went from one to the other, it glanced upon the figure of the po

you wan

hough Daisy did not want to lis

ts a pound

ght the money

mother'll

r. "Can't sell any less than a whole one-and that's a

eme mystery of some people being rich and some people poor, struck her anew, an

ney. They came and got some flour of me yesterday without paying for it-and it's necessar

aisy's mind for the few days past?-"Whatsoever ye would that men shou

es a ham cos

torekeeper rather drily, for he did not kn

pounds are t

am-sometimes twenty, and

ham cost?" said Daisy, who

ma'am, would be about tw

difference of price between the plain and the pretty would leave her twenty shillings in hand. Just enough! thought Daisy,-and yet, how could she go to a strange

is my King's command to me-and those poor people have got no breakfast. If I was in that little girl's place, I would like to have it gi

stopped. Sam c

ts back to the store.

made no objections to the exchange, being a gainer by ten cents; for Daisy had asked for a ham of fifteen pounds. Then Daisy enquired the way to the girl's house, and her name, and set off in a new direction. It was not far; a plain little brown house, with a brown gate a few yards from the

t was there. However, in she went. There was a poor room to be sure, with not much in it. A woman was taking some

stove oven-"what is it?" She looked pale and unhappy

andolph"-she

the woman, as

just now, when your little

-what

ot cut any, and she was o

ve you to do w

amb would not cut one for her I have brought a whole one-if you will please

he floor, left the oven door

, Hephzibah?" she said

g," said the girl hurried

know what y

avely, though she was afraid,

are poor, we don't throw it in anybody's face; and if you are rich, you may gi

full of tears;-"I did not mean to offend you; but I thought you wanted the

tell you we

not a

ad to come bringing a ham h

Daisy. "Yes there did

d me to do

the woman, suddenly sober

I heard that your little girl wanted it. And I remembered his commandment, to

olks. Folks may work, and yet have feelings. And if I could work, things would be well enough; but I've been sick, miss,

le, ragged child, standing motionless opposite her! Daisy

ime!" she broke out bravely

ou?" said the woma

"except the Lord

'em I guess. But I won't do that. I'd die first!-unless you'll let me do some wor

your little girl come out and get the ham? because the

man-"you hain't told me

home and ask there. Wha

tn't be choosers. I can do other things-plain sewing, and

t through and through Daisy's heart and almost set her to crying. She was very glad to get away and to be in the pony chaise again driving home, and she almost wondered at her own bravery in that house. She hardly knew herself; for true it was, Daisy had considered

ple would like? When in so simple a matter as hunger, she found that some would prefer starving to being fed. It was too deep a question for Daisy. She had made a mistake, and she rather thought she should make more mistakes; since the only way she could see straight before her was the w