The Getting of Wisdom

ren were lying

green and lovely. And there he saw a lady, a beautiful lady, in a long white dress that hung down to her ankles, with a golden belt and a golden crown. She was lying on the sward

't mind you'll make that s

carried away by her narrative, had approache

fly cross if she has to wash it a

't think I will say that; it sounds prettier if it's clean. So it hung in long, straight beautiful folds to her ank

he marks of trave

here? If I say they weren't, then they

ets!" cried

o the bright green flock tha

and I shan't tell any more,

s Fair! Tell what happened n

You can only think of

us Fair," begge

I don't mind if you call me Lau

ands clasped under her head. A v

want you.

her calling

ls. The two little b

d Pin. "Mother'll be

h a grumble. "It's to tr

d. Laura wriggled out of the one she had on, and stood stiffly and ungraciously, with h

seeing Laura's air. "Do you think I'm making it for my own

t," said Laura

nd," said Mother, with

t's much

ntradict ME! Do you want to tell me I don't k

f you don't make it longe

ess little face length

a tiny bit longer, mother

e to know!" said Mother, on the verge of losing he

te tone that never failed to exasperate Mother, so different was it from her own h

ch to it!" and Mother, now angry in earn

Pin, dissolving. "It's only

s, and they'll laugh at me, and call me a [P.4] baby;" and touched by the thought of what lay before her, she, too, began to sniffle. She did not fail, however, to rol

The two little boys came up to

children. I w

arden-gate, her brothers hovering in the

where

ther. Wha

k this jug ov

d, mo

do it on

es

here t

nting her eyes Laura could see that a piece was being added to the skirt. She was penitent at once; and when

mean it,

k properly for things

d to her; something within her forbade it. Sarah called her "high-stomached", to the delight of the ot

his strip, which was filled with greenery, little sun fell: two thick fir trees and a monstrous blue-gum stood there; high bushes screened the fence; jessamine climbed the wall of the house and encircled the bedroom windows; and on the damp and shady ground only violets grew. Yet, with the love children bear to the limited and compact, the four had chosen

plied to, was busy ironing, and had no string in the kitchen, so Pin ran to get a reel of cotton. But while she was away Laura had an idea. Bidding Leppie hold the flowers tight in both his sticky little hands, she climbed in at her bedroom window, or rather

in her own way; and when in the street she heard some one say: "Look-what pretty curls!" she would give her head a toss and send them all a-rippling. In addition to this, there was a crowning glory connected with them: one hot December morning, when they had been tangled and Mother had kept her standing too long, she had fainted, pulling the whole dressing-table down about her ears; and ever since, she had been marked off in some mysterious fashion from the other children

close to the root, and with it bound the flowers together. Mother should see that she did know h

g something to set their young blood in amazement: they looked upon her as the personification of all that w

!" she began,

or Pin, on account of her perpetual wateriness. "Be a cry-baby, do." B

was so unsuspecting, and Mother would be so cross. In her dim, childish way Pin longed to see these, her two nearest, at peace; she

of the flagged verandah, she threw her bouquet in

ped again, impatiently, to find what had struck her, recognised the peace-offering, and thought of the surprise cake that was to go into Laura'

ome here,

er for her, and that would be the end of it. The idea of a word of thanks would have made Laura feel uncomfortable. Now, how

eard-of threat on the part of Mother, who punished her children in any way but that of denying them their food. "It's a very good thing you're leaving home to-morrow, for you'd soon be setting the

sinking heart. Pin cr

uld please you, mo

what I like and what I don't," said Mother, who was vexed at the thought of the child going among s

id Leppie and Frank in weak chorus

this time, Miss Laura, and no mistake

the handle, and Sarah threatened to turn the hose in at the window. So they left her alone, and she spent the evening in watery dudgeon on her pillow. But before she undressed for the night she stealthily made a chink and took in the slice of cake Pin had left on the door-mat.

er smiled a stern little smile of amusement to herself; and b