Cornelli

he garden picking green peas, which hung in clusters from t

many peas there are! Why do you steal about so quietly

ina is beginning to tell me that I even must not jump, for it might tangle my hai

t of that," Esther consoled her. "Just jump around as before! Your hair can always be put

Dorner says that is bad man

t obey! Yes, you have to obey," Esther repeated. "Don't you g

shook h

rdingly had suited herself to it. When she thought the ladies would not approve of an o

he things herself which drop beside the plate. I don't care. I don't want anything as long as I can go to the li

table as soon as it was born. You can certainly go to see it as long as it is in

" Cornelli now exclaim

pleasant things still left for you to enjoy. Just wait til

her lips to express the great

ish I didn't have to eat at table and could just eat

or she had forgotten to walk seda

the living room, in the jessamine arbor b

cousin could have such a very charming life, if the child were only a li

remarked Miss Grideelen; "and she may hav

ornelia was full of amiability and gayety. She always greeted and cheered everyone with her laughing brown eyes. If my cousin could only have t

voice. "But I am sure that something can still be accomplished by educating the child. Many qualities can be

answered Miss Dorner. "But I just hope that the day will come when I can write her father som

Cornelli, according to her custom, obediently did her lessons. Then she disappeared. In the late evening

nelli e

nearly perishing with the heat and you put on a fur dress, which you could wear witho

could see it was meant for the coldest winter weather, and for someone who disliked much outer clothing. The chi

resses left," she

t?" asked the cousin,

nning across the yard in a dark dress. At breakfast she wore a light frock and for lunch a red one. I believe that she wore a blue dress wh

I go to the stable," Cornelli said,

hen go to your room and take off this heavy dress. You surely have another dress. I must forbid you to go to the stable from now on! You can see for yourself what comes of it! If only you would not frown like this, Co

elli answe

n. "But we have not come here to teach you that; have we, Betty? Y

he friend. "She has lovely books that she can read; she has shown us some herself

" replied Cor

tion to what she says,

, she will probably tur

p an eye on Cornelli.

pen any

ornelli went up to her room

as they were on the stairs, where her words could not be overheard. "I have enoug

elli replied morosely. "T

l it when you have been

s M

nd even if they didn't, I should have to obey. The

hat!-so your frequent changing will have to stop," grumbled Mis

ldren." Miss Mina had never before spoken so roughly to Cornelli, for she had always been

at nobody had ever seen there before. Mina seemed to understand: "I did not do you any ha

aking hold of the dress she had just taken off she threw it out of the window. After a while Mina retur

doesn't blow you down,

said unp

tinately. "It did not blow down at a

t time you can get it yourself," sai

ose hand she was holding. During her school hours she had forgotten all the troubles of th

Cornelli quickly ran from bush to bush till she had gathered a fine bunch of dark and light, white and red r

unable to tell when the moment had come for it to be hitched to a carriage to be driven about by her. She might not be allowed even to do that! She hoped, however, that her father might be back by that time and that then everything would be differ

e said, "for I have to show you

chen," repl

thought you knew that you have to go upstairs before lunch to fix your hair. B

she had expected the return of her friend. Leading Cornelli to the sofa, Miss Dorner pointed

of dusty shoe soles. There was no trace of a whole foot,

" said Cornelli w

your little jokes similar to throwing your dresses out of the window. I know all about it. Just let me tell you this! It is the last time that you, a girl of ten years

I did not do it, no, no

you away," Miss Grideelen here remarked. "It would be so much better for you

e it. No, no!" Cornelli

owing red from ang

orth while to lose so many words. You should not have made things worse by denying it; if you had n

shall not say yes when it is not true,"

n you act that way. Just look at yourself in the mirror and see yourself how repulsive you look. If you think that there is anybody in

elli

be really growing there? The child had a sudden horrible fright at this thought. She was sure that everybody could see t

m. "When I tell them no, no, they ought to believe that I did not do it. I never, never di

down here on your stool and tell me quietly what has excited you so. You know that I belie

ation which had been brought against her, and how she had not been believed despite all her assurances. She was certain that both ladies would always believe for ever and ever that she had done it a

nce. You can say to yourself: 'God knows it, and I do not need to be afraid or frightened.' If you had really done wrong and had denied it, you would have to be afraid that the truth would be revealed. Then you could not look up calmly to the sky, for you would be frightened at the thought th

it all was. When her trouble began to weigh upon her, she could always say:

would then know it, too. God cou

oment always brings something we did not know about. Otherwise we would always be trying to undo what we have strained to do the day before; we should only make ourselves miserable over and over again. But if God ordains anything that we do not understand, we must believe firmly tha

during Martha's soothing speech, but

e! I hate to go back and sit at table. I would not min

drew together her brows as if sh

any children have no home at all. How grateful they would be to God for a home like yours. Go, now, Cornelli, be grateful for all God has given y

ause for grief. As soon, however, as she entered the garden and saw the windows of the room where they were surely alr

eemed to stick in her throat. If she would only die from it all! Cornelli thought that that would be best, for then everything would be over. So she sat down on the lawn

te," said Miss Dorner. "Nothing is to be kept warm for her, for she does not seem

r. Esther had everything ready and was

," she said, sitting down, too; "the poor child

she couldn't possibly eat the whole dessert. We can take our share

ay there. "The child must have something that will help her to swallow all the cross words she hears all

the ladies thought that Cornelli had been standing on it. The child would not adm

quicker to jump up on the sofa than to push the heavy thing away. When one wears tight lace boots in the early morning, one can't take them o

ted Mina pertly. "The sofa won't be spoiled on accou

having lied to them and before she nearly had a fit over the injustice. She made

tten the whole thing. That is the way with children. One moment they make a horrible

could not be obliging enough to the child then. Things are

efore you, too, will be singing another tune. When the new lady of

u saying?" she exclaimed. "Who should have thought of suc

ust be dumb not to see what is going on and why the ladies came here. After all, one wants to know what on

rules the house. I tell you one thing, though, Miss Mina, that I shall keep on singing the same tune I have be

that, Esther," said Mi

o see if the ladie

hind the currant bushes. She remembered at last how she had come back at lunch time from Martha's c

ly had a longing she had never known before. She felt as if she had to eat and taste everything about her, the bushes and the leaves, the flower

rough the open kitchen window; "they are just sit

rom among her things, tied it around her head. Then, runni

tled down, too. "A well brought up child should at least say

i, after which she finished

om after all this tim

arden," was

ible, but where wer

a," Cornell

uld be to your own advantage, for you do not have many pleasing things about you;

u to stay away so long without asking me, do you hear? You deserve to be scolded for your long absence to-day,

lli quickly

ou a he

N

he matter

thi

scoldingly. "Why do you put this shawl around your head? Are you trying to look like an untidy gypsy? Don't ever com

just shoo

it because she does n

desire a proper occ

t next day, she had taken off the s

id the cousin. "Do you think you are improving your a

d Cornell

ake you out at all. What will you put on nex

ied Cornell, accor

s capable of doing that. She will probably pull it down over her head to her nose when

of her head thick uneven strands of dark hair hung down over her forehead and deep into her eyes. The hair was not hanging

o look at you if you go around like that. This may teach you to g

rose and left the room. Miss

tter was sent to

R-ST

20th,

AR CO

our house, your garden and the stable. Your place is perfectly magnificent; it abounds in fruit and vegetables and lov

hild has a dull and sullen nature, a roughness of manner and an unheard-of stubbornness. I can do nothing for her, at least not by anything I say. But I have decided to leave physical or other punishment to you. I shall do all I can by good example and admonishment as long as I am here. My friend

ithful

Y DO