II.
I donot know how many fish the boys caught, but I do know that Flora almost wished she had staid at home, for when she got to the river she was so tired she could hardly stand.
Flora could not help feeling that it was not kind of her friend to ask so much ofher. She was not her mistress, and was just as able to wait upon herself as Flora was to wait upon her.
Yet she was patient and kind, and did not quarrel with her. Josephine was always polite when she asked these favors, and always thanked her when she had done them. Perhaps this made the matter a little better, though I think her politeness was cunningrather than kindness of heart.
I have another story to tell of Josephine and her friends, which will still further illustrate her fault, and show how she was cured of it.
A few days after the fishing excursion, Flora’s mother said she might have a picnic party in the woods on the other side of the river. To add to the pleasure of theoccasion, Mr. Lee had a tent put up in the woods, and erected a swing for the children.
The boys and girls were delighted with the plan, and Flora and Frank invited all the children in the neighborhood to join the party.
They were to start at nine o’clock, or as soon as the dew was off the grass. The distance to the woods was abouta mile, and the children said they would much rather walk, though Mr. Lee offered to carry them over in a large hay wagon.
There was one little girl who was too lame to walk this distance, and Frank said he would draw her in his little wagon. To divide the load, and add to the pleasure of all, he fastened a long rope to the pole of the wagon,and all the boys, about fifteen in number, were to take hold of the rope, just as men draw an engine.
At nine o’clock the happy party had collected in front of Mr. Lee’s house, each one having a little basket of provisions which were to furnish the noonday feast in the grove.
“Well, Josey, are you all ready?” asked Flora, verypleasantly, as the clock struck nine.
“Yes, I think I am. Let me see. Dear me, no; I left my gloves up stairs. Won’t you go up and get them for me, Flora?” replied Josephine.
“Is there any thing else you will want?” asked Flora, for she could not help thinking that her friend had made her run up and down stairshalf a dozen times on similar occasions.
“No, I guess not, Flora.”
But no sooner had Flora returned with the gloves, than Josephine thought of something else. After a while, however, she got every thing, and the party started for the woods.
The boys led the procession, drawing the wagon after them. Frank and Edwardhad the pole, and they were very careful lest the little lame girl should be upset and hurt.
The girls at once followed, and when they had gone a little way, Flora thought it would be nice to sing one of their school songs. So they went singing on their way, as happy as the larks in the morning.
“What fine apples!” exclaimedJosephine, as the party were passing Mr. Lee’s orchard.
“They are very fine looking apples, but they are not ripe,” replied Katy Green, who was walking near her.
“I think they must be ripe. They look good, at any rate. Won’t you be so kind as to get me one of them?”
“They will make you sick if you eat them,” said Katy.
“O, no, they won’t. If you will get me one, I will be very much obliged to you.”
Even Katy Green, who was not very well acquainted with the New York miss, could not resist this appeal, and she accordingly climbed over the fence and got two or three of the apples which she found on the ground.
As Katy had said, the apples were not fit to eat, andthey were thrown away. They had gone but a little farther before Josephine saw some more apples, which looked very nice.
“I am sure those apples are ripe. See how red they are. I know they are ripe,” said she.
“Those are Baldwin apples. They are not fit to eat till winter comes,” replied Katy.
“I am sure they must beripe. I have eaten just such apples as those in New York in the summer. Will you be so kind as to get me one?”
“They are not ripe, I tell you,” answered Katy, impatiently. “I have known the tree for ever so many years, and I know just as well as any thing can be that they are not ripe.”
“But won’t you be kind enough to get me one ofthem?” persisted Miss Josephine.
“If you want one you may get it yourself,” said Katy.
“How very rude you are!” replied Josephine.
“Rude?” sneered Katy. “Do you suppose I want to climb over that fence for nothing?”
“It isn’t such a very dreadful thing to climb over that fence.”
“Then why don’t you do it yourself?”
“You are used to things of the kind, and I am not.”
“If you want green apples, that are of no use to any one, you had better get used to climbing fences, for I shall not do it for you any more.”
Josephine declared that this speech was very rude indeed; and perhaps it was; but it was plain common sense. The littleNew York lady was so angry that she left Katy, and went to walk with Jenny Brown.
After the party had crossed the bridge, the boys took down the bars by the side of the road, and they entered the woods. There was a fine smooth road leading for several miles through the forest, and the children enjoyed the walk very much.
Every few moments Josephine saw something which she wanted, and instead of trying to get it herself, as she should have done, she asked somebody to bring it for her.
In one place she saw some checkerberry plants growing; and, at her request, Jenny picked her a handful of them. Then she wanted a swamp pink, which Jenny also procured for her.
But Josephine’s wants were so many, that Jenny soon got tired of supplying them; and she was obliged to ask some one else to wait upon her.
One after another, her companions got tired of her, and either refused to wait upon her, or left her. She would have called upon Flora, but she walked by the side of the lame girl, and was busy talking with her.
Josephine wanted but very few of the things which she asked others to get for her. She had a habit ofwantingall the time, and did not seem to be easy unless some one was waiting upon her.
At home, her father had plenty of servants, and she did not realize that her friends and companions had any thing to think of besides her comfort. But even servants shouldbe treated with kindness, and children should not call upon them, or others, to do for them what they can just as well do themselves.
In the WoodsIn the Woods.
In the Woods.
In the Woods.