Fido and Queenie had been well taken care of at Aunt Catharine"s house, but they seemed very glad indeed to have their little mistress back.
Johnnie declared that Fido couldn"t hold a candle to Luce, and he and Mabel had several disputes over it. Indeed one day they became so angry at each other, that Mrs. Evans sent the little brother to his own room and the little sister to hers, to stay until they were ready to ask each other"s pardon. Edith, serene and peaceful, kept out of all such troubles.
"Miss Simms," said Johnnie one day, "what is the reason n.o.body ever is angry with Edith? She seems to please people without trying to."
"I think Edith has found out a great secret very early in her life,"
Miss Simms answered.
"I wish I knew it, then; I"m always being scolded, and I try to be as good as the other fellows. But it isn"t of any use, that I can see.
To-day I had been perfect all day in school, you know, Miss Simms, and just a minute before recess, I spoke; and Miss Clark was mean enough to make me stay in. She read off the boys" names who had violated any rule, this way:
""Willie Simpson, late;
""Thomas Miller, missed his geography;
""Johnnie Evans, whispering.
""These little boys must spend this recess in the school-room." I leave it to you, Miss Simms, if that wasn"t mean."
"Was it the rule that you must lose your recess, if you spoke?"
"Yes, if we spoke without permission."
"And you knew all about it?"
"Oh! yes!"
"Well, _I_ don"t see how Miss Clark could help herself or you, if you disobeyed. You were both bound by the rule, you see, Johnnie."
"That"s only one thing. I forget to hang up my hat on the nail, and I bring mud in on my boots, and I lose my speller, and I lose my temper too, and I"m just tired of trying any more."
Johnnie stood like a little "knight of the rueful countenance," hat in hand.
Miss Simms measured two breadths of silk; "snip, snip," went her shining scissors, and she threaded her needle. "Dear me, what a hard needle to thread; my eyes are beginning to fail me," she said.
"I"ll thread it for you, let me. My eyes are bright and sharp," said Johnnie.
"Thank you," she said. "Now, Johnnie, don"t you want to know Edith"s secret. It is a word of four letters, LOVE. Love to G.o.d, and love to everybody else. That makes Edie"s good time."
"How can I get it too?" said Johnnie.
"I must tell you some of my verses, I think:
""Ask, and ye shall receive.
""Seek, and ye shall find.
""Knock, and it shall be opened to you.
""For every one that asketh receiveth.
""And he that seeketh findeth.
""And to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.""
"I"ll ask," said Johnnie.
These five happy weeks were long spoken of as "the time when we stayed at Aunt Maria"s house," and their memory has not yet faded away from the children"s minds. They are expecting a visit soon from Aunt Maria, Miss Rose, and Chloe; and Lucifer Matches is coming too.