"
But Annie, who was reading a little history of St. Paul, would call
Cilicia, Cicilia, and when told to spell it she began to cry too
decidedly for Susan's good-nature to check her tears. And not only
did Elizabeth's copy look as if she had written it with claws instead
of fingers, but she was grieving over her spotted cotton instead of
really seeking for places in her map. Thus the Moselle obstinately
hid itself; and she absolutely shed tears because Miss Fosbrook
declared that Frankfort WAS on the Maine. For the first time she had
her grammar turned back upon her hands. How many mistakes Annie made
would be really past telling; for these two little girls had their
whole minds quite upset by the thought of a day's pleasure; and as
they never tried to restrain themselves, and to "be sober, be
vigilant," they gave way before all the little trials in their paths-
-were first careless, and then fractious. Perhaps when they were
older they would find out that this uplifted sense of excited
expectation is the very warning to be heedful.
If Miss Fosbrook had been a strict governess, she would have told
them they did not deserve to go at all; or at any rate, that Bessie
must repeat her grammar better, and re-write her copy, and that
Annie's unlucky addition sum must be made to prove; but she had seen
her little sisters nearly as bad in prospect of a pantomime, so she
was merciful, and sent them in good time to brush their hair, put on
their spotted cottons, and wash off as much as possible of the red
mottling left by those foolish tears.
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