ewood did not fall
down. Hundreds of times in the day did she get into scrapes,
heedless and thoughtless as she was. She would rush out, and lucky
it was if there was anything to step on, otherwise she would have
fallen down. Her little head was full of bruises, and she could
never learn to look after herself in spite of all the knocks she
got. It was too bad to be whipped into the bargain! When the hurt
was very bad, Grandfather had to blow it, or Granny put the cold
blade of the bread-knife on the bruise to make it well again.

"Better now," said she, turning a smiling face towards her granny;
the tears still hanging on the long lashes, and her cheeks
gradually becoming roughened by them.

"Yes, dear," answered Maren. "But, Girlie must take care."

This was her name in those days, and a real little girlie she was,
square and funny. It was impossible to be angry with her, although
at times she could make it somewhat difficult for the old ones. Her
little head would not accept the fact that there were things one was
not allowed to do; immediately she got an idea, her small hands
acted upon it. "She's no forethought," said Soeren significantly,
"she's a woman. Wonder if a little rap over the fingers after all
wouldn't----"

But Maren ignored this. Took the child inside with her and
explained, perhaps for the hundredth time, that Girlie must not do
so. And one day she had a narrow escape. Ditte had been up to
mischief as usual in her careless way. But when she had finished,
she offered her little pouting mouth to the two old ones: "Kiss me
then--and say 'beg pardon'," said she.

And who could resist her?

"Now, perhaps, you'll say that she can't be taught what's right and
wrong?" said Maren.

Soeren laughed: "Ay, she first does the thing, and waits till after
to think if it's right or wrong. She'll be a true woman, right
enough."

At one time Ditte got into the habit of pulling down and breaking
things. She always had her little snub nose into everything, and
being too small to see what was on the table, she pulled it down
instead. Soeren had to get a drill and learn to mend earthenware to
make up for the worst of her depredations. A great many things fell
over Ditte without alarming her in the least.

"She'll neither break nor bend--she's a woman all over," said Soeren,
inwardly rather proud of her power of endurance. But Maren had to be
ever on the watch, and was in daily fear for the things and the
child