But with a pleasure much greater and keener, Daisy had seen the pot
containing the 'Jewess' geranium taken up out of the ground, and set,
with all the glory of its purple-red blossoms, in Molly's poor little
room. There it stood, on a deal table, a spot of beauty and refinement,
all alone to witness for the existence of such things on the earth. And
heeded by Molly as well as by Daisy. Daisy knew that. And all the
pleasure of all the tableaux put together could give nothing to Daisy
equal to her joy when Molly first began to read. That day, when letters
began really to be put together into words to Molly's comprehension,
Daisy came home a proud child. Or rather, for pride is a bad word, she
came home with a heart swelling with hope and exultation; hope and
exultation that looked forward confidently to the glory to be revealed.

CHAPTER XVII.

The great day came, and the evening of the day; and June dressed Daisy
for the party. This was a simple dressing, however, of a white cambrick
frock; no finery, seeing that Daisy was to put on and off various things
in the course of the evening. But Daisy felt a little afraid of herself.
The perfected arrangements and preparations of the last few days had,
she feared, got into her head a little; and when June had done and was
sent away, Daisy kneeled down by her bedside and prayed a good while
that God would help her not to please herself and keep her from caring
about dress and appearance and people's flatteries. And then she got up
and looked very wistfully at some words of the Lord Jesus which Juanita
had shewed her first and which she found marked by Mr. Dinwiddie's
pencil. "The Father hath not left me alone; _for I do always those
things that please him_."

Daisy was beginning to learn, that to please God, is not always to seek
one's own gratification or that of the world. She looked steadily at the
words of that Friend in heaven whom she loved and wished to obey; and
then it seemed to Daisy that she cared nothing at all about anything but
pleasing him.

"Miss Daisy--" said June,--"Miss Nora is come."

Away went Daisy, with a bound, to the dressing-room; and carried Nora
off, as soon as she was unwrapped from her mufflings, to see the
preparations in the library.

"What is all that for?" said Nora.

"O, that is to shew the pictures nicely. They will look a great deal
better than if all the room and the books could be seen behind them."

"Why?"

"I suppose