ght was a dear little girl, and for
all her occasional naughtiness, had plenty of lovable qualities about
her; and I am glad to say she was not often so naughty as on this day.

When a morning begins in this way, every thing seems to go wrong with
us, as if on purpose. It was so with Eyebright. Her mother, who was
very poorly, found fault with her breakfast. She wanted some hotter
tea, and a slice of toast a little browner and cut very thin. These
were simple requests, and on any other day Eyebright would have danced
off gleefully to fulfil them. To-day she was annoyed at having to go,
and moved slowly and reluctantly. She did not say that she felt
waiting on her mother to be a trouble, but her face, and the
expression of her shoulders, and her dull, dawdling movements said it
for her; and poor Mrs. Bright, who was not used to such unwillingness
on the part of her little daughter, felt it so much that she shed a
few tears over the second cup of tea after it was brought. This
dismayed Eyebright, but it also exasperated her. She would not take
any notice, but stood by in silence till her mother had finished, and
then, without a word, carried the tray downstairs. A sort of double
mood was upon her. Down below the anger was a feeling of keen remorse
for what she had done, and a voice inside seemed to say: "Oh dear, how
sorry I am going to be for this by and by!" But she would not let
herself be sorry then, and stifled the voice by saying, half aloud, as
she went along: "I don't care. It's too bad of mother. I wish she
wouldn't."

Wealthy met her at the stair-foot.

"How long you've been!" she said, taking the tray from her.

"I can't be any quicker when I have to keep going for more things,"
said Eyebright.

"Nobody said you could," retorted Wealthy, speaking crossly herself,
because Eyebright's tone was cross. "Mercy on me! How did you tear
your frock like that? You'll have to darn it yourself, you know;
that's the rule. Fetch your work-box as soon as you've done the cups
and saucers."

Eyebright almost replied "I won't," but she did not quite dare, and
walked, without speaking, into the sitting-room, where the table was
made ready for dish-washing, with a tub of hot water, towels, a bit of
soap, and a little mop. Since vacation began, Wealthy had allowed her
to wash the breakfast things on Mondays and Tuesdays, days on which
she herself was particularly busy.

Ordinarily, Eyebright was very proud to be trusted wi