her faults, I were to treat her as though she were seeking to overcome
them? It is quite as painful to me as to yourself to make this needful
difference between you; but in all our actions we must think of what
is _right_, and not of what it would be _pleasant_ to do. When I see
any sign of improvement in your sister, I shall gladly provide her
with a writing-desk; but not till then."

Emma paused for a moment; her eyes filled with tears, and the color
rose to her face. "Then mamma," said she, "I will wait, if you please,
for my work-box, until you think proper to give Louisa her desk.
Please to put it away in some safe place, and I will not say anything
about it. I can do very well without the box a little while longer,
you know."

When Mrs. Western found that Emma was willing to deny herself a
pleasure rather than give pain to her sister, she consented to her
wish, because she desired to encourage kind and tender feelings
between them; and she knew it would be easy to find some other way of
showing Louisa that her friends were grieved and displeased by her
conduct. So the work-box was safely put away for the present; though
Emma had her hopes that the time would soon come when, with the
promised writing-desk, it might be again brought forward.




CHAPTER VI.


TROUBLE BETWEEN SISTERS.