people take to being silly, they can be sillier than anyone else."

"Clever people!" cried Kate half breathlessly.

"Yes," said the lady, "you are a clever child; and if you made the
most of yourself, you could be very sensible, and hinder yourself
from being foolish and unguarded, and getting into scrapes."

Kate gasped. It was not pleasant to be in a scrape; and yet her
whole self recoiled from being guarded and watchful, even though for
the first time she heard she was not absolutely foolish. She began
to argue, "I was naughty, I know, to teaze Mary; and Mary at home
would not have let me; but I could not help the tumbling into the
pond. I wanted to get out of the way of the lightning."

"Now, Kate, you ARE trying to show how silly you can make yourself."

"But I can't bear thunder and lightning. It frightens me so, I don't
know what to do; and Aunt Jane is just as bad. She always has the
shutters shut."

"Your Aunt Jane has had her nerves weakened by bad health; but you
are young and strong, and you ought to fight with fanciful terrors."

"But it is not fancy about lightning. It does kill people."

"A storm is very awful, and is one of the great instances of God's
power. He does sometimes allow His lightnings to fall; but I do not
think it can be quite the thought of this that terrifies you, Kate,
for the recollection of His Hand is comforting."