"Yes; but, my dear, you must remember that the pig will be a more
useful present than even your pretty contrivances. You cannot call
them doing good, as the other will be."

"Then you are like them! You think I ought to spend all my money on
a great horrid pig, when Mamma--" and the tears were in the little
girl's eyes.

"No, indeed, my dear. I don't think anyone is called on to give
their all, and it is very nice and quite right for a little girl to
try to make a pretty present to please her mamma. There is plenty of
time before you, and I think you will manage to have some share in
the very kind action your brothers and sisters are contriving."

Elizabeth had not forgiven, as she should have done, the being called
stingy; it rankled on her feelings far more than those who said the
word understood; and she presently went on, "If they knew ever so
much, they would only laugh at me, and call it all Bessie's nonsense.
Miss Fosbrook, please, what is affectation?"

"I believe it is pretending to seem what we are not by nature," said
Miss Fosbrook; "putting on manners or feelings that do not come to us
of themselves."

"Then I shall tell them they make me affected," exclaimed she. "If I
like to be quiet and do things prettily, they teaze me for being
affected, and I'm forced to be as plain and blunt as their are, and I
don't like it! I wish I was grown up. I wish I was Ida Greville!"