born. How very ill-natured I must have been to her, and how cruel it
really was of me. But I wonder my uncle did not prevent Margaret
from spoiling her.'

'My dear, a man with a parish of fifteen hundred inhabitants, cannot
watch his own nursery very minutely,' said Lady Merton; 'he taught
Elizabeth admirably, and that was all that could be expected of him.
Besides, with all his perfections, managing little girls is not what
he is best fitted for.'

Anne laughed. 'No, he is too grave and cold; I am rather afraid of
him still, I do not think he has any toleration for nonsense; but of
course he must be different with his own children. And how do you
think Mrs. Woodbourne trained Helen?'

'I can hardly tell,' said Lady Merton; 'I used to admire her patience
and sweetness of temper, when Helen's fretfulness was most wearisome;
at the same time that I thought it might have been better for the
child to speak sharply to her, and punish her if she did not leave
off whining directly. I believe I should have done so, though I do
not know that it would have been the best way, or in accordance with
what you call my motto.'

'Well,' said Anne, 'if Dykelands has done such wonders for Helen, as
they say, I hope I shall make friends with her, if she will let me,
which I do not think I deserve after my ill-usage of her. Last time
I saw her, it was but for two days, and she was so odd, and grave,
and shy, that I could not get on with her, besides that I wanted to
make the most of my time with Lizzie.'