"Why?" asked Grandma.

"Because it makes you remember," said Marjorie, slowly; "I don't
see why I couldn't remember to keep off the Front Stairs, just
because you told me to, but somehow I couldn't. Now, after to-day,
I'm sure I shall never forget again."

"That's the difference, my child, between youth and age. You are
young and careless of other people's wishes. I want you to learn
to consider others before yourself, and to remember to do so
without a dreadful punishment to fix it in your memory."

"It's lucky, isn't it, that I don't get punished for all the
naughty things I do? It would keep me busy being punished most of
the time."

"You ARE a mischievous child, Marjorie; but your mischief is
always the result of carelessness or forgetfulness. I have never
known you purposely to disobey me or deliberately to cut up some
naughty trick."

"No, I don't, Grandma; often I'm being just as good as an angel
and as quiet as a mouse, when suddenly something pops into my head
that would be fun to do; and I fly and do it, before I think, and
just about every time it's something wrong!"

"Then suppose you try to act more slowly. When you think of some
piece of fun, pause a moment, to make sure that it isn't mischief.
There's quite enough innocent fun in the world to keep you busy