Part 3

Emma did, indeed, pay attention to her bird for the first week. At length she grew tired of seeing the same tricks over and over, without the smallest variety. She was constantly trying to teach it something new. Unfortunately, one day it occurred to her, that it would be entertaining to see how it would behave in the water. Emma forgot it was winter, and that the weather was very cold. She determined to try the experiment. She chirped, and held put her finger. Poor red-pole, as usual, hopped on it. She carried him to a pitcher of water, which unluckily was in the room, and plunged him, head foremost, into it. The bird struggled violently. Emma took him out. How great was her horror to see blood gushing from his beak and eyes. He writhed, kicked in agony, and in a few moments expired.

Emma burst into tears. “Oh, mamma,” exclaimed she to her mother, who at that instant entered the chamber, “I have killed my bird! You are right—children are not to be trusted! I never will have another bird! Oh my poor red-pole! my dear red-pole, which I loved so tenderly!”

* * * * *

Julia talked with her mother some time about the tale she had just read. When she had finished her observations on Emma’s conduct, she put the book on the proper shelf in Mary’s room. She returned to her mother, and as she passed the window she saw a carriage drive to the door of the house. “They are come! they are come!” cried the happy Julia, jumping and clapping her hands, in ecstacy: “how fortunate, mamma, I have finished all my business!”—As soon as the joy and bustle of the meeting were a little over, Mrs. Vincent smiled and said, “Now, Julia, you may show your sister the different apartments of the house. Your aunt and I will follow. Lead the way.”

Julia took her sister by the hand, and led her, in silence, through the passage.

“Mary, this is to be your sitting-room,” cried the little girl, as she threw open the door of the important room.

“My room!” exclaimed Mary: “how beautiful!—it is full of flowers! Dear mamma, how good of you to ornament my room with these lovely flowers.—A rose-tree too, in full bloom.—These are hot-house flowers. Have you a hot-house, mamma.” “No, my dear, I have not,” replied Mrs. Vincent; “nor are you indebted to me for these rare and lovely flowers: they were all given, this morning, to Julia.”—“They are yours now, my dear Mary,” interrupted Julia; “I give them to you.”—Mary kissed her sister, and added, “I thank you very much, my love, for so beautiful a present. But I am curious to learn whence you had them.” Julia coloured, threw her arms round Mary’s neck, and whispered, “Lady Beauchamp gave them to me.” Mrs. Vincent smiled and said, “I permitted Julia the pleasure of introducing you to your apartment—she merited that gratification; but I shall not allow any one to rob me of the happiness of relating to you the story attached to these flowers. You, my dear Mary, who have assisted me in instructing our little Julia, have a right to share the delight her behaviour has afforded me.”—Mary’s curiosity was strongly excited, and her mother immediately related to her the whole transaction about the lamb.

THE END.

_Printed by Darton, Harvey, and Co._ _Gracechurch Street, London._

Transcriber’s Note

Punctuation has been normalized. Variations in hyphenation have been retained as they were in the original publication. The following changes have been made:

Page Original As Corrected

18 pleasad pleased 25 cut your head cut your hand 39 if she think if she thinks 56 sat down so work sat down to work 57 necessaay necessary

Italicized words and phrases are presented by surrounding the text with _underscores_.