"
"What would you teach her, Daisy?"
"I would teach her to read--perhaps--I thought; if she would like me and
let me."
"Is reading a specific for happiness?"
"No sir--but--the Bible!" Daisy said with a sudden glance. And so clear
and sure the speech of her childish eye was, that the doctor though
believing nothing of it would not breathe a question of that which she
believed.
"O that is it!" he said. "Well, Daisy, this is the beginning; but though
I came in upon the middle of the subject I do not understand it yet. Why
did not the rose tree get to its destination?"
"Because--I remembered, just when I had got to the bottom of the hill,
that mamma would not let me."
Daisy's tone of voice told more than she knew of her subdued state of
disappointment.
"Mrs. Randolph had forbidden you to go to Molly's cottage?"
"No sir; but she had forbidden me to speak to anybody without having her
leave. I had forgotten it till just that minute."
"Ask her leave, and then go. What is the difficulty in that, Daisy?"
"She will not give me leave, Dr. Sandford. Mamma does not like me
to----do such things."
"Do you care much about it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Present your request to Mrs. Randolph to-morrow, Daisy--that is my
advice to you."
"It would be no use, Dr. Sandford."
"Perhaps not; but I advise you to take my advice; and lay the rose bush
by the heels till to-morrow afternoon."
"By the heels, sir?"
"Yes. Logan will tell you what that means.
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