"
Mrs. Manvers smiled. "That speech sounds rather egotistic, my dear. Do
you really think you are such a _very_ careful little girl?"
"I am sure, mother," replied Emily, coloring slightly, "that I take more
care of my things than many other girls I know. There is my wax doll, I
have had three years, and she is not even soiled; and that handsome
paint-box uncle gave me a year ago this Christmas, is in as good order
as ever, though I have used it a great deal; there is not one paint lost
or broken, and the brushes and crayons are all safe and perfect."
"That is as it should be, my daughter," returned Mrs. Manvers, "for
even in small things, we should use our gifts as not abusing them; but
what will you say when I tell you that you possess a treasure of
inestimable value, which you often misuse sadly, and neglect most
heedlessly,--a gift that properly employed will procure wonderful
privileges, but which I sometimes fear you will never learn to value
until you are about to lose it forever."
"Why, mother, what _can_ you mean!" exclaimed Emily, in astonishment.
"It can't be that costly fan cousin Henry sent me from India, that was
broken when I laid it down just a minute, instead of putting it
immediately away, or do you mean my pet dove that I sometimes have not a
minute's time to feed in the morning; you cannot surely think that I
will let it starve.
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