Ah, Mrs. Barton, it is not the way to people’s hearts usually to find fault and upbraid them.  There was much truth in what you said to Joe, but truth sometimes irritates by the way and time in which it is spoken, and it seems in this case that the kind of truth you told did not exactly suit the state of the boy’s mind.  Edith did not say this of course to the good lady, whose intentions were excellent, but who was rather too much disposed to be severe on young persona, and certainly Joe had tried her in many ways.

“I will go and see whether Joe would like to see Edith may I, madam, asked Fred?” Permission was given.

“My sister is here, Joe, you have often heard me mention her, would you like to see her?”

“Oh, I don’t know, my back is so bad.  Oh dear me, and your father tells me I am to lie flat in this way, months.  What am I to do all through the Christmas holidays too?  Oh! dear, dear me.  Well, yes, she may come up.”

With this not very gracious invitation little Edith stepped upstairs, and being of a very tender nature, no sooner did she see poor Joe’s suffering state than she began to cry.  They were tears of such genuine sympathy, such exquisite tenderness, that they touched Joe.  He did not withdraw the hand she held, and felt even sorry when she herself took hers away.  “How sorry I am for you!” said Edith, when she could speak, “but may I come and read to you sometimes, and wait upon you when there is no one else?  I think I could amuse you a little, and it might pass the time away.  I only mean when you have no one better, you know.”

Joe’s permission was not very cordial, he was so afraid of girls’ flummery, as he called it “She plays backgammon and chess, Joe, and I can promise you she reads beautifully.”

“Well, I will come on Monday,” said Edith, gaily, “and send me away if you don’t want me; but dear me, do you like this light on your eyes?  I’ll ask mamma for a piece of green baize to pin up.  Good bye.”

As she was going out of the room Joe called her back.  “I have such a favour to ask of you, Miss Parker.  Don’t bring that preaching German lady here of whom I have heard Fred speak; I don’t mind you, but I cannot bear so much preaching.  Mrs. Barton and her together would craze me.”  Edith promised, but she felt disappointed.  She had hoped that Emilie might have gained an entrance, and she knew that Emilie would have found out the way to his heart, if she could once have got into his presence; but she concealed her disappointment having made the required promise, and ran after her brother.

“I don’t like going where I am so plainly not wanted, Fred,” said she on their way home, “Oh, what a sad thing poor White’s temper is for himself and every one about him.”

“Yes Edith, but we are not always sweet-tempered, and you must remember that poor White has no mother and no father, no one in short to love.”  Edith found at first that it required more judgment than she possessed to make her visit to Joe White either pleasant or useful.  Illness had increased his irritability, and so far from submitting patiently to the confinement and restriction imposed, he was quite fuming with impatience to be allowed to sit up and amuse himself at least.