She tried to sit up in bed, but her head ached so, that she was obliged to lie down again, and give up the attempt.  She was really quite ill.

When Fanny found Mrs. Mills was sick, she said,

“Do let me make a nice cup of tea for you.  Sally says it is so good for a head ache.”

“I haven’t any tea, my child,” she answered, “or I should have made some when I finished my washing.”

“But grandmother has sent you some, and here it is, just the very thing you want; now, do lie down, and let us fix it for you, it would make me so happy.”

Mrs. Mills thought Fanny was too young; but she could not resist her pleading tones, and so Frank raked the embers of the fire together, picked up some chips, and heaped them on, and then filled the little tea kettle, which was soon singing away merrily.

Fanny took down a cup and saucer from the dresser, and drawing a little stand near the bed, she placed them on it, then measured out her tea into an earthern tea pot, as she had often seen her grandmother do; and the water boiled, Frank poured it on for her, and they put it down to draw, as Mrs. Mills told them.

After a while, Jack came whistling into the house; but when he saw Frank and Fanny there, he looked as though he wished he was any where else.

Fanny went towards him, holding one little finger up.

“Hush, Jack, don’t whistle so,” she said, “your mother has the sick head ache, and we are making a cup of tea to cure her.”

Jack looked at her in surprise.  He did not know what to make of it all.  There was the mark on her face, where the stone which he had thrown that noon, had grazed the skin, and yet, here she was, making tea for his sick mother.

He did not say a word, but turned and went out of the house.  Frank thought he saw something very like tears glistening in his eyes, and he acknowledged to himself, that his grandmother was right, when she had told him that he would be happier if he returned good for evil.

Mrs. Mills sat up, and drank her tea, and then Fanny washed the cup and saucer, and she felt very large to think she was able to do it.  Then she put her bonnet on, and Mrs. Mills told her that she should tell her grandmother what a kind little girl she was, and how much good she had done her, and Fanny and Frank both felt very happy.

As they went out of the door, Fanny bent her head down to smell of a beautiful damask rose that was blooming on a bush near the house.  They walked along without seeing Jack, but he saw them.  When they were half way through the orchard, he came running up behind them, and reaching out his hand, and touching Fanny, said: 

“Won’t you take this rose.”  She turned around, and saw that he had picked for her the very rose that she had admired so much, and as she took it from him, he whispered,

“I hope you don’t think that I meant to hurt you this noon, when I threw that stone—­I wouldn’t hurt you for the world.  I only threw it to make you look around.”