“But now you know it.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You won’t get the dredging-box any more?”

“No, sir.”

While this conversation was going on, Mrs. Elder came down, still feeling much excited.  After Uncle William had said what he considered enough to Mary, he took up his book and commenced reading.  The child stood leaning against him for five or ten minutes, and then ran out of the room.

“How long do you suppose she will remember what you have said?” remarked Mrs. Elder, with a lightness of tone that showed her contempt for all such measures of reform.

“Much longer than she will remember your box on the ear,” was the blunt reply.

“I doubt it.  Words make no impression on children.”

“Harsh words make very little impression, I admit.  For these close up, instead of entering the avenues to the mind.  Kind words, and reasons for things, go a great way even with children.  How long did Mary remember and profit by your sound rating and box on the ear (still red with the blow) into the bargain?  Not over ten minutes; for when I came down-stairs, she had both hands into your basket again.”

“The little huzzy!  It’s well for her that I did not catch her at it!”

“It is well indeed, Sarah, for you would, by your angry and unjust punishment, have done the little creature a serious injury.  Did you ever explain to her the use of your work-basket and the various things in it, and make her comprehend how necessary it was to you to have every thing in order there, just as you placed it?”

“Gracious, William!  Do you think I haven’t something else to do besides wasting time in explaining to children the use of every thing in my work-basket?  What good would it do, I wonder?”

“It would do a great deal of good, Sarah, you may rely upon it, and be a great saving of time into the bargain; for if you made your children properly comprehend the use of every thing around them, and how their meddling with certain things was wrong, because it would incommode you, you would find them far less disposed than now to put their hands into wrong places.  Try it.”

“Nonsense!  I wonder if I haven’t been trying all my life to make them understand that they were not to meddle with things that didn’t belong to them!  And what good has it done?”

“Very little, I must own; for I never saw children who had less regard to what their mother says than yours have.”

This touched Mrs. Elder a little.  She didn’t mind animadverting upon the defects of her children, but was ready to stand up in their defence whenever any one else found fault with them.

“I reckon they are not the worst children in the world,” she replied, rather warmly.

“I should be sorry if they were.  But they are not the best either, by a long way, although naturally as good children as are seen anywhere.  It is your bad management that is spoiling them.”