nd mother seemed to think differently about
these things. To her view, and she felt sure, to her mother's, the fault
lay in the carelessness of not finding out whether the image was in her
way. She could not see that she was doing anything wrong in going out
alone into an apple-tree, and springing from a low bough, upon the soft
grass. Very likely, when she was a grown-up young lady, with long dresses
and hair done up behind, she shouldn't care anything about climbing trees.
But that was another question. However, she had too much respect for her
father to say this. So she hung her head, feeling very humble and sorry,
and wondering if Mr. Simms couldn't plaster the nymph together somehow, he
was always so ready to do things for her.

"Well," said her father, after a moment's thought, in which he had been
struggling with a sense of disappointment at the destruction of his
statue, that would have made a less kind-hearted man scold.

"Well, it can't be helped; and as to the climbing trees, I suppose your
mother knows best. I am glad you came and told me, anyway--very glad. You
are a truthful child, Gypsy, in spite of your faults."

"I couldn't bear to tell lies," said Gypsy, brightening a little.

It is possible this was another one of the reasons why people had such a
habit of loving Gypsy. What do you think?

CHAPTER VII

JUST LIKE GYPSY

One afternoon Gypsy was coming home from the post-office. It was a rare
June day. The great soft shadows fell and faded on the mountains, and the
air was sweet with the breath of a hundred fields where crimson clovers
nodded in the sleepy wind. It seemed to Gypsy that she had never seen such
mellow sunlight, or skies so pure and blue; that no birds ever sung such
songs in the elm-trees, and never were butterflies so golden and brown and
beautiful as those which fluttered drowsily over the tiny roadside
clovers. The thought came to her like a little sudden heart-throb, that
thrilled her through and through, that this world was a very great world,
and very beautiful,--it seemed so alive and happy, from the arch of the
blazing sky down to the blossoms of the purple weeds that hid in the
grass. She wondered that she had never thought of it before. How many
millions of people were enjoying this wonderful day! What a great thing it
was to live in such a world, where everything was so beautiful and useful
and happy! The very fact that she was alive in it made her so glad. She
fe