attempted to indicate. After
Hetty Sorrel, I think Maggie Tulliver the most successful of the
author's young women, and after Tito Melema, Tom Tulliver the best of
her young men. English novels abound in pictures of childhood; but I
know of none more truthful and touching than the early pages of this
work. Poor erratic Maggie is worth a hundred of her positive brother,
and yet on the very threshold of life she is compelled to accept him as
her master. He falls naturally into the man's privilege of always being
in the right. The following scene is more than a reminiscence; it is a
real retrospect. Tom and Maggie are sitting upon the bough of an
elder-tree, eating jam-puffs. At last only one remains, and Tom
undertakes to divide it.

"The knife descended on the puff, and it was in two; but the result was
not satisfactory to Tom, for he still eyed the halves doubtfully. At
last he said, 'Shut your eyes, Maggie.'

"'What for?'

"'You never mind what for,--shut 'em when I tell you.'

"Maggie obeyed.

"'Now, which 'll you have, Maggie, right hand or left?'

"'I'll have that one with the jam run out,' said Maggie, keeping her
eyes shut to please Tom.

"'Why, you don't like that, you silly. You may have it if it comes to
you fair, but I sha'n't give it to you without. Right or left,--you
choose now. Ha-a-a!' said Tom, in a tone of exasperation, as Maggie
peeped. 'You keep your eyes shut now, else you sha'n't have any.'

"Maggie's power of sacrifice did not extend so far; indeed, I fear she
cared less that Tom should enjoy the utmost possible amount of puff,
than that he should be pleased with her for giving him the best bit. So
she shut her eyes quite close until Tom told her to 'say which,' and
then she said, 'Left hand.'

"'You've got it,' said Tom, in rather a bitter tone.

"'What! the bit with the jam run out?'

"'No; here, take it,' said Tom, firmly, handing decidedly the best piece
to Maggie.

"'O, please, Tom, have it; I don't mind,--I like the other; please take
this.'

"'No, I sha'n't,' said Tom, almost crossly, beginning on his own
inferior piece.

"Maggie, thinking it was of no use to contend further, began too, and
ate up her half puff with considerable relish as well as rapidity. But
Tom had finished first, and had to look on while Maggie ate her last
morsel or two, feeling in himself a capacity for more. _Maggie didn't
know Tom was looking at her: she was seesawing on the elderbough, lost
to ev