consented, if you had
advised him not, and you, you must think me as wicked as aunt Augusta
does;" and the tears she had checked now burst violently forth anew.

"You mistake me, my love, quite mistake me; it is not because I believe
you are not fitted to associate with your domestic circle. I believe if
she were but properly encouraged, my little Lilla would add much to the
comfort of both her parents; and I do not at all despair of seeing that
the case. But at present I must advise your leaving home for a few
years, because I really do think it would add much to your happiness."

"Happiness!" repeated Lilla, in an accent of extreme surprise. "School
bring happiness?"

"Are you happy at home, my love? is not your life at present one
continued scene of wretchedness? What is it that you so much dislike in
the idea of school?"

"The control, the subordination, the irksome formula of lessons, prim
governesses, satirical scholars." Neither Mrs. Hamilton nor Ellen could
prevent a smile.

"If such things are all you dread, my dear, I have no fear of soon
overcoming them," the former said, playfully. "I will do all I can to
persuade your father not to send you to a large fashionable seminary,
where such things may be the case; but I know a lady who lives at
Hampstead, and under whose kind guidance I am sure you will be happy,
much more so than you are now. If you would only think calmly on the
subject, I am sure you would agree in all I urge."

"But no one treats me as a reasonable person at home. If mamma sends me
to school, it will not be for my happiness, but because everybody thinks
me so wicked, there is no managing me at home; and then in the holidays
I shall hear nothing but the wonderful improvement school discipline has
made, it will be no credit to my own efforts, and so there will be no
pleasure in making any."

"Will there be no pleasure in making your father happy, Lilla? Will his
approbation be nothing?"

"But he never praises me; I am too much afraid of him to go and caress
him, as I often wish to do, and tell him if he will only call me his
dear Lilla, I would be good and gentle, and learn all he desires. If he
would but let me love him I should be much happier than I am."

Mrs. Hamilton thought so too; and deeply she regretted that mistaken
sternness which had so completely alienated the affections of his child.
Soothingly she answered--

"But your father dearly loves you, Lilla, though, perhaps yo