n make, so she was not very hopeful
as she unscrewed the top and looked in. And matters were even worse
than she feared, for all the box contained was this: two pennies, one
halfpenny, and one stupid little farthing. Penny felt quite angry with
the farthing, for it was bright and new, and looked at the first glance
almost like gold.

"If you were a fairy farthing," she said, "you'd get yourself changed
into gold on purpose to help Mrs Dicks; but it's no use waiting for
that."

That afternoon Penny was to go out with her mother, instead of walking
with the other school-room children and the governess. It was a great
honour and delight, and she had saved up so many questions to ask about
various subjects that she had scarcely time to tell her about Mrs Dicks
and the state of the charity-box.

They had just begun to talk about it, when Mrs Hawthorne stopped at a
house near their own home.

"Oh, mother!" cried Penny in some dismay, "are we going to see Mrs
Hathaway?"

"Yes," answered her mother, "she has promised to show me her
embroideries, and I think you will like to see them too."

Penny did not feel at all sure about that, she was rather afraid of Mrs
Hathaway, who was a severe old lady, noted for her exquisite needlework;
however, it was a treat to go anywhere with mother, even to see Mrs
Hathaway.

The embroideries were, indeed, very beautiful, and exhibited with a good
deal of pride, while Penny sat in modest silence listening to the
conversation. She privately regarded Mrs Hathaway's handiwork with a
shudder, and thought to herself, "How very little time she must have for
reading!"

Scarcely any notice had been taken of her yet; but presently, when
everything had been shown and admired, Mrs Hathaway turned her keen
black eyes upon her, and said:

"And this little lady, now, is she fond of her needle?"

A sympathetic glance passed between Mrs Hawthorne and Penny, but she
knew she must answer for herself, and she murmured shyly though
emphatically:

"Oh, _no_."

"No! Indeed," said Mrs Hathaway, "and why not?"

She was a very upright old lady, and when she said this she sat more
upright than ever, and fixed her eyes on Penny's face.

Penny felt very uncomfortable under this gaze, and wriggled nervously,
but she could find nothing better to say than:

"Because I _hate_ it so."

"I am afraid," put in Mrs Hawthorne, "that Penny doesn't quite
understand the importance of being able to sew neatl