irited.
But if she didn't always obey, she never did anything mean or underhand.
Everybody loved her; and your poor mother was that took up with her that
when my master proposed that they should marry, it was a good while
before she'd consent--and all because she didn't want to part with Miss
Sophy. She said that if Miss Sophy would consent to live with them she'd
marry Mr. Dale at once, for she was very much attached to him. But Miss
Sophy put down her foot. 'Live with a married couple!' she cried. 'Why,
I'd rather die.' Well, my dear, there were words and tears and groans;
but at last Miss Sophy took the bit between her teeth, and went off to an
old relative, a certain Miss Barberry, in Scotland, and arranged to live
with her and look after her. And your mother married; and when Miss
Barberry died she left Miss Sophy every penny she possessed, and Miss
Sophy is very rich now; and well she deserves it. Dear, dear! I seem to
see Miss Sophia over again in our Miss Pauline. She was very comical, and
so high-spirited and wild, although she'd never do an underhand thing."

"Never?" asked Patty, with a sigh.

"Of course not. What do you take her for? Noble ladies what is ladies
don't do mean sort of things."

Patty sighed again.

"What are you sighing for, Miss Patty? I hate to hear young ladies giving
way to their feelings in that sort of fashion."

"I was only thinking that you compared Aunt Sophy to Pauline."

"And why shouldn't I? Is it you who want to belittle your sister? Miss
Pauline is as high-spirited as ever young lady was, but neither would she
do a mean or underhand thing."

Patty suppressed her next sigh. For a long time she did not speak.

"Nurse," she said when she next broke silence, "did you in the whole
course of your life ever tell a lie?"

"My word!" cried nurse--"Miss Marjorie, you'll prick your little fingers
if you hold the needle like that. This way, lovey. Did I ever tell a lie,
Miss Patty? Goodness gracious me! Well, to be sure, perhaps I told a bit
of a tarradiddle when I was a small child; but an out-and-out lie--never,
thank the Almighty!"

"But what is the difference between a lie and a tarradiddle?"

"Oh, Miss Patty, there's a deal of difference. A tarradiddle is what you
say when you are, so to speak, took by surprise. It isn't a lie out and
out; it's the truth concealed, I call it. Sometimes it is a mere
exaggeration. You say a person is very, very cross when maybe that person
is