you? I'll waxerate _me_, if _you_
don't dast. Just you look! When I've done it three times to me, will
you let me do it to you?"

Fel wouldn't promise, but I went boldly to work. Let me count the
scars--yes, twenty scratches I made above my elbow, never forgetting
the vaccine, saying, as I stopped to take breath,--

"Ready now, Fel?"

She never was ready, but she stood looking on with such meekness and
awe, that I was just as well satisfied. After the doctor was gone, and
she was in cousin Lydia's lap, quite overcome by the fright of
"waxeration," I told what I had done, expecting to be praised.

"Why, Maggie!" said cousin Lydia, really shocked, "what will you do
next? It was very, very wrong for you to meddle with the doctor's
lancet."

"Ah, well," said Miss Julia, "I guess she'll be a sick enough child
when it 'takes.'"

I did not understand that, but I saw I had sunk again in
everybody's esteem. And that very afternoon Miss Julia allowed Fel,
who had been such a coward, to dress up in her bracelets, rings, pin,
and even her gold watch, only "she must be sure and not let Maggie
touch them."

Of course I see now what a heedless child I was, and don't wonder
Miss Julia wished to preserve her ornaments from my fingers; still she
ought not to have given them to Fel before my very eyes. I thought it
was hard, after scratching myself so unmercifully, not to have either
glory or kisses, or even a bosom-pin to wear half an hour. My arm
smarted, and I felt cross. As Miss Julia went out of the room she
patted Fel's head, but took no notice of me, and cousin Lydia did the
very same thing two minutes afterwards. It was more than I could
bear.

"Ho, little _borrow-girl_," said I to Fel, "got a gold watch, too!
'Fore I'd wear other folks's things! I don't wear a single one thing
on me but b'longs to me; you may count 'em and see!"

It seemed as if I could not let her alone; but such was the sweetness
of nature in that dear little girl that she loved me through
everything.

"I thought you wanted to go out doors and play with me," said I; "and
if you do, you'd better take off your borrowed watch!"

Fel did not answer, but tucked the watch into her bosom; and we went
out in no very pleasant mood.

CHAPTER X.

"THE CHILD'S ALIVE."[*]

(* The following is a true incident.)

Samantha and Julia were gone to a neighbor's that afternoon, and
cousin Lydia was filling a husk-bed in the barn. There was no one at