"Does it not look comfortable?" said Mabel, appealing to her talkative companion.
"Yes, Mabel, dear, everything looks nice that you manage; but," added she, returning to the former subject, "if she is a great girl, what can I do to amuse her?"
"Oh, many things," returned Mabel; "even you can do, I think, if you try; you must not talk to her very much, and ask her too many questions."
"Do I tease you, Mabel, dear, when I ask you questions?"
"Not often; but then you know I love you," said her sister, "and therefore do not get teased."
"But why do you think she will not love me?"
"I think it very likely she will love you," said Mabel, looking down upon her affectionately, "if you are good; but not till she knows you, not very much, at least. You know, we must buy people's love."
"Do you mean by making them presents?" said Amy, looking a little shocked at the idea.
"Not what you mean by presents certainly," said Mabel, smiling.
"Well then, first, you must give them your love, before you consider what they think of you."
"It will be nearly certain," said Mabel, "to get you good will, at least, from every one, whose esteem is really valuable, for when we love, we try to do everything that is kind; we are not easily offended by little things that might annoy us, if we did not love; and then the wish to avoid giving offence, will lead us to govern our feelings, so that we may not be sullen, or out of temper, which would make us disoblige them by saying anything to wound their feelings."
"Would it do anything else?" said Amy, who always liked to hear her sister talk.
"Yes, I think it would lead us to speak the truth, for fear of encouraging them in any bad thing; for if we must not do wrong, we must not let it be done by others, if we can help it, particularly by those we love."
"But then," said Amy, "if a person is bad, do not you think it would be better to wait and see? We ought not to like a bad person, you said, one day."
"Not exactly that; I told you not to be intimate with Mary Watson, because she did many things I did not like, and knew a good many little girls, who could not teach her any good; but still, I think, if, for some reason, we were obliged to have Mary Watson here, you might love her just as much as I told you to love Lucy, for if you spoke the truth, she could not think you liked any of her naughty ways."