“I am sorry to say,” returned Mrs. Western, “that Louisa is not deserving of any present, and therefore it would have been wrong to provide one for her.”

At hearing this, Emma changed color, and looked almost ready to cry.  “Dear mamma,” said she, “do pray have pity on poor Louisa.  I cannot bear to show her my beautiful box, if she is not to have a present too.  She would be so much grieved.”

“My dear,” said Mrs. Western, “do you not perceive that it would be unjust and contrary to your aunt’s wish, if, while Louisa gives way to her faults, I were to treat her as though she were seeking to overcome them?  It is quite as painful to me as to yourself to make this needful difference between you; but in all our actions we must think of what is right, and not of what it would be pleasant to do.  When I see any sign of improvement in your sister, I shall gladly provide her with a writing-desk; but not till then.”

Emma paused for a moment; her eyes filled with tears, and the color rose to her face.  “Then mamma,” said she, “I will wait, if you please, for my work-box, until you think proper to give Louisa her desk.  Please to put it away in some safe place, and I will not say anything about it.  I can do very well without the box a little while longer, you know.”

When Mrs. Western found that Emma was willing to deny herself a pleasure rather than give pain to her sister, she consented to her wish, because she desired to encourage kind and tender feelings between them; and she knew it would be easy to find some other way of showing Louisa that her friends were grieved and displeased by her conduct.  So the work-box was safely put away for the present; though Emma had her hopes that the time would soon come when, with the promised writing-desk, it might be again brought forward.

CHAPTER VI.

TROUBLE BETWEEN SISTERS.

I have told you that Emma was not without her faults; and whether she was a little lifted up by her mother’s approval, so that she became less watchful over herself, and felt less her need of the grace of God, I cannot say:  but so it was, that on the very same evening of their mother’s birthday, the sisters had a quarrel, which would certainly have been worse, if Mrs. Western had not been sitting by.  Louisa was the first to blame; but, on the other hand, Emma did not behave like a meek and Christian child.

It was about Louisa’s old work-box that this quarrel took place.  Emma wished to have the use of it for a short time, as Louisa did not want it herself:  but Louisa, as you have seen, was not very willing to lend; and some sharp and unkind words passed between them, such as children too often use when they give way to angry and sinful passions.  No doubt the thought of her own work-box was in Emma’s mind when she said, “You are selfish and ill-natured, Louisa, and do not deserve that people should give up any pleasure for you.”