[Gutenberg 44954] • Bessie in the City

MAMMA," said Maggie Bradford, as she sat upon the floor in her mother's room, lacing her walking boots, -"mamma, I wish I had another terrible fault." "Why, Maggie!" said Mrs. Bradford. "I do, indeed, mamma, -a dreadful fault, something a great deal worse than carelessness." Mrs. Bradford was busy unpacking trunks and arranging drawers and closets; for the family had just come home from the sea-shore, where they had been spending the summer; but she was so surprised to hear Maggie say this that she turned around with her hands full, to look at her little daughter. She saw that Maggie was very much in earnest, and had some reason for this strange wish. "And why do you wish that, daughter?" she asked. "Because, mamma, if I had such a fault, people would be so very anxious I should cure it. Oh, dear! there's another knot in my shoe-string!" and Maggie gave a jerk and a hard pull at her boot-lace. "I do not at all wish to keep it, only to break myself of it." AMMA," said Maggie Bradford, as she sat upon the floor in her mother's room, lacing her walking boots, -"mamma, I wish I had another terrible fault." "Why, Maggie!" said Mrs. Bradford. "I do, indeed, mamma, -a dreadful fault, something a great deal worse than carelessness." Mrs. Bradford was busy unpacking trunks and arranging drawers and closets; for the family had just come home from the sea-shore, where they had been spending the summer; but she was so surprised to hear Maggie say this that she turned around with her hands full, to look at her little daughter. She saw that Maggie was very much in earnest, and had some reason for this strange wish. "And why do you wish that, daughter?" she asked. "Because, mamma, if I had such a fault, people would be so very anxious I should cure it. Oh, dear! there's another knot in my shoe-string!" and Maggie gave a jerk and a hard pull at her boot-lace. "I do not at all wish to keep it, only to break myself of it."