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you please； if I'm to have a young lady here； I'd like to have her
prettily dressed。 It won't offend Miss Bat； will it？〃
Molly's eyes sparkled； but she gave a little shrug as she answered；
〃She won't care。 She never troubles herself about me if I iet ncr
alone。
〃Hey？ what？ Not trouble herself？ If she doesn't； who does？〃 and
Mr。 Bemis sat up as if this discovery was more surprising than the
other。
〃I take care of myself and Boo； and she looks after you。 The house
goes anyway。〃
〃I should think so！ I nearly broke my neck over the parlor sofa in
the hall to…night。 What is it there for？〃
Molly laughed。 〃That's the joke； sir； Miss Bat is cleaning house；
and I'm sure it needs cleaning； for it is years since it was properly
done。 I thought you might have told her to。〃
〃I've said nothing。 Don't like house…cleaning well enough to
suggest it。 I did think the hall was rather dirty when I dropped my
coat and took it up covered with lint。 Is she going to upset the
whole place？〃 asked Mr。 Bemis； looking alarmed at the prospect。
〃I hope so； for I really am ashamed when people come； to have
them see the dust and cobwebs； and old carpets and dirty
windows；〃 said Molly； with a sigh； though she never had cared a
bit till lately。
〃Why don't you dust round a little； then？ No time to spare from the
books and play？〃
〃I tried； father； but Miss Bat didn't like it； and it was too hard for
me alone。 If things were once in nice order； I think I could keep
them so； for I do want to be neat； and I'm learning as fast as I can。〃
〃It is high time someone took hold； if matters are left as you say。
I've just been thinking what a clever woman Miss Bat was； to make
such a tidy little girl out of what I used to hear called the greatest
tomboy in town； and wondering what I could give the old lady。
Now I find you are the one to be thanked； and it is a very pleasant
surprise to me。〃
〃Give her the present； please； I'm satisfied； if you like what I've
done。 It isn't much； and I'd idn't know as you would ever observe
any difference。 But I'd id try； and now I guess I'm really getting
on；〃 said Molly； sewing away with a bright color in her cheeks； for
she； too； found it a pleasant surprise to be praised after many
failures and few successes。
〃You certainly are； my dear。 I'll wait till the house…cleaning is over；
and then； if we are all alive； I'll see about Miss Bat's reward。
Meantime； you go with Mrs。 Grant and get whatever you and the
boy need； and send the bills to me〃； and Mr。 Bemis lighted a cigar；
as if that matter was settled。
〃Oh； thank you； sir！ That will be splendid。 Merry always has pretty
things； and I know you will like me when I get fixed；〃 said Molly；
smoothing down her apron； with a little air。
〃Seems to me you look very well as you are。 Isn't that a pretty
enough frock？〃 asked Mr。 Bemis； quite unconscious that his own
unusual interest in his daughter's affairs made her look so bright
and winsome。
〃This？ Why； father； I've worn it all winter； and it's frightfully ugly；
and almost in rags。 I asked you for a new one a month ago； and you
said you'd 'see about it'； but you didn't； so I patched this up as well
as I could〃； and Molly showed her elbows； feeling that such
masculine blindness as this deserved a mild reproof。
〃Too bad！ Well； go and get half a dozen pretty muslin and
gingham things； and be as gay as a butterfly； to make up for it；〃
laughed her father； really touched by the patches and Molly's
resignation to the unreliable 〃I'll see about it；〃 which he recognized
as a household word。
Molly clapped her hands； old gloves and all； exclaiming； with
girlish delight； 〃How nice it will seem to have a plenty of new；
neat dresses all at once； and be like other girls！ Miss Bat always
talks about economy； and has no more taste than acaterpillar。〃
Molly meant to say 〃cat；〃 but remembering her pets； spared them
the insult。
〃I think I can afford to dress my girl as well as Grant does his。 Get
a new hat and coat； child； and any little notions you fancy。 Miss
Bat's economy isn't the sort I like〃； and Mr。 Bemis looked at his
wristbands again； as if he could sympathize with Molly's elbows。
〃At this rate； I shall have more clothes than I know what to do
with； after being a rag…bag；〃 thought the girl； in great glee； as she
bravely stitched away at the worst glove； while her father smoked
silently for a while； feeling that several little matters had escaped
his eye which he really ought to 〃see about。〃
Presently he went to his desk； but not to bury himself in business
papers； as usual； for； after rummaging in several drawers； he took
out a small bunch of keys； and sat looking at them with an
expression only seen on his face when he looked up at the portrait
of a dark…eyed woman hanging in his room。 He was a very busy
man； but he had a tender place in his heart for his children； and
when a look； a few words； a moment's reflection； called his
attention to the fact that his little girl was growing up； he found
both pride and pleasure in the thought that this young daughter was
trying to fill her mother's place； and be a comfort to him； if he
would let her。
〃Molly； my dear； here is something for you；〃 he said； and when she
stood beside him； added； as he put the keys into her hand； keeping
both in his own for a minute；
〃Those are the keys to your mother's things。 I always meant you to
have them； when you were old enough to use or care for them。 I
think you'ii fancy this better than any other present； for you are a
good child； and very like her。〃
Something seemed to get into his throat there； and Molly put her
arm round his neck； saying； with a little choke in her own voice；
〃Thank you； father； I'd rather have this than anything else in the
world； and I'll try to be more like her every day； for your sake。
He kissed her； then said； as he began to stir his papers about； 〃I
must write some letters。 Run off to bed； child。 Good…night； my
dear； good…night。〃
Seeing that he wanted to be alone； Molly slipped away； feeling that
she had received a very precious gift； for she remembered the dear；
dead mother； and had often longed to possess the relics laid away
in the one room where order reigned and Miss Bat had no power to
meddle。 As she siowly undressed； she was not thinking of the
pretty new gowns in which she was to be 〃as gay as a butterfly；〃
but of the half…worn garments waiting for her hands to unfold with
a tender touch； and when she fell asleep； with the keys under her
pillow and her arms round Boo； a few happy tears on her cheeks
seemed to show that； in trying to do the duty which lay nearest her；
she had earned a very sweet reward。
So the little missionaries succeeded better in their second attempt
than in their first； for； though still very far from being perfect girls；
each was slowly learning； in her own way； one of the three lessons