"You are welcome to embellish yourself, as far as I am concerned."

A general dispersion ensued, and only Mrs. May, Margaret, and the
baby, remained.

"Oh, no!" sighed Margaret; "you can't be the hen-and-chicken daisy
properly, without all your chickens. It is the first christening we
ever had without our all being there."

"It was best not to press it, my dear," said her mother. "Your papa
would have had his thoughts turned to the disappointment again and it
makes Richard himself so unhappy to see his vexation, that I believe
it is better not to renew it."

"But to miss him for so long!" said Margaret. "Perhaps it is best,
for it is very miserable when papa is sarcastic and sharp, and he
cannot understand it, and takes it as meaning so much more than it
really does, and grows all the more frightened and diffident. I
cannot think what he would do without you to encourage him."

"Or you, you good sister," said her mother, smiling. "If we could
only teach him not to mind being laughed at, and to have some
confidence in himself, he and papa would get on together."

"It is very hard," cried Margaret, almost indignantly, "that papa
won't believe it, when he does his best."

"I don't think papa can bear to bring himself to believe that it is
his best."