"That, my child, is no reason why _you_ should do so if we prefer you
should wear your shoes."

"But, mother, it is so warm!" said Annie.

"What would you have thought, Annie, if I had told you to go to school
barefooted while we lived in Massachusetts?"

"All the girls wore shoes and stockings there, mother."

"But was it not quite as warm there as here, my child?"

"I suppose so; but, mother, all the girls and boys laugh at us so. They say
we are 'proud,' because we wear shoes and stockings."

"You must not mind being laughed at when you are doing right."

"But I can't see what wrong there is in going barefooted," said Annie.

"You are not now required to see the harm in it. All you have to do in this
case is to obey."

"But won't you tell us _why_, mother?" persisted Susie.

"No, children, I shall not now tell you _why_. I have my reasons; and you
must _trust_ me now, and wait for an explanation until some future time."


* * * * *