And Emily had been played with,and Emily's own tea service used--the one with cups which held quite a lot of much-sweetened weak tea and had blue flowers on them.No one had seen such a very real doll's tea set before.From that afternoon Sara was regarded as a goddess and a queen by the entire alphabet class.
Lottle Legh worshipped her to such an extent that if Sara had not been a motherly person,she would have found her tiresome.
Lottie had been sent to school by a rather flighty young papa who could not imagine what else to do with her.Her young mother had died,and as the child had been treated like a favorite doll or a very spoiled pet monkey or lap dog ever since the first hour of her life,she was a very appalling little creature.When she wanted anything or did not want anything she wept and howled;and,as she always wanted the things she could not have,and did not want the things that were best for her,her shrill little voice was usually to be heard uplifted in wails in one part of the house or another.
Her strongest weapon was that in some mysterious way she had found out that a very small girl who had lost her mother was a person who ought to be pitied and made much of.She had probably heard some grown-up people talking her over in the early days,after her mother's death.
So it became her habit to make great use of this knowledge.
The first time Sara took her in charge was one morning when,on passing a sitting room,she heard both Miss Minchin and Miss Amelia trying to suppress the angry wails of some child who,evidently,refused to be silenced.She refused so strenuously indeed that Miss Minchin was obliged to almost shout--in a stately and severe manner--to make herself heard.
"What IS she crying for?"she almost yelled.
"Oh--oh--oh!"Sara heard;"I haven't got any mam--ma-a!"
"Oh,Lottie!"screamed Miss Amelia."Do stop,darling!Don't cry!
Please don't!"
"Oh!Oh!Oh!Oh!Oh!"Lottle howled tempestuously.
"Haven't--got--any--mam--ma-a!"
"She ought to be whipped,"Miss Minchin proclaimed."You SHALL be whipped,you naughty child!"
Lottle wailed more loudly than ever.Miss Amelia began to cry.
Miss Minchin's voice rose until it almost thundered,then suddenly she sprang up from her chair in impotent indignation and flounced out of the room,leaving Miss Amelia to arrange the matter.
Sara had paused in the hall,wondering if she ought to go into the room,because she had recently begun a friendly acquaintance with Lottie and might be able to quiet her.When Miss Minchin came out and saw her,she looked rather annoyed.She realized that her voice,as heard from inside the room,could not have sounded either dignified or amiable.
"Oh,Sara!"she exclaimed,endeavoring to produce a suitable smile.
"I stopped,"explained Sara,"because I knew it was Lottie--and I thought,perhaps--just perhaps,I could make her be quiet.
May I try,Miss Minchin?"
"If you can,you are a clever child,"answered Miss Minchin,drawing in her mouth sharply.Then,seeing that Sara looked slightly chilled by her asperity,she changed her manner.
"But you are clever in everything,"she said in her approving way.
"I dare say you can manage her.Go in."And she left her.
When Sara entered the room,Lottie was lying upon the floor,screaming and kicking her small fat legs violently,and Miss Amelia was bending over her in consternation and despair,looking quite red and damp with heat.Lottie had always found,when in her own nursery at home,that kicking and screaming would always be quieted by any means she insisted on.Poor plump Miss Amelia was trying first one method,and then another.
"Poor darling,"she said one moment,"I know you haven't any mamma,poor--"Then in quite another tone,"If you don't stop,Lottie,I will shake you.Poor little angel!There--!You wicked,bad,detestable child,I will smack you!I will!"
Sara went to them quietly.She did not know at all what she was going to do,but she had a vague inward conviction that it would be better not to say such different kinds of things quite so helplessly and excitedly.
"Miss Amelia,"she said in a low voice,"Miss Minchin says I may try to make her stop--may I?"
Miss Amelia turned and looked at her hopelessly."Oh,DO you think you can?"she gasped.
"I don't know whether I CAN>,answered Sara,still in her half-whisper;
"but I will try."
Miss Amelia stumbled up from her knees with a heavy sigh,and Lottie's fat little legs kicked as hard as ever.
"If you will steal out of the room,"said Sara,"I will stay with her."
"Oh,Sara!"almost whimpered Miss Amelia."We never had such a dreadful child before.I don't believe we can keep her."
