She was vexed a little with his insensibility to the favour she meant the
child, and she could not help trying to make him realise it. "I don't
promise always to be the best guide, philosopher, and friend that Idella
could have"--she took this light tone because she found herself afraid of
him--"but I think I shall be a little improvement on some of her friends
Over the Track. At least, if she wants my cat, she shall have it without
fighting for it."
Mr. Peck looked up with question, and she went on to tell him of a struggle
which she had seen one day between Idella and a small Irish boy for a
kitten; it really belonged to the boy, but Idella carried it off.
The minister listened attentively. At the end: "Yes," he said, "that lust
of possession is something all but impossible, even with constant care,
to root out of children. I have tried to teach Idella that nothing is
rightfully hers except while she can use it; but it is hard to make her
understand, and when she is with other children she forgets."
Annie could not believe at first that he was serious, and then she was
disposed to laugh. "Really, Mr. Peck," she began, "I can't think it's so
important that a little thing like Idella should be kept from coveting
a kitten as that she should be kept from using naughty words and from
scratching and biting."
"I know," Mr. Peck consented. "That is the usual way of looking at such
things."
"It seems to me," said Annie, "that it's the common-sense way."
"Perhaps. But upon the whole, I don't agree with you. It is bad for the
child to use naughty words and to scratch and bite; that's part of the
warfare in which we all live; but it's worse for her to covet, and to wish
to keep others from having."
"I don't wonder you find it hard to make her understand that."
"Yes, it's hard with all of us. But if it is ever to be easier we must
begin with the children."
He was silent, and Annie did not say anything. She was afraid that she had
not helped her cause. "At least," she finally ventured, "you can't object
to giving Idella a little rest from the fray. Perhaps if she finds that she
can get things without fighting for them, she'll not covet them so much."