Clematis Part 8

She wanted children to obey her, and she had tried to be very kind to Clematis.

The other children giggled, as Clematis got slowly out of bed.

But Miss Rose frowned at them.

"You see that she does every single thing she ought," said Miss Rose to Jane, "and if she doesn't, you tell me."

Then Miss Rose went away, and left the girls to get ready for bed.

Poor Clematis had a hard time of it. The other girls made fun of her, because she was so clumsy and slow. At last she got her clothes folded up, and went to wash.

"She isn't washing her neck and ears," said Jane to herself, "but I guess I won't tell."

So at last Clematis got into bed again, and went to sleep.

CHAPTER VI

CLEMATIS HAS A HARD ROW TO HOE

It was all Jane could do the next morning to make Clematis get up when the rising bell rang.

"I don't want to get up yet," grumbled Clematis. "I will get up pretty soon."

"No you won't either. You'll get up right off now. We have to be ready for breakfast in fifteen minutes."

Jane pulled down the clothes, while the other girls laughed. Poor Clematis had to get up.

At first she was cross, but when she looked out of the window, she smiled.

From this window she could see way off to a beautiful hill, golden brown in the morning sun.

Part way to the hill was a river. Its little waves shimmered and danced. Its sh.o.r.es were quite green already.

Now Clematis was wide awake and happy. She started to dress.

"Wash first," said Jane.

Clematis started to grumble again, but when she looked into the mirror above the wash stand, there was the river, smiling at her in the mirror.

She knew this river. She had been there. Perhaps she would go again some day.

For breakfast they had a bowl of oatmeal and milk, with two slices of bread.

Clematis looked around while they were eating.

"Don't you ever get a cup of coffee for breakfast?" she asked of Sally, who sat next to her.

"Oh, no, never, but sometimes we have cocoa, on real cold mornings."

Clematis turned up her nose a little. She did not care much for oatmeal.

"I like doughnuts and coffee a great deal better," she said.

"Huh, you won't have any doughnuts and coffee round here," said Jane. "You'd better eat what you have."

Clematis took her advice, and had just finished her bread, when the bell sounded.

"Now, Clematis," said Miss Rose, "you are going to stay here for a while anyway, so you must take your part in the daily work."

"Yes'm."

"I think you said yesterday you would like to help Katie in the kitchen."

"Oh, yes'm," said Clematis. She had been thinking of Deborah and longing to see her.

"Well, let's go down and see what Katie can find for you to do."

There was Deborah, sleeping under the edge of the stove. Clematis took her while Miss Rose was asking Katie.

"This little girl thinks she would like to have some work down here in the kitchen, Katie. Is there anything you would like her to do?"

"Ah, no thank you, Miss Rose, she wouldn't be any use at all."

Clematis looked up. She did not feel very happy.

"Why, don't you think she could help you?" Miss Rose looked surprised.

"No miss, she is no use at all. Yesterday I asked her to peel some potatoes, but she never lifted a finger. She said she didn't know how."

"Why, Clematis, I am surprised."

"Well," said Clematis, "if you never learned to peel potatoes, would you know how to do it?"

"Yes, I think I should. Katie would have shown you, if you had been willing to try."

Clematis hung her head, and buried her face in Deborah's soft fur.

"You see, miss, she's of no use to me. She don't want to work at all. Her cat, now, is a worker. She caught a big rat in the night."

"Well then, Clematis, we shall have to ask Mrs. Snow to find you something else to do."

Clematis dropped her kitten, and the tears ran down her cheeks, as she followed Miss Rose upstairs.

Katie looked after her with a sad smile.