"Annas, can a person do anything to make the world better?"
"What person?" asked she, and smiled.
"Well, say me. Can I do anything?"
"Certainly. You can be as good as you know how to be."
"But that won't make other people better."
"I do not know that. Some other people it may."
"But that will be the people who are good already. I want to mend the
people who are bad."
"Then pray for them," said Annas, gravely.
Pray for Cecilia Osborne! It came upon me with a feeling of intense
aversion. I could not pray for her!
Nor did I think there would be a bit of good in praying for Hatty. And
yet--if she were getting drawn into Cecilia's toils--if that young Mr
Crossland were not a good man--I might pray for her to be kept safe. I
thought I would try it.
But when I began to pray for Hatty, it seemed unkind to leave out Fanny
and Sophy. And then I got to Father and my Aunt Kezia; and then to
Maria and Bessy; and then to Sam and Will; and then to old Elspie; and
then to Helen Raeburn, and my Uncle Drummond, and Angus, and Mr Keith,
and the Laird, and Lady Monksburn--and so on and on, till the whole
world seemed full of people to be prayed for.