Rose was eight years of age when her sister Harriet was born: she was
extremely fond of the baby, watched its cradle whilst it slept, and was
never tired of looking at it, and admiring its little features; but she
could not, without pain, observe, that she was no longer, as she had
been accustomed to be, the _sole_ object of her mamma's care and
attention.
Harriet must not be left a moment! Harriet must not be disturbed! And
even if her mamma had the head-ach, and Rose was not suffered to go into
her room, the little stranger was admitted. She concluded that she was
no longer loved by any body, for even the servants were, she fancied,
more occupied with her little sister than with her, or any thing which
concerned her; and before she was ten years of age, she was become so
very jealous and fretful, that she took no pleasure in any thing, nor
was it in the power of any one to please or amuse her.
One day walking in the garden with her mamma, who carried the little
Harriet in her arms, and coming to a part of it where several tall and
far-spreading trees afforded them a pleasant shade from the heat of the
sun, they stopped to enjoy its coolness. The gardener was ordered to
bring them some cherries, and they sat down on the grass to await his
coming: the little one, however, had no inclination to be so long
still, and her mamma, to please and keep her quiet, lifted her up, and
seated her on the bough of a tree which spread above their heads.
Rose immediately changed colour; her countenance, which a moment before
was tolerably cheerful, now became gloomy and sullen; she leaned her
cheek upon her hand, and her eyes followed them, expressing nothing but
discontent and jealousy.
Her mamma was not long before she perceived the angry glances thrown
upon her, and asked her, in a tone of displeasure, what they signified?
"I cannot help fearing," said Rose, "that you no longer love me, now
that you have another little girl. I remember, when you played with me
all day; I was then continually on your knee, and every thing you had
was brought out to amuse me; the servants also thought of nothing but
how to give me pleasure; but now I go neglected about the house, and
nobody minds me: it is true, I have every thing I want, and my papa and
you are always buying me toys and pretty things of one kind or another;
and I have often some of my little friends, whom you allow me to invite
to drink tea, and spend the afternoon with me; but----"
"But," interrupted her mamma, "I no longer take you upon my knee like a
baby, or carry you in my arms; nor have I strength sufficient to lift
you up, and place you upon the bough of a tree, to please and make you
quiet, as I have done by your little sister. You forget, I imagine, that
you are ten years old, and that if I were to treat you in the same
manner as I do a child of two, we should both be laughed at by every
creature who might happen to see us. Reflect, my dear Rose, and do not
suppose, that, because the helpless age of this little darling demands
more care and attention than is necessary to you--because, being her
nurse, I am obliged to have her often with me, when the company of
another would be troublesome and inconvenient to me--do not fancy, my
love, from these circumstances, that you are less beloved by either your
papa or myself; but that as you increase in years, we shall shew our
affection to you in a very different way to that in which we now do; as
at present we treat you much otherwise than we did when you were of the
age of your sister Harriet.
"I have long observed, with much uneasiness and concern, the fretfulness
and discontent you have exhibited in your countenance at every mark of
tenderness and care shewn to your sister. If you suffer this humour to
grow upon you, it will be observed by every body, and you will then, in
reality, be disliked and shunned by all your acquaintance, though at
present it is only in your own fancy that you are so. Recollect yourself
in time, re-assume your cheerfulness, assist me in taking care of this
sweet child, instead of being angry at the attention I shew her; and be
assured that we feel an equal affection towards you both, though we do
not think it proper to treat you, my dear Rose, as we do a baby of two
years old."