Lottie

           IfSarahadbeenadifferentkindofchild,thelifesheledatMissMinchin’sSelectSeminaryforthenextfewyearswouldnothavebeenatallgoodforher.Shewastreatedmoreasifshewereadistinguishedguestattheestablishmentthanasifshewereamerelittlegirl.Ifshehadbeenaself-opinionated,domineeringchild,shemighthavebecomedisagreeableenoughtobeunbearablethroughbeingsomuchindulgedandflattered.Ifshehadbeenanindolentchild,shewouldhavelearnednothing.PrivatelyMissMinchindislikedher,butshewasfartooworldlyawomantodoorsayanythingwhichmightmakesuchadesirablepupilwishtoleaveherschool.SheknewquitewellthatifSarawrotetoherpapatotellhimshewasuncomfortableorunhappy,CaptainCrewewouldremoveheratonce.MissMinchin’sopinionwasthatifachildwerecontinuallypraisedandneverforbiddentodowhatsheliked,shewouldbesuretobefondoftheplacewhereshewassotreated.Accordingly,Sarawaspraisedforherquicknessatherlessons,forhergoodmanners,forheramiabilitytoherfellowpupils,forhergenerosityifshegavesixpencetoabeggaroutofherfulllittlepurse;thesimplestthingshedidwastreatedasifitwereavirtue,andifshehadnothadadispositionandacleverlittlebrain,shemighthavebeenaveryself-satisfiedyoungperson.Butthecleverlittlebraintoldheragreatmanysensibleandtruethingsaboutherselfandhercircumstances,andnowandthenshetalkedthesethingsovertoErmengardeastimewenton.

           "Thingshappentopeoplebyaccident,"sheusedtosay."Alotofniceaccidentshavehappenedtome.ItjustHAPPENEDthatIalwayslikedlessonsandbooks,andcouldrememberthingswhenIlearnedthem.ItjusthappenedthatIwasbornwithafatherwhowasbeautifulandniceandclever,andcouldgivemeeverythingIliked.PerhapsIhavenotreallyagoodtemperatall,butifyouhaveeverythingyouwantandeveryoneiskindtoyou,howcanyouhelpbutbegood-tempered?