58 THE DOLL AND HER FRIENDS.

your pleasures, or injuring your property. You
would think it very ill-natured, for instance, if she
threw away that heap of nuts which you have
hoarded like a squirrel on your shelf of the closet.”

“ Nuts are not nonsense like dolls,” said he.
“ Besides, she may have as many of mine as she
likes. I tried to make her eat some yesterday.”

“ Yes, and half choked her by poking them into
her mouth, when she told you she did not want
them. She cares no more for nuts than you for
dolls. You would think it no kindness if she teazed
you to nurse her doll.”

“T should think not, indeed,” answered Geoffrey,
indignant at the very idea.

“Of course not. Kindness ig not-shewn by
forcing our own pleasures down other people’s
throats, but by trying to promote theirs. That is
really doing as we would be done by.” .

“ But doing as we would be done by is one’s
duty,” said Geoffrey.

“T fear it is a duty of which you seldom think,”
replied his cousin,

“Why, one can’t be thinking of duty in those
kind of things,” answered he.

“Why not?” asked Margaret.

“ Because they are such trifles; duties are great
thing's,”