60 THE DOLL AND HER FRIENDS.

small. By degrees the conversation turned upon
matters far too solemn to be repeated by a mere
plaything like myself; but I thought, as I heard
her, that it might be better to be a poor wooden
figure which could do neither right nor wrong’, than
a human being who neglected his appointed duties.
Geoffrey said little, but he shook hands with
Margaret when she had finished speaking, and I
noticed from that day forward a gradual improve-
ment in his conduct. Bad habits are not cured in
a minute, and he did not become all at once as
gentle and considerate as Willy, nor as kind and
helpful as Edward ; but he put himself in the right
road, and seemed in a fair way of overtaking’ them
in due time. He at once left off active mischief :
and if he could not avoid being occasionally trouble-
some, he at any rate cured himself of teazing people
on purpose. And it was remarkable how many
employments he found as soon as his mind was
disengaged from mischief. Instead of his dawdling:
about all the morning calling things stupid, and say-
ing he had nothing to do, all manner of pleasant
occupations seemed to start up in his path, as if
made to order for him, now that he had time to
attend to them. When he relinquished the plea-
sure of spoiling things, he acquired the far greater
pleasure of learning to make them. When Edward