138 THE COUSINS.

attention ; to think of the display she was making
of her dress, and looks, and gait in her walks, that
it was now well nigh impossible for her to regard
these walks in any other light than as mortifying
exhibitions of her infirmity. Mr. Lovett was
unwilling to trust Lucy to the care of any other
person in her first efforts at using her crutches
on the pavements, and one morning, soon after
their arrival in the city, he said cheerfully to
her, ‘‘Come, my daughter, you cannot have a
pleasanter day for beginning your walks. Put
on your cloak and bonnet, and I will go with you.”

Lucy turned qzite pale, and remained per-
fectly still for a minute or two. Then, putting
out her hand for her crutch, she seemed about
to rise from her chair, but again, as if the effort
were too great for her, she fell back, and, cover-
ing her face with her hands, burst into tears.
Mr. Lovett did not attempt to check her weeping,
but, when her sobs began to abate, he said gently,
“Tt will be painful, I know, at first, my child,
but it will soon become easy.”’

“Oh, father! father! I cannot go; everybody
will laugh at me.”