THERE WAS A CHILD WENT FORTH EVERY DAY 85 



The mother's pale blue eyes were fixed in comfortable contem- 

 plation on the hat of the woman in the next seat. The eyes 

 of the child were pressed to the window-pane, gazing with 

 wide-open wonder at the passing scene. 



Suddenly she turned to her mother with a little cry of joy : 



" Oh, mother, mother, look at the beautiful blue flowers ! 

 Look, look, mother; what are they?" 



As her mother apparently did not hear, the child turned 

 back and craned her head to gaze once more at the blossoms, 

 now left far behind. But there were many more things to 

 hold her gaze, as the train rushed forward past trees and 

 paddocks : every few yards brought some fresh wonder to the 

 childish eyes; and ever and ever again she turned to her 

 mother with an eager little cry : 



" Oh, mother, look at those big birds ! What are they, 

 mother?" Or else, "Mother, why are those sheep shut up in 

 that paddock?" Or again, "What are those men going to do 

 with that wood, mother?" 



But whatever the question, however loud the voice and 

 eager the tone, the mother's eyes remained fixed in the same 

 placid contemplation of the hats in front of her. Either she 

 did not hear her little daughter's questions, or hearing, would 

 not heed. 



At last, as if realising the hopelessness of response, the 

 little girl ceased her questions ; but, glueing her eyes more 

 closely to the pane, she gazed out at the passing scene, every 



