“Fine feeling and I shook hands long ago,” said Miss Burt, rapidly. “Deep feeling is quite another thing; and does not betray itself in words. Deep feeling leads to action—fine feeling to inaction; deep feeling is excited for others—fine feeling thinks of itself; deep feeling says, “‘Life is real, life is earnest’— fine feeling is ready to lie down and die; deep feeling is a fine, manly fellow—fine feeling is a poor, puling creature.” “Very good,” said I, hardly knowing whether to laugh or cry; for it really was clever, only I knew it was all meant for a hit at myself. “Very good, only you won’t let it do you good, hey?” said Miss Burt. “‘Excellent soup for the poor.’ You think the cap would fit Mrs. A. or Mrs. B. very well.” “No, I was not thinking of Mrs. A., B., or C.” “You were not, were you, _Mrs. C._?” laughing. “No; that’s just what I thought. “‘General observation, Without self-application,’ does little good that I know of. _My_ plan always is to take a thing home.” “But, my dear Miss Burt, I laid no claim to deep feeling, that I can remember; and surely you have hardly cause to charge me so _very_ plainly with fine feeling.” “Now don’t get warm! There’s nothing that hurts me so much as to see anything I have meant kindly, taken quite amiss. _Do_ keep your temper. I assure you I came into this house prepared for nothing but kind words.” “And I am sure I have spoken no unkind ones,” said I, the tears rolling down my cheeks. “Now you’ve upset yourself. This church-going has been too much for you. Why didn’t you lie down the minute you came in?” “I was going to do so, but——” “Why didn’t you lie down? You should have lain down directly. Phillis should have _made_ you do so, and then have brought you a glass of jelly, or a little good broth. Phillis was to blame for not having it all ready for you against your return, without your knowing anything about it. I shall speak to her.” “Oh, pray don’t! Phillis’s place is to obey orders, and not to prepare surprises. Surely I can direct her what I shall like her to prepare, myself.” “You are now making a matter of temper of it. I shall say not a word. I am quite calm, but I feel I’d better go. If anything _does_ make me feel irritable, it is to see.... Well, well, I will look in another time, when I hope we shall be in better tune. I’m sure I had not an idea!—Good-by; good-by!” As soon as I heard the little gate slam, I had a hearty cry. Mr. Cheerlove used to speak of people making a storm in a saucer, and surely this had been one, if ever there was such a thing. On first coming in, my intention had been to lie down and rest quietly till Phillis brought me a little arrow-root; but I had scarcely untied my bonnet-strings when Miss Burt came in. _Had_ I had time to recover myself, I should not have been so weak as to let her upset me; but, as the matter stood, she had done so completely, and I felt utterly unable to resist shedding tears.