"More love, Susanna!" Martha replied cheerily. "You heard our Shaker greeting,
I see! It was the beautiful weather, the fine air and glorious colors, that
brought the inspiration this morning, I guess! It took us all out of doors,
and then it seemed to get into the blood. Besides, tomorrow's the Day of
Sacrifice, and that takes us all on to the mountaintops of feeling. There have
been times when I had to own up to a lack of love."
"You, Martha, who have such wonderful influence over the children, such
patience, such affection!"
"It was n't always so. When I was first put in charge of the children, I did
n't like the work. They did n't respond to me somehow, and when they were out
of my sight they were ugly and disobedient. My natural mother, Maria Holmes,
took care of the girls' clothing. One day she said to me, 'Martha, do you love
the girls?'
"'Some of them are very unlovely,' I replied.
"'I know that,' she said, 'but you can never help them unless you love them.'
"I thought mother very critical, for I strove scrupulously to do my duty. A
few days after this the Elder said to me: 'Martha, do you love the girls?' I
responded, 'Not very much.'
"'You cannot save them unless you love them,' he said.
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