But the reproaches produced no effect.
"The first thing that I have to do," said Mary to herself, in observing this state of things, "is to teach the children to obey--at least to obey _me_.

I will give them their first lesson at once." _Mary makes a Beginning_.
So she proposed to them to go out with her into the garden and show her the flowers, adding that if they would do so she would make each of them a bouquet.

She could make them some very pretty bouquets, she said, provided they would help her, and would follow her directions and obey her implicitly while gathering and arranging the flowers.
This the children promised to do, and Mary went with them into the garden.
There, as she passed about from border to border, she gave them a great many different directions in respect to things which they were to do, or which they were not to do.

She gathered flowers, and gave some to one child, and some to the other, to be held and carried--with special instructions in respect to many details, such as directing some flowers to be put together, and others to be kept separate, and specifying in what manner they were to be held or carried.

Then she led them to a bower where there was a long seat, and explained to them how they were to lay the flowers in order upon the seat, and directed them to be very careful not to touch them after they were once laid down.