but it is a woman 's danger to be petty and mean , and step - mothers are proverbial all the world over , and this one 's heart was not as her first smiles were . as the days and weeks grew into months , the step - mother began to treat the motherless girl unkindly and to try and come between the father and child . sometimes she went to her husband and complained of her step - daughter 's behavior , but the father knowing that this was to be expected , took no notice of her ill - natured complaints . instead of lessening his affection for his daughter , as the woman desired , her grumblings only made him think of her the more . the woman soon saw that he began to show more concern for his lonely child than before . this did not please her at all , and she began to turn over in her mind how she could , by some means or other , drive her step - child out of the house . so crooked did the woman 's heart become . the girl had for a long time past been very unhappy . she had tried by amiability and obedience to show her goodwill and to mollify the new wife , and to break down that wall of prejudice and misunderstanding that she knew generally stood between step - parents and their step - children . but she soon found that her efforts were in vain . the step - mother never trusted her , and seemed to misinterpret all her actions , and the poor child knew very well that she often carried unkind and untrue tales to her father . she could not help comparing her present unhappy condition with the time when her own mother was alive only a little more than a year ago - so great a change in this short time ! morning and evening she wept over the remembrance . whenever she could she went to her room , and sliding the screens to , took out the mirror and gazed , as she thought , at her mother 's face . it was the only comfort that she had in these wretched days . her father found her occupied in this way . pushing aside the fusama , he saw her bending over something or other very intently . looking over her shoulder , to see who was entering her room , the girl was surprised to see her father , for he generally sent for her when he wished to speak to her . she was also confused at being found looking at the mirror , for she had never told any one of her mother 's last promise , but had kept it as the sacred secret of her heart . so before turning to her father she slipped the mirror into her long sleeve . her father noting her confusion , and her act of hiding something , said in a severe manner : " daughter , what are you doing here ? and what is that that you have hidden in your sleeve ? " 
the step - mother treated her poorly .
why had the girl been unhappy for a long time ?
why had the girl been unhappy for a long time ?