e you going to keep your canaries Fred?" asked his sister.

"In the cage," said Fred, shortly and tartly.

"Yes; but in what room?"

"In my bed-room," said Fred.

"Oh, I dare say! will you though?" said John, who as he shared his
brother's apartment had some right to have a voice in the matter. "I am
not going to be woke at daylight every morning by your canaries. And
such an unwholesome plan; I am sure papa and mamma won't let you. What a
pity you bought the birds! you can't keep them in our small house. Get
off your bargain, I would if I were you. Besides, who will take care of
them all the week? they will want feeding other days besides Saturdays,
I suppose."

Fred looked annoyed, and dropped behind the party. Edith whispered to
Emilie, "Go you on with John, I want to talk to Fred."

"Fred, dear," said she, "will you keep your birds in my little room,
where my old toys are? I will clear a place, and I shan't mind their
singing, _do_ Fred. I have often hindered your pleasures, now let me
have the comfort of making it up a little to you, and I will feed them
and clean them while you are at school in the week."

"You may change your mind Edith, and you know if my birds are in your
room, I shall have to be there a good deal; and they will make a rare
noise sometimes, and some one must take care of them all the week--I can
only attend to them on Saturdays, you know."

"Yes, I have been thinking of all that, and I expect I shall sometimes
_wish_ to change my mind, but I shall not do it. I am very selfish I
know, but I mean to try to be better, Fred. Take my little room, do."

Fred was a proud boy, and would rather have had to thank any one than
Edith just then; but nevertheless he accepted her offer, and thanked his
little sister, though not quite so kindly as he might have done, and
that is the truth. There is a grace in accepting as well as in giving.
Edith had given up what she had much prized, the independence of a
little room, (it was but a little one,) a little room all to herself;
but she did so because she felt love springing up in her heart. She
acted in obedience to the dictates of the law of kindness, and she felt
lighter and happier than she had done for a long time. Fred was by
degrees quite cheered, and amused his companions by his droll talk for
some way. Spying, however, one of his school-fellows on the rocks at a
distance, he and John, joined him abruptly, and thus Emilie and Edith
were left alon