"

"Oh yes, that will be best," Elsie said, with cheerful acquiescence.

"I shall go now and get some worthy to honor the dead," said Meta,
starting off in the direction of the dell.

"Meta likes to show her independence," said Rosie, smiling; "we won't
wait for her."

They climbed the hill, pushed open the gate of the little enclosure and
passed in; very quietly, for their youthful spirits were subdued by the
solemn stillness of the place, and a feeling of awe crept over them at
thought of the dead whose dust lay sleeping there.

Silently they scattered the flowers over each lowly resting place,
reserving the most beautiful for that of her who was best known to them
all--the first who had borne the name of Elsie Dinsmore.

"Our dear grandma!" whispered Elsie and Eddie, softly.

"I can't help feeling as if she was some relation to me too," said
Rosie, "because she was my sister's mother, and papa's wife."

The breeze carried the words to the ear of Uncle Joe, who was at work on
the farther side of the enclosure, and had not till that moment been
aware of the vicinity of the young people.

He rose and came hobbling toward them, pulling off his hat and bowing
respectfully.

"Dat's so, Miss Rosie, ef you lubs de Lord, like she did, de dear young
Missus dat lays heyah; for don't de 'postle say ob de Lord's chillen dat
dey's all one in Christ Jesus? all one, Miss Rosie: heirs ob God and
joint heirs wid Christ."

"Yes, Uncle Joe, that is true."

"Ah, she was lubly an' lubbed de Master well," he went on, leaning upon
his staff and gazing fixedly at the name engraved on the stone, "She's
not dead, chillen: her soul's wid de Lord in dat land ob light an'
glory, an' de body planted heyah till de mornin' ob de resurrection."

"And then she will rise more beautiful than ever," said little Elsie.
"Mamma has told me about it. 'The dead in Christ shall rise first.'"

"Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord," repeated Rosie.

"Yes, Miss Rosie. Bressed hope." And Uncle Joe hobbled back to his work.

"Here, look at these!" said Meta hurrying up, heated and out of breath
with running, "Aren't they beauties?"

She emptied her apron upon the grave as she spoke, then pulled out her
handkerchief with a jerk, to wipe the perspiration from her face
Something fell against the tombstone with a ringing, metallic soun