y Patterson, with her boyish air.

"It is very important," said Jim.

Mrs. Patterson did not laugh; she did not even smile. She sat down
beside Jim's bed and looked seriously at his eager, rapt, shamed little
boy-face on the pillow. "Well?" said she, after a minute which seemed
difficult to him.

Jim coughed. Then he spoke with a blurt. "Mother," said Jim, "by and by,
of course not quite yet, but by and by, will you have any objection to
Miss Lucy Rose as a daughter?"

Even then Sally Patterson did not laugh or even smile. "Are you thinking
of marrying her, Jim?" asked she, quite as if her son had been a man.

"Yes, mother," replied Jim. Then he flung up his little arms in pink
pajama sleeves, and Sally Patterson took his face between her two hands
and kissed him warmly.

"She is a darling, and your choice does you credit, Jim," said she. "Of
course you have said nothing to her yet?"

"I thought it was rather too soon."

"I really think you are very wise, Jim," said his mother. "It is too
soon to put such ideas into the poor child's head. She is younger than
you, isn't she, Jim?"

"She is just six months and three days younger," replied Jim, with
majesty.

"I thought so. Well, you know, Jim, it would just wear her all out,
as young as that, to be obliged to think about her trousseau and
housekeeping and going to school, too."

"I know it," said Jim, with a pleased air. "I thought I was right,
mother."

"Entirely right; and you, too, really ought to finish school, and take
up a profession or a business, before you say anything definite. You
would want a nice home for the dear little thing, you know that, Jim."

Jim stared at his mother out of his white pillow. "I thought I would
stay with you, and she would stay with her father until we were both
very much older," said he. "She has a nice home now, you know, mother."

Sally Patterson's mouth twitched a little, but she spoke quite gravely
and reasonably. "Yes, that is very true," said she; "still, I do think
you are wise to wait, Jim."

When Sally Patterson had left Jim, she looked in on the rector in his
study. "Our son is thinking seriously of marrying, Edward," said she.

The rector stared at her. She had shut the door, and she laughed.

"He is very discreet. He has consulted me as to my approval of her as
daughter and announced his intention to wait a little while."

The rector laughed; then he wrinkled his forehead uneasily. "I don't
like the l