e boy she was thinking of. So proud of him
too, she was, and so full of bright, motherly thoughts of the man he
would make, "one of these days, when he gets his growth."

There must have been a good deal of sympathy between Dab and his mother;
for by and by, just as she began to feel drowsy, and muttered, "Well,
well, we'll have a talk about it to-morrow," Dab found himself nodding
against the window-frame, and slowly rose from his chair, remarking,--

"Guess I might as well finish that dream in bed. If I'd tumbled out o'
the window I'd have lit among Miranda's rose-bushes. They've got their
thorns all out at this time o' night."

It was necessary for them both to sleep hard, after that; for more than
half the night was gone, and they were to be up early. So indeed they
were; but what surprised Mrs. Kinzer when she went into the kitchen was
to find Miranda there before her.

"You here, my dear? That's right. I'll take a look at the milk-room.
Where's Ham?"

"Out among the stock. Dab's just gone to him."

Curious things people will do at times. Miranda had put down the
coffee-pot on the range. There was not a single one of the farm "help"
around, male or female; and there stood the blooming young bride, with
her back toward her mother, and staring out through the open door. And
then Mrs. Kinzer slipped forward, and put her arms around her daughter's
neck.

Well, it was very early in the morning for those two women to stand
there and cry; but it seemed to do them good, and Miranda remarked at
last, as she kissed her mother,--

"O mother, it is all so good and beautiful, and I'm so happy!"

And then they both laughed, in a subdued and quiet way; and Miranda
picked up the coffee-pot while Mrs. Kinzer walked away into the
milk-room. Such cream as there seemed to be on all the pans that
morning!

As for Ham Morris, his first visit on leaving the house had been to the
relics of the old barn, as a matter of course.

"Not much of a loss," he said to himself; "but it might have been, but
for Dab. There's the making of a man in him. Wonder if he'd get enough
to eat, if we sent him up yonder? On the whole, I think he would. If he
didn't, I don't believe it would be his fault. He's got to go; and his
mother'll agree to it, I know. Talk about mothers-in-law! If one of
'em's worth as much as she is, I'd like to have a dozen. Don't know
'bout that, though. I'm afraid the rest would have to take back seats as
long as Mrs.