oward them under the budding locust-boughs. Roman fever had
seemed to quicken and stimulate all Amy's powers, and she had grown very
fast during the past year. Her face was as frank and childlike as ever,
and her eyes as blue; but she was prettier than when she went to Europe,
for her cheeks were pink, and the mane of waving hair which framed them in
was very becoming. The hair was just long enough now to touch her
shoulders; it was turning brown as it lengthened, but the ends of the
locks still shone with childish gold, and caught the sun in little shining
rings as it filtered down through the tree branches.

She kissed Clover several times, and gave Katy a long, close hug; then
she produced a parcel daintily hid in silver paper.

"Tanta," she said,--this was a pet name lately invented for Katy,--"here
is something for you from mamma. It's something quite particular, I think,
for mamma cried when she was writing the note; not a hard cry, you know,
but just two little teeny-weeny tears in her eyes. She kept smiling,
though, and she looked happy, so I guess it isn't anything very bad. She
said I was to give it to you with her best, _best_ love."

Katy opened the parcel, and beheld a square veil of beautiful old blonde.
The note said:

This was my wedding-veil, dearest Katy, and my mother wore it
before me. It has been laid aside all these years with the idea
that perhaps Amy might want it some day; but instead I send it
to you, without whom there would be no Amy to wear this or
anything else. I think it would please Ned to see it on your
head, and I know it would make me very happy; but if you don't
feel like using it, don't mind for a moment saying so to

Your loving
POLLY.

[Illustration: "Katy opened the parcel, and beheld a square veil of
beautiful old blonde."]

Katy handed the note silently to Clover, and laid her face for a little
while among the soft folds of the lace, about which a faint odor of roses
hung like the breath of old-time and unforgotten loves and affections.

"Shall you?" queried Clover, softly.

"Why, of course! Doesn't it seem too sweet? Both our mothers!"

"There!" cried Amy, "you are going to cry too, Tanta! I thought weddings
were nice funny things. I never supposed they made people feel badly. I
sha'n't ever let Mabel get married, I think. But she'll have to stay a
little girl always in that case, for I certainly wo