ision,--little Rose, costumed as a Cupid or a
carrier-pigeon, no one knew exactly which, with a pair of large white
wings fastened on her shoulders, and dragging behind her by a loop of
ribbon a sizeable basket quite full of parcels.

Straight toward Katy she went, and with her small hands behind her back
and her blue eyes fixed full on Katy's face, repeated with the utmost
solemnity the following "poem:"

"I'm a messender, you see,
Fwom Hymen's Expwess Tumpany.
All these little bundles are
For my Aunty Taty Tarr;
If she knows wot's dood for her
She will tiss the messender."

[Illustration:

"I'm a messender, you see,
Fwom Hymen's Expwess Tumpany."]

"You sweet thing!" cried Katy, "tissing the messender" with all her heart.
"I never heard such a dear little poem. Did you write it yourself,
Roslein?"

"No. Mamma wote it, but she teached it to me so I tould say it."

The bundles of course contained wedding gifts. Rose seemed to have brought
her trunk full of them. There were a pretty pair of salt-cellars from Mrs.
Redding, a charming paper-knife of silver, with an antique coin set in the
handle, from Sylvia, a hand-mirror mounted in brass from Esther Dearborn,
a long towel with fringed and embroidered ends from Ellen Gray, and from
dear old Mrs. Redding a beautiful lace-pin set with a moonstone. Next came
a little _repousse_ pitcher marked, "With love from Mary Silver," then a
parcel tied with pink ribbons, containing a card-case of Japanese leather,
which was little Rose's gift, and last of all Rose's own present, a
delightful case full of ivory brushes and combs. Altogether never was such
a satisfactory "fardel" brought by Hymen's or any other express company
before; and in opening the packages, reading the notes that came with them
and exclaiming and admiring, time flew so fast that Rose quite forgot the
hour, till little Rose, growing sleepy, reminded her of it by saying,--

"Mamma, I dess I'd better do to bed now, betause if I don't I shall be too
seepy to turn to Aunt Taty's wedding to-mowwow."

"Dear me!" cried Rose, catching the child up. "This is simply dreadful!
what a mother I am! Things _are_ come to a pass indeed, if babes and
sucklings have to ask to be put to bed. Baby, you ought to have been
christened Nathan the Wise."

She disappeared with Roslein's drowsy eyes looking over her shoulder.

Next afternoon came Ned, and with him, to Katy's surprise