his very own. Now was a chance for Mrs Juno to keep
her word; and she did, speaking cheerily of Emil, even when hope waxed
faint and her heart was heavy. If anything could comfort the Bhaers for
the loss of one boy, it would have been the affection and sorrow shown
by all the rest. Franz kept the cable busy with his varying messages,
Nat sent loving letters from Leipzig, and Tom harassed the shipping
agents for news. Even busy Jack wrote them with unusual warmth; Dolly
and George came often, bearing the loveliest flowers and the
daintiest bon-bons to cheer Mrs Bhaer and sweeten Josie's grief; while
good-hearted Ned travelled all the way from Chicago to press their hands
and say, with a tear in his eye: 'I was so anxious to hear all about the
dear old boy, I couldn't keep away.'

'That's right comfortable, and shows me that if I didn't teach my boys
anything else, I did give them the brotherly love that will make them
stand by one another all their lives,' said Mrs Jo, when he had gone.

Rob answered reams of sympathizing letters, which showed how many
friends they had; and the kindly praises of the lost man would have
made Emil a hero and a saint, had they all been true. The elders bore
it quietly, having learned submission in life's hard school; but the
younger people rebelled; some hoped against hope and kept up, others
despaired at once, and little Josie, Emil's pet cousin and playmate, was
so broken-hearted nothing could comfort her. Nan dosed in vain, Daisy's
cheerful words went by like the wind, and Bess's devices to amuse her
all failed utterly. To cry in mother's arms and talk about the wreck,
which haunted her even in her sleep, was all she cared to do; and Mrs
Meg was getting anxious when Miss Cameron sent Josie a kind note bidding
her learn bravely her first lesson in real tragedy, and be like the
self-sacrificing heroines she loved to act. That did the little girl
good, and she made an effort in which Teddy and Octoo helped her much;
for the boy was deeply impressed by this sudden eclipse of the firefly
whose light and life all missed when they were gone, and lured her out
every day for long drives behind the black mare, who shook her silvery
bells till they made such merry music Josie could not help listening to
it, and whisked her over the snowy roads at a pace which set the blood
dancing in her veins and sent her home strengthened and comforted by
sunshine, fresh air, and congenial society--three aids yo