yeing her bare feet
while she tried in vain to think of some way out of the dilemma. She had
told Carrie that she always called her brother his full name. What could
she do but prove it?

Carrie's voice interrupted her meditations. "Don't you hate to speak
before people--I mean, speak pieces? It always scares me so I forget
half of my verses and then papa is so disappointed. Mamma always says,
'Never mind, dearie,

'If at first you don't succeed,
Try, try again.'

So I keep on trying and maybe some day I can remember them all right."

"Oh, I just love to speak!" Tabitha cried. "I've just learned _Barbara
Fritchie_, and it is _grand_!

"'who touches a hair in yon gray head
Dies like a dog! March on!' he said."

Carrie clapped her hands. "Oh, say the whole of it, Theodora Gabrielle,
please!"

So Tabitha flew to the top of the rock from which she had been surveying
the waste of desert when Carrie had first put in appearance, and with
ringing voice declaimed the stirring words to her admiring audience.

That was the beginning of the first real friendship poor Tabitha had
ever known, and the world that opened before her was a beautiful
fairyland. The Carson home was so unlike her own that unconsciously she
held her breath whenever she entered the big house where the
superintendent of the Silver Legion Mines lived, fearing that she might
wake up and find it after all only a dream--the sweet-faced mother who
kissed little Carrie every day, the smiling, genial father who always
had some pretty gift in his pocket for his only child, the dainty
furnishings of the big house which seemed so gorgeously splendid to the
neglected girl, and particularly the wonderful toys and story-books that
belonged to the flaxen-haired fairy who opened the door of this
wonderland for her to enter.

Having never known a mother's love herself, Tabitha regarded dainty
Mrs. Carson with a feeling of awe which deepened into worship as the
acquaintance progressed, but proved to be a great barrier between them
for a long time. She spoke of her in a hushed voice, treasured every
smile as if it had been some precious gem, and hungered for the caresses
so freely bestowed upon little Carrie, but feared to approach near
enough this beautiful goddess to receive them herself.

Mr. Carson she could understand better. He was another Tom grown up,
only where Tom was silent and shy, this man was jolly and friendly. He
laughed a gr