ious darling!" she murmured softly. "I am so rejoiced,
so thankful, to see her looking almost herself again!"

"As we are," said Violet, in low, tremulous tones. "Her father is
extremely fond of her, mamma, as he is of all his children. I think he
has no favorite among them, but loves each one devotedly."

"As I do mine," Elsie responded, a bright, sweet smile lighting up her
face. "I love you, my Vi, and all your brothers and sisters, very
dearly,--each with a love differing somewhat in kind from that given to
the others, but not at all in intensity."

They lingered a moment longer, watching the young sleeper: then with a
parting injunction to the nurse to be very careful of her, not leaving
her alone for an instant, they went down-stairs again, and rejoined the
rest of the company.

Everybody had come, the last party of children just descended from the
inspection of the rooms of Max and his sisters.

"Now, have we seen positively every thing?" asked Rosie Travilla.

"Why, no!" cried Max, as with sudden recollection. Then hurrying to his
father, who was talking on the other side of the room to Dr. Conly, and
Mr. Horace Dinsmore of the Oaks, he stood waiting respectfully for an
opportunity to speak.

The gentlemen paused in their conversations and the captain asked, "What
is it, my son?"

"We haven't shown the workroom or the playroom, papa."

"Ah, sure enough! We must have them lighted first. Send Scipio out to
put a lamp in each. Then the ladies' wraps will have to be brought down,
for they would be in danger of taking cold going even that short
distance without."

"I'll attend to it all, sir," Max rejoined with cheerful alacrity, and
hastened away to do so.

In a few minutes all was in readiness.

Max, announcing the fact to his father, and the company in general, said
dubiously, "I'm afraid we can't go all at once: the rooms aren't big
enough to take in so many."

"So we will go in divisions," said Mr. Dinsmore. "There are thirty of
us--not counting the Woodburn family proper: we will make five
divisions, six in each, in addition to the guide and exhibiter. Does
everybody consent?"

"Yes, yes," was heard on every side.

Then ensued a merry time forming the divisions, and deciding the order
of precedence; for every one was in mirthful mood.

It was all settled at last. The visits of inspection were made:
everybody agreed in praising all they saw, and congratulating Max and
his sisters on the good