on the packet! I wished and wished for you.

BETTY."

Dinner-time was very pleasant, and Aunt Mary, who first appeared then,
was most kind and cheerful; but both the ladies took naps, after dinner
was over and they had read their letters, so Betty went to her own room,
meaning to put away her belongings; but Letty had done this beforehand,
and the large room looked very comfortable and orderly. Aunt Barbara had
smiled when another protest was timidly offered about the best bedroom,
and told Betty that it was pleasant to have her just across the hall. "I
am well used to my housekeeping cares," added Aunt Barbara, with a funny
look across the table at her young niece; and Betty thought again, how
much she liked this grandaunt.

The house was very quiet and she did not know exactly what to do, so she
looked about the guest-chamber.

There were some quaint-looking silhouettes on the walls of the room, and
in a deep oval frame a fine sort of ornament which seemed to be made of
beautiful grasses and leaves, all covered with glistening crystals. The
dust had crept in a little at one side. Betty remembered it well, and
always thought it very interesting. Then there were two old engravings
of Angelica Kauffmann and Madame Le Brun. Nothing pleased her so much,
however, as papa's bright little shawl. It looked brighter than ever,
and Letty had folded it and left it on the old chair.

Just then there came a timid rap or two with the old knocker on the
hall-door. It was early for visitors, and the aunts were both in their
rooms. Betty went out to see what could be done about so exciting a
thing, and met quick-footed Letty, who had been close at hand in the
dining-room.

"'Tis Miss Mary Beck come to call upon you, Miss Betty," said Letty,
with an air of high festivity, and Betty went quickly downstairs. She
was brimful of gladness to see Mary Beck, and went straight toward her
in the shaded parlor to kiss her and tell her so.

Mary Beck was sitting on the edge of a chair, and was dressed as if she
were going to church, with a pair of tight shiny best gloves on and
shiny new boots, which hurt her feet if Betty had only known it. She
wore a hat that looked too small for her head, and had a queer, long,
waving bird-of-paradise feather in it, and a dress that was much too old
for her, and of a cold, smooth, gray color, trimmed with a shade of
satin that neither matched it nor