ccompany her thus far. It was a sad day
when she left us, for she was a universal favorite. Sally cried, I
cried, and Bill either cried or made believe, for he very
industriously wiped his eyes and nasal organ on his shirt sleeves:
besides that, things went on wrong side up generally. Grandma was
cross--Sally was cross--and the school-teacher was cross; the bucket
fell into the well, and the cows got into the corn. I got called up at
school and set with some hateful boys, one of whom amused himself by
pricking me with a pin, and when, in self-defense, I gave him a good
pinch, he actually yelled out: "She keeps a-pinchin' me!" On the
whole, 'twas a dreadful day, and when at night I threw myself
exhausted upon my little bed I cried myself to sleep, thinking of
Cousin Emma and wishing she would come back.

CHAPTER VI.

MIKE AND SALLY.

I have spoken of Sally, but have said nothing of Mike, whom, of all my
father's hired men, I liked the best. He it was who made the best
cornstalk fiddles, and whittled out the shrillest whistles with which
to drive grandma "ravin' distracted." He, too, it was who, on cold
winter mornings, carried Lizzie to school in his arms, making me
forget how my fingers ached, by telling some exploit of _his_
schooldays.

I do not wonder that Sally liked him, and I always had an idea how
that liking would end, but did not think it would be so soon.
Consequently I suspected nothing when Sally's white dress was bleached
on the grass in the clothesyard for nearly a week. One day Billy came
to me with a face full of wonder, saying he had just overheard Mike
tell one of the men that he and Sally were going to be married in a
few weeks.

I knew now what all that bleaching was for, and why Sally bought so
much cotton lace of pedlers. I was in ecstasies, too, for I had never
seen anyone married, but regretted the circumstance, whatever it might
have been, which prevented me from being present at mother's marriage.
Like many other children I have been deceived into the belief that the
marriage ceremony consisted mainly in leaping the broomstick, and by
myself I had frequently tried the experiment, delighted to find that I
could jump it at almost any distance from the ground; but I had some
misgivings as to Sally's ability to clear the stick, for she was
rather clumsy; however, I should see the fun, for they were to be
married at our house.

A week before the time appointed mother was taken very