e was to make those around her happy.
One thing she had often longed for was to have a companion of her own
age to live with her and be as a sister to her. Her parents often tried
to get such a one, but as yet difficulties had arisen which prevented
their doing so. The very morning of the concert, Ada had said, "O
mother, how pleasant it would be, when we are travelling about and
seeing so many beautiful places, to have some young girl with us who
would share our pleasure with us and help to cheer you and father when I
have one of my bad days and am fit for nothing." Then she added with a
smile, "Not that I would like it only for your sakes, but for my own as
well. It would be nice to have a sister companion to share my lessons
and duties with me, and bear with my grumbles when I am ill."

Adeline's grumbles were so seldom heard that her parents could not help
smiling at her words, though they acknowledged that her wish was a
natural one; but then, where was the suitable girl to be found?

"Ah! here we are at last," said Miss Drechsler, as she and Frida drove
up to the door of the villa where the Stanfords lived. "How lovely it
all is!" said Frida, who had been in ecstasies ever since she arrived in
Baden.

Everything was so new to her--not since her father's death had she been
in a large town; and her admiration as they drove along the streets
between the rows of beautiful trees was manifested by exclamations of
delight.

Once or twice something in the appearance of the shops struck her as
familiar. "Surely," she said, "I have seen these before, but where I
cannot tell. Ah! look at that large toy-shop. I know I have been there,
and some one who was with me bought me a cart to play with. I think it
must have been mamma, for I recollect that the purse she had in her hand
was like one that I often got from her to play with. Oh, I am sure I
have lived here before with father and mother!"

As they neared the villa, the "woodland child" became more silent, and
pressed closer to her friend's side.

"Ah! here they come," exclaimed Adeline Stanford, as followed by her
father and mother she ran downstairs to welcome the strangers. Miss
Drechsler they had seen before, but the appearance of the girl from the
Black Forest struck them much. They had expected to see a peasant child
(for Herr Mueller had told them nothing of her history nor spoken of
her appearance), and when Frida had removed her hat and stood beside
them in t