rk for a young
lady! I am discouraged, Miss Charlotte."

Nursey never said "Miss Charlotte" except on the most solemn occasions,
so Lota knew that she was very vexed. She should have been cast down by
this, but somehow she was not.

"But _I'm_ not discouraged," she replied. "I'm not discouraged a bit!
And the birds aren't discouraged! They sang all the while I was waltzing
in the mud-puddle, Nursey; I heard 'em!"

Nursey gave it up. She loved Lady Bird dearly, and could not hear to
scold her or to have any one else do so. So she made haste to change
the unlucky frock and shoes, so that she should be neat and trim
whenever Grandmamma sent for her. I suppose this forbearance touched
Lota's heart, for at the last moment she turned, ran back, threw her
arms round Nursey's neck, and whispered, "I'm sorry, and I'll never
waltz in mud-puddles again." Nursey squeezed her hard by way of answer.
"Precious lamb!" she said, and Lota ran downstairs quite happy.

The lady whom Grandmamma drove out to see, had a little granddaughter
visiting her. Isabel Bernard was her name. She came from the city, and
was so beautifully dressed and so well-mannered, that Grandmamma took
quite a fancy to her, and invited her to spend a day with Lota.

"Charlotte will enjoy a young companion," said Grandmamma. So the next
day was fixed upon.

This was a very exciting event for the Bird family, who rarely had any
visitors except Lady Green, who did not count, being such a near
neighbor. Pocahontas wrote in her journal, "A grand lady is coming to
see Mamma. Me and all of us are going to have on our best frocks. I hope
she'll think us pretty;" and though Lota told her that little girls
ought not to mind about being pretty if only they obey their mammas and
are good, the sentiment was so natural that she really hadn't the heart
to scold the child much. The baby-house was swept and garnished for the
occasion, a fresh batch of rose-cakes was made, and a general air of
festivity pervaded the premises.

Lota hoped that Isabel would come early, soon after breakfast, so as to
have a longer day; but it was quite twelve o'clock before she made her
appearance, all alone by herself in a huge barouche, which made her seem
scarcely larger than a doll. She wore a fine frilled muslin frock over
blue silk, a white hat, and dainty lemon-colored boots. When Lota,
feeling shy at the spectacle of this magnificence, proposed going into
the garden, she hung back.

"A