writin' down with her
lead-pencil the beautifullest ideas that ever was,--all about that
rainbow. In the evening, when her Pa come, I just up and showed it to
him, an' he says, says he, 'Them's the grandest thoughts I ever see put
to paper!'"

"Ah!" said Mr. Reed, with an expression of hearty interest and amusement
on his honest face, yet evidently ready to take advantage of the first
opportunity to go on his way.

"Yes, indeed," promptly assented Mrs. Danby, "and she ain't all. Our
children, if I _do_ say it, seem to have more brains than they've a fair
right to--bein' poor folks' children, as you may say. It don't tire 'em
one bit to learn: their Pa says every study they tackle gets the worst
of it,--they use it up, so to speak. I dreamed th' other night I see the
four English branches, 'rithmetic, writin', readin', and hist'ry,
standin' exhausted, waiting for them children to get through with them.
But I see you're shifting yourself, sir, for going, and I ought to be
ashamed to detain you this way clacking about my own flesh and blood.
I've been poorly lately, I didn't tell you, Mr. Reed" (looking at him
plaintively).

"No; indeed, I'm very sorry to hear it," said Mr. Reed, sympathetically.
"Nothing serious, I hope?"

"Oh, no. One o' my billerous attacks; the spine o' my back seemed to
give out somehow, and I was dreadful bad for a couple o' days. But my
Thomas an' the children--bless their hearts!--got me up again. _You're_
looking well, Mr. Reed. Good-morning, sir--good-morning!--(Sakes! he
went off so sudden I forgot)."

And thus exclaiming to herself, the dear old talker went back into the
house.

[Illustration: MRS. DANBY'S DREAM: THE FOUR ENGLISH BRANCHES.]

"Forgot what, Ma?" asked Amanda, who stood in the doorway trying to
think of a rhyme for olives.

"Why, to tell Mr. Reed about that queer kind of a man, who's just
engaged to lodge with us. I don't feel like trustin' him somehow, and
yet it isn't for plain folks to be refusing a real boarder who wants a
plain family-table, and don't put on any airs. I told him," she
continued, going farther into the house, and raising her voice as she
increased the distance between herself and Amanda, "that if ours wasn't
a family table (with ten children setting 'round it, includin' the baby,
and Mr. Danby at the head), I didn't know what was. But he's to come
back in an hour or two. Where in the world to tuck him is the question.
Anyhow, you'd better go up, de