s o'er again," and recount
her experiences the day following a visit, for the delectation of the
household. Had there appeared in the camps a Philistine of notoriety,
then that Philistine must play his or her part again through the medium
of Dolly's own inimitable powers of description or representation; had
any little scene occurred possessing a spice of flavoring, or
illustrating any Philistine peculiarity, then Dolly was quite equal to
the task of putting it upon the family stage, and re-enacting it with
iniquitous seasonings and additions of her own. And yet the fun was
never of an ill-natured sort. When Dolly gave them a correct embodiment
of Lady Augusta in reception of her guests, with an accurate description
of the "great Copper-Boiler costume," the bursts of applause meant
nothing more than that Dolly's imitative gifts were in good condition,
and that the "great Copper-Boiler costume" was a success. Then, the
feminine mind being keenly alive to an interest in earthly vanities, an
enlargement on Philistine adornments was considered necessary, and Dolly
always rendered herself popular by a minute description of the reigning
fashions, as displayed by the Bilberry element. She found herself quite
repaid for the trouble of going into detail, by the unsophisticated
pleasure in Mollie's eyes alone, for to Mollie outward furnishings
seemed more than worthy of description and discussion.

Accordingly, the morning after Lady Augusta's _conversazione_, Dolly
gave herself up to the task of enlivening the household. It was Saturday
morning, fortunately, and on Saturday her visits to the Bilberry mansion
were dispensed with, so she was quite at liberty to seat herself by
the fire, with Tod in her arms, and recount the events of the evening.
Somehow or other, she had almost regarded him as a special charge
from the first. She had always been a favorite with him, as she was a
favorite with most children. She was just as natural and thoroughly at
home with Tod in her arms, or clambering over her feet, or clutching at
the trimmings of her dress, as she was under any other circumstances;
and when on this occasion Griffith came in at noon to hear the news, and
found her kneeling upon the carpet with outstretched hands teaching the
pretty little tottering fellow to walk, he felt her simply irresistible.

"Come to Aunt Dolly," she was saying. "Tod, come to Aunt Dolly." And
then she looked up laughing. "Look at him, Griffith," she sa