, we shall all miss
him very much. My old father doesn't say much about it, but I can see
he's very downhearted."

Mrs. Sullivan now informed Emily that a cousin of hers, a farmer's wife,
living about twenty miles from Boston, had invited them all to pass a
week or two with her at the farm; and, as Willie was now to enjoy his
usual summer vacation, they proposed accepting the invitation. She spoke
of Gertrude's accompanying them, and enlarged upon the advantage it
would be to her to breathe the country air, and ramble about the fields
and woods, after all the fatigue and confinement she had endured.

Emily, finding that Gertrude would be a welcome guest, cordially
approved of the visit, and also arranged with Mrs. Sullivan that she
should remain under her care until Mr. Graham removed to Boston for the
winter. She was then obliged to leave, without waiting for Gertrude's
return, though she left many a kind message for her, and placed in Mrs.
Sullivan's hands a sufficient sum of money to provide for all her
wants.

Gertrude went into the country, and abundance of novelty, country fare,
healthful exercise, and kindness and sympathy, brought the colour into
her cheek, and calmness and happiness into her heart. Soon after the
Sullivan's return from their excursion, the Grahams removed to the city,
and Gertrude had now been with them about a week. "Are you still
standing at the window, Gertrude. What are you doing, dear?"

"I'm watching to see the lamps lit, Miss Emily."

"But they will not be lit at all. The moon will rise at eight o'clock,
and light the streets sufficiently for the rest of the night."

"I don't mean the street-lamps."

"What do you mean, my child?" said Emily, coming towards the window, and
lightly resting a hand on Gertrude's shoulders.

"I mean the stars, dear Miss Emily. Oh, how I wish you could see them,
too!"

"Are they very bright?"

"O, they are beautiful! and there are so many! The sky is as full as it
can be."

"How well I remember when I used to stand at this very window, and look
at them as you are doing now! It seems to me as if I saw them this
moment, I know so well how they look."

"I love the stars--all of them," said Gertrude; "but my own star I love
the best."

"Which do you call yours?"

"That splendid one over the church-steeple; it shines into my room every
night, and looks me in the face. Miss Emily (and she spoke in a
whisper), it seems to me as if that star were li