ered; for she's so
pretty and graceful, and she's really very bright and entertaining when
she is pleased. But so much of the time she is displeased, and then
there's no doing anything with her."

"She's selfish, Patty," said her father; "and selfishness is just about
the worst fault in the catalogue. A selfish person cannot be happy. You
probably learned something to that effect from your early copybooks, but
it is none the less true."

"I know it, papa, and I do think that selfish ness is the worst fault
there is; and though I fight against it, do you know I sometimes think
that living here alone with you, and having my own way in everything, is
making me rather a selfish individual myself."

"I don't think you need worry about that," said a hearty voice, and
Kenneth Harper appeared at the veranda steps. "Pardon me, I wasn't
eavesdropping, but I couldn't help overhearing your last remark, and I
think it my duty to set your mind at rest on that score. Selfishness is
not your besetting sin, Miss Patty Fairfield, and I can't allow you to
libel yourself."

"I quite agree with you, Ken," said Mr. Fairfield. "My small daughter may
not be absolutely perfect, but selfishness is not one of her faults. At
least, that's the conclusion I've come to, after observing her pretty
carefully through her long and checkered career."

"Well, if I'm not selfish, I will certainly become vain if so many
compliments are heaped upon me," said Patty, laughing; "and I'm sure I
value very highly the opinions of two such wise men."

"Oh, say a man and a boy," said young Harper modestly.

"All right, I will," said Patty, "but I'm not sure which is which.
Sometimes I think papa more of a boy than you are, Ken."

"Now you've succeeded in complimenting us both at once," said Mr.
Fairfield, "which proves you clever as well as unselfish."

"Well, never mind me for the present," said Patty; "I want to talk about
some other people, and they are some more of my cousins."

"A commodity with which you seem to be well supplied," said Kenneth.

"Indeed I am; I have a large stock yet in reserve, and I think, papa,
that I'll ask Bob and Bumble to visit me for a few weeks."

"Do," said Mr. Fairfield, "if you would enjoy having them, but not
otherwise. You've just been through a siege of entertaining cousins, and
I think you deserve a vacation."

"Oh, but these are so different," said Patty. "Bob and Bumble are nothing
like the St. Clairs. They enjo