he talking."

This ingenuous manner of speech, perhaps a trifle oldish in its way for
a wee lassie of less than eight, acted like magic upon the heart of the
desolate boy, who had known no home ever since his mother passed over to
the Far Beyond; he then and there mentally vowed that he would settle
this business before he turned in that night; and it was already a
foregone conclusion as to what his decision must be--he could not bear
the thought that he would never see this little fairy again.

"I'll think of it, Jessie--you'll let me call you cousin, won't you?" he
said.

"Why, of course; we are cousins, ain't we? And you must be sure to say
you'll stay, because I know grandpapa wants you; he told me so. He is
getting old, and we worries a lot about me, just as if anybody would
want to run away with a poor little child like me; but I heard him say
that if Owen was only here to be with me he'd feel so much more
contented. So you see you must stay, because grandpapa wants you to, and
I want you ever so much, and dolly--don't hold dolly that way, boy. All
the blood will run to her head, poor thing. I'll show you how you must
do it," and like a wise little mother she took the imperiled one in her
arms, held her close to her heart and began crooning so sweetly that
Owen was enraptured more than ever. Here was a revelation, and it had
come upon him as suddenly as a shooting star bursts upon the vision of
the night watcher, and goes swiftly speeding down the heavens amid the
spangled hosts of other worlds.

Owen had not felt so happy in the whole course of his life, for he saw
before him a wonderful change in his miserable existence, and a future
home amid surroundings so pleasant that he could hardly believe it could
be meant for him.

Having quieted the imaginary disturbed dolly she tucked the object of
her anxious care into its crib, as if doubting the expediency of
allowing her in the clumsy grip of this newly found cousin until he had
been given a few lessons on the way to hold little girls' babies.

"Now," she said, having patted the clothes that covered the object of
her solicitude with a careful hand, "we can talk a little, if you will
be sure not to speak too loud. Grandpapa often wakes her when he comes
in, his voice is so awful gruff; but then he never means to and is
always so sorry. He grabs us both up, but he kisses me more than he does
my poor dolly."

Owen thought grandpapa was a very sensible old man