sight, and being rewarded by stares of
stony indifference. They went into the empty cottage, and Mabel cried
out with pleasure, as she looked round the bright, cheerful apartments,
wondering how anyone could feel anything but pride and interest in
keeping such a house in order.

"Why," she said, "I would not wish any pleasanter place to live in
myself, nor any lovelier view to feast my eyes on."

Minnie laughed and said that her papa always said these houses should
belong to her some day, and when that time came she would make this one
a present to Mabel, unless indeed, she would allow her to share it.
After that, they took their leave, convinced that it would answer their
purpose exactly.

Minnie made a message into one of the cottages on their way back to make
inquiries concerning one of the children whom she knew to be ill.

This house was about the most respectable in the entire row, and yet it
might have borne a great deal in the way of improvement. The child's
mother was quite a young woman, probably not over twenty-two, yet there
were two other children playing on the floor, while she herself sat
sewing the braid of her skirt with white thread in great uneven
stitches, the dishes and remains of dinner still upon the table.

She jumped up as they tapped at the open door, and having hastily bade
them enter, she dived into an adjoining room from whence she produced
two chairs, talking in a pleasant, though rather loud voice all the
time. They thanked her, but would not sit down, as they had only a few
minutes to spare, and having ascertained that the little girl was
progressing favourably, they departed.

"I think I'd better go home this way," said Mabel, when they got to the
end of the glade. "It is my soonest way home, and I have got a great
deal to do. I suppose I shall see you at church to-morrow?"

"O, yes," returned Minnie. "And I shall speak to papa to-night. I'll
just whisper to you whether it's all right or not, when I see you
to-morrow."

"And I suppose that after that it will be a free subject, and liable to
be discussed at any time?" queried Mabel, smiling.

"Certainly," assented Minnie, a little puzzled.

"O, Minnie, you can't think how amused I was at your efforts to keep
from speaking about it yesterday and the day before! You would open your
lips to say something every five minutes, and then suddenly recollecting
yourself, you would close them again with a determined snap, but it was
har