eive all of
them that might be manufactured, at the price of three dollars each.
When my friend returned, she brought me, as the avails of her
commission, the sum of thirty dollars.

But here arose an unexpected obstacle. It was difficult to convince
Rhoda that the amount, which seemed to her immense, was of right her
own. She comprehended it, however, at last; and thenceforth her skill in
this and other departments of fancy-work obtained for her constant and
remunerative employment.

It was now a year since Rhoda came to us, and during this time her
improvement had been steady and rapid. And since she had come to dress
like other girls, no one could say that she was ill-looking; but, as I
claimed the merit of effecting this change in her exterior, it may be
that I observed it more than any one else. Still, I fancy that some
others were not blind.

"Where did you get those swamp-pinks, Rhoda?" for I detected the fine
azalia odor before I saw them.

A bright color suffused the childlike face, quite to the roots of the
hair. "Will Bright got them when he went after the cows. You may have
some if you want them."

"No, thank you; it is a pity to disturb them, they look so pretty just
as they are."

* * * * *

Troubles come to everybody. Even Will Bright, though no one had ever
known him to be without cheerfulness enough for half a dozen, was not
wholly exempt from ills. With all his good sense, which was not a
little, Will was severely incredulous of the reputed effects of
poison-ivy; and one day, by way of maintaining his position, gathered a
spray of it and applied it to his face. He was not long in finding the
vine in question an ugly customer. His face assumed the aspect of a
horrible mask, and the dimensions of a good-sized water-pail, with
nothing left of the eyes but two short, straight marks. For once, Will
had to succumb and be well cared for.

In this state of things a letter came to him with a foreign postmark. "I
will lay it away in your desk, Will," said uncle, "till you can read it
yourself; that will be in a day or two."

"If you don't mind the trouble, sir, I should thank you to open and read
it for me. I get no letters that I am unwilling you should see."

It was to the effect that a relative in England had left him a bequest
of five hundred pounds, and that the amount would be made payable to his
order wherever he should direct.

"You will oblige me, sir, if yo