ocked gate.

"You are a rich boy, and you are happy little girls to have so good a
mother; I've found that out already," and the sun shone again as the
young lady nodded to the neat, rosy children before her.

"You may have a piece of her if you want to, 'cause you haven't got any
of your own," said Betty with a pitiful look which made her blue eyes as
sweet as two wet violets.

"So I will! and you shall be my little sisters. I never had any, and
I'd love to try how it seems;" and Celia took both the chubby hands in
hers, feeling ready to love every one this first bright morning in the
new home, which she hoped to make a very happy one.

Bab gave a satisfied nod, and fell to examining the rings upon the white
hand that held her own. But Betty put her arms about the new friend's
neck, and kissed her so softly that the hungry feeling in Miss Celia's
heart felt better directly; for this was the food it wanted, and Thorny
had not learned yet to return one half of the affection he received.
Holding the child close, she played with the yellow braids while she
told them about the little German girls in their funny black-silk caps,
short-waisted gowns, and wooden shoes, whom she used to see watering
long webs of linen bleaching on the grass, watching great flocks of
geese, or driving pigs to market, knitting or spinning as they went.

Presently "Randa," as she called her stout maid, came to tell her that
"Master Thorny couldn't wait another minute;" and she went in to
breakfast with a good appetite, while the children raced home to bounce
in upon Mrs. Moss, talking all at once like little lunatics.

"The phaeton at four,--so sweet in a beautiful white gown,--going to
tea, and Sancho and all the baby things invited. Can't we wear our
Sunday frocks? A splendid new net for Lita. And she likes dolls. Goody,
goody, won't it be fun!"

With much difficulty their mother got a clear account of the approaching
festivity out of the eager mouths, and with still more difficulty, got
breakfast into them, for the children had few pleasures, and this
brilliant prospect rather turned their heads.

Bab and Betty thought the day would never end, and cheered the long
hours by expatiating on the pleasures in store for them, till their
playmates were much afflicted because they were not going also. At noon
their mother kept them from running over to the old house lest they
should be in the way; so they consoled themselves by going to the
s