orrow, do you think?"

"I hope so. I shall be glad to have it done; shall not you?"

"Oh, yes; but so long as it's comin' out so nice, I don't care so very
much. It's all so good now 'at it couldn't be much better. I could
stan' it another day or two, I guess."

"Well, my dear, we will be patient. It cannot but come out right. Are
you glad you are coming here to live with me, Ralph?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am; I'm very much delighted. I've always wanted a
mother; you don't know how much I've wanted a mother; but I never
'xpected--not till Gran'pa Simon come--I never 'xpected to get such a
lovely one. You don't know; I wisht I could tell you; I wisht I could
do sumpthin' so 'at you'd know how glad I am."

She leaned over and kissed him.

"There's only one thing you can do, Ralph, to show me that; you can
come back here when the trial is over and be my boy and live with me
always."

"Oh, I'll come!"

"And then we'll see what you shall do. Would you like to go to school
and study?"

"Oh, may I?"

"Certainly! what would you like to study?"

"Readin'. If I could only study readin' so as to learn to read real
good. I can read some now; but you know they's such lots o' things to
read 'at I can't do it fast enough."

"Yes, you shall learn to read fast, and you shall read to me. You
shall read books to me."

"What! whole books?--through?"

"Yes, would you like that?"

"Oh!" and the boy clasped his hands together in unspeakable delight.

"Yes, and you shall read stories to Mildred, your little sister. I
wonder where she is; wouldn't you like to see her?"

"Yes, ma'am, I would, very much."

"I'll send for her."

"You'll have books of your own, you know," continued the lady, as she
returned across the room, "and playthings of your own, and a room of
your own, near mine, and every night you'll kiss me good-night, will
you not, and every morning you will kiss me good-morning?"

"Oh, indeed I will! indeed!"

In through the curtained door-way came little Mildred, her blond
curls tossing about her face, her cheeks rosy with health, her eyes
sparkling with anticipation.

She had seen Ralph and knew him, but as yet she had not understood
that he was her brother. She could not comprehend it at once, there
were many explanations to be made, and Ralph's story was retold; but
when the fact of his relation to her became fixed in her mind, it was
to her a truth that could never afterward be shaken.

"And will you come t