he has waited almost a lifetime for
it."

"Let me take Uncle Larimy's present," suggested Jud, "and then I'll
ask him to go shooting with us this afternoon."

David amicably agreed, and went across fields to Miss Rhody's.

"Land sakes!" she exclaimed, looking at the parcel. "M'ri ain't
a-goin' to hev another dress so soon, is she?"

"No, Miss Rhody. Some one else is, though."

"Who is it, David?" she asked curiously.

"You see Joe Forbes sent some presents from Chicago, and this is what
he sent you."

"A calico," was her divination, as she opened the package.

"David Dunne!" she cried in shrill, piping tones, a spot of red on
each cheek. "Just look here!" and she stroked lovingly the lustrous
fold of shining silk.

"And if here ain't linings, and thread, and sewing silk, and hooks and
eyes! Why, David Dunne, it can't be true! How did he know--David, you
blessed boy, you must have told him!"

Impulsively she threw her arms about him and hugged him until he
ruefully admitted to himself that she had Jud "beat on the clutch."

"And say, David, I'm a-goin' to wear this dress. I know folks as lets
their silks wear out a-hangin' up in closets. Don't get half as many
cracks when it hangs on yourself. I b'lieve as them Episcopals do in
lettin' yer light shine, and I never wuz one of them as b'lieved in
savin' yer best to be laid out in. Oh, Lord, David, I kin jest hear
myself a-rustlin' round in it!"

"Maybe you'll get a husband now," suggested David gravely.

"Mebby. I'd orter ketch somethin' with this. I never see sech silk.
It's much handsomer than the one Homer Bisbee's bride hed when she
come here from the city. It's orful the way she wastes. Would you
b'lieve it, David, the fust batch of pies she made, she never pricked,
and they all puffed up and bust. David, look here! What's in this
envylope? Forever and way back, ef it hain't a five-doller bill and a
letter. I hain't got my glasses handy. Read it."

"Dear Miss Rhody," read the boy in his musical voice, "silk is none
too good for you, and I want you to wear this and wear it out. If you
don't, I'll never send you another. I thought you might want some more
trimmings, so I send you a five for same. Sincerely yours, Joe."

"I don't need no trimmin's, excep' fifty cents for roochin's."

"I'll tell you what to do, Miss Rhody. When you get your dress made
we'll go into town and you can get your picture taken in the dress and
give it to Joe when he comes ba