long day without fretting. But Mamma is away, Nurse is
tired, and I know all my books by heart; so what can I do, since I'm too
tired to play with my dolls?"

No one answered this important question; and Marion sighed again as she
turned to look at the other side of the room, hoping to discover some
help or amusement in that direction. The queer ladies on the great
Japanese fan over the glass stared at her with their small eyes, but
seemed too busy drinking tea out of red and yellow teapots to take any
interest in the pale little girl on the bed. The pins sat primly in the
blue satin cushion as usual; but neither the pearl fly, the golden
rose-headed one, nor the funny mourning brooch Nurse was so fond
of,--with hair in it, and a picture of a fat baby at the back,--could
amuse Marion now. The dolls lay piled up in the cradle, with their poor
arms and legs sticking out in all directions, sadly neglected by their
little mamma; while the dear books upon the shelves had been read so
often lately that they had nothing new and pleasant to offer now.

"Oh dear! I wish the birds on the wall-paper or the children in the
pictures hanging round my room could sing and talk to me. I've been so
good and patient I really think some one _ought_ to take pity on a poor
little sick girl and do something to please her," said Marion, with a
third sigh, heavier than the others.

It made such a breeze that it blew one of the flowers out of the glass.
Marion took it up and looked at it, ready for any playmate, even a
ladies'-delight.

It was a very pretty one, and showed such a smiling face among its dark
and bright petals that the child felt as if she had found a friend, and
kissed it softly, being rather tender-hearted just then as well as
lonely.

To her great surprise the flower nodded at her, and then a faint, sweet
voice said, as she still held it close to her face,--

"Now I can speak, and am very glad to come and amuse you; for we have
been pitying you very much, because we also are lonely and homesick so
far from our own people."

"Why, you dear little thing, how lovely it is to hear you talk and see
you smile at me! Please tell me all about yourself. I'm fond of flowers,
and was so pleased when one of my schoolmates sent me this pretty
nosegay of pansies," said Marion, charmed with this surprise.

"I have no story; for I was born in a green-house, and have lived in a
little flower-pot all my life, with many sisters, who are