n.

"There's good stuff in her," was the verdict. "She may be a weed, but
she'll pay for cultivating."

It was nearly a week before the barn was ready, a week so busy that
Gerry's bones ached when she stretched them in bed each night, but so
happy that she cared not at all for the aches. Aunt Serinda's James
toiled up and down the hill with the long wagon loaded more than once;
Ruthie's loving fingers flew upon the ruffles and frills; Gerry and her
mother set things straight, nailing and tacking diligently; and
gradually the barn became transformed.

"It's blossomed like the rose!" Gerry announced joyously. "It isn't a
barn any longer; it's a cottage. Oh, mother, it's better than a cottage;
it's a home."

Oh, it was very plain and simple; to some it might even have seemed
bare, in spite of Ruthie's pretty things. But to Gerry, with the
tumble-down house fresh in her memory, it was all that could be desired.

[Illustration: "_Mrs. Jimson was on her knees scrubbing the barn
floor_."]

The morning it was all ready at last, in spotless order, with the bright
sunshine and the soft spring breezes pouring in at the open windows,
Gerry ran down the hill to the Centre.

The little Jimsons were not playing in the mud outside the tumble-down
house as usual. Mrs. Jimson met Gerry at the door in a trim dark calico
dress that made a different woman of her. Seated in a beaming circle
within were the five children, each clad from top to toe in clean, fresh
garments, from Tad down to the baby, who was crowing in Jennie's arms,
radiant in a gay pink gingham.

"Aren't we splendid, Miss Gerry?" cried the little girl, pushing a
glowing face out from behind the baby's head. "Ma's just got us dressed
up, and we're going to have a bonfire of the old ones."

"It was the Ladies' Aid, Miss Gerry," supplemented Mrs. Jimson almost as
excitedly. "They've just gone, Mrs. Benton has, and they brought us all
these and more. Did you ever see anything like it? Of course, I'm going
to help clean the church to help make up," she added with a new womanly
dignity that was very becoming; "but I couldn't never pay for the
kindness, never!"

"It's beautiful," said Gerry, "beautiful! I couldn't tell how glad I am.
I'm so glad, too, that you've got them on, for mother wants you to come
up to the house a few minutes, all of you. It's something very
important."

[Illustration: "_We want to show you our new house_."]

Seizing Tommy, the two-year-old,