n"
meets their eyes, when they remember the disturbed nights years ago at a
certain city boarding school. If she to whom I have given this name
should ever see these pages, I hope she will forgive me for thus
"telling tales out of school," in consideration of the high station to
which by my single voice I have raised her, and the pleasant memory she
leaves behind.

Many other little scenes and incidents interwoven in, the story, are
from life.

And now I can only close my preface as I have closed the book, in the
earnest hope that it may have the effect of leading some mothers to
train rightly the little shoots springing up around the parent tree,
restraining their wandering inclinations, and teaching them ever to look
and grow towards Heaven.

THE AUTHOR.

Contents.

CHAPTER I.

LITTLE AGNES.

Page
The cross baby brother--The patient sister--The novel-reading mamma--The
broken work-box--Undeserved punishment--The lock of papa's
hair--Old Mammy--The cold north room--"Never alone"--Aunt
Wharton--Lewie sick--A pleasant change for the little prisoner 11

CHAPTER II.

BROOK FARM.

Bridget's rage--Mammy's story--The runaway match--The dead father--The
cheerful home at Brook Farm--Cousin Emily--The ice palace--Christmas
secrets--The mother's agony--Life from the dead 28

CHAPTER III.

CHRISTMAS TIME.

Preparations for Christmas--The needle-book--Santa Claus himself expected
-Old Cousin Betty--Loads of presents--Christmas Eve--Appearance
of Santa Claus--"Who can he be?"--Cousin Tom--Poor Emily's
grief 58

CHAPTER IV.

COUSIN BETTY.

Cousin Betty--Absence of mind and body--A habit of dying--The shadow on
the wall--Cousin Betty's ride on Prancer--Training day--Cousin Betty a
captain of militia--Cousin Betty's stories 67

CHAPTER V.

HOME AGAIN.

Agnes and Mr. Wharton on their way to the Hemlocks--The novel-reading
mamma again--Lewie better--Agnes must stay--A lay sermon to Mrs.
Elwyn--The needle-case--The bitter disappointment 77

CHAPTER VI.

THE TABLEAUX.

Lewie roving the woods and fields again--Capricious and fretful
still--The birth-day party at Mr. Wharton's--Preparations for
tableaux--Another disappointment for Agnes--The sweetest tableaux of all
89

CHAPTER VII.

THE GOVERNESS.

The lady who came for wool--The home in New-England--Midnight
studies--Miss Edward