ith a glowing face and a heart dancing to
joy-beats, as it perceived the affection for her, which Uncle Morris only
partly concealed under his quaint and fanciful way of speaking. She craved
no higher reward, than these expressions of his love for her.

After breakfast and family prayers were over, Mr. Morris turned to his
niece, and said:

"Jessie!"

"Yes, Uncle."

"I am going to take a little walk, before I go to hear our minister's
Thanksgiving sermon. Will you go?"

"Oh yes, yes. Uncle, I should like it ever so much."

During this conversation, Mrs. Carlton had been looking out at the window.
The snow was dripping from the eaves, and from the trees. It looked soft
and soggy in the path, and she feared the walking would be too sloppy for
her daughter. So she said:

"It is hardly fit for Jessie to go out walking, Brother. The slosh will be
over her sandals, and she will get wet feet."

"Do you think so, Ma? Well, I'm sorry. But if I only had a pair of
rubber-boots, like Carrie Sherwood's, I could go in spite of the slosh.
Never mind,"--here Jessie's sigh showed how disappointed she felt,--"never
mind, uncle will have to take his walk alone."

Some misses would have fretted over such a disappointment as this. But
Jessie seldom fretted. She had too much good sense, and too much good
nature to fret. Perhaps this was one reason why she was loved so well.

When Mrs. Carlton had expressed her view of the bad walking, Uncle Morris
left the room, so that he did not hear all that Jessie said in reply. He
now returned, bearing in his hands a good-sized parcel, neatly tied and
addressed in his own handwriting, to "Miss Jessie Carlton." Giving it to
his niece, he said:

"Open Sesame! Perhaps you may find a talisman within this parcel, which
will incline your mamma to change her opinion about the fitness of your
walking out with me this morning."

Jessie untied the string, and on opening her parcel, looked up with eyes
full of pleasure, and exclaimed:

"A pair of rubber-boots!"

Then dropping the parcel, she ran to her uncle, and gave him, I don't know
how many warm kisses. After this, she took up the boots, and looking at
them admiringly, said:

"Oh, how nice! Now I can go out in sloppy weather, can't I, Ma! What a
dear, good uncle you are! What made you think of buying me these boots?"

"What made my little puss think of making me a watch-pocket, eh?" replied
Mr. Morris: "but come, try on your boots, and let