rent by saying, "Come, come, Debby; that
is strong language to use. You and I great healthy creatures do not
know what it is to be confined to a couch day after day, and suffer
almost constant pain. I should feel it very hard to be unable to go
about and walk in God's beautiful sunshine, and I think one cannot be
sufficiently tender and patient towards the sick and helpless."

"Mental pain is harder to bear than physical," quoth practical Miss
Deborah, in no way convinced of her harshness by the gentle speech.
"If one were to have one's choice, I reckon," with strong Yankeeism, "a
headache would be chosen in preference to a heartache," and Aunt Debby
nodded her head knowingly.

A white, set look crossed Aunt Judith's face, and a shadow crept into
the dark eyes; but they were gone in a moment, and Miss Latimer's lips
wore their own sweet smile as she replied, "God grant you may
experience little of either, Debby; but if you do, trust me you will
find that both bring the richest blessings in their train;" and Aunt
Judith's patient face shone with a glad light as she spoke.

"Meg has failed to seize her blessings, then," said Miss Deborah
composedly. "No, no, Judith, you are a good woman, but you won't
convince me that Margaret is justified in whining and grumbling to the
extent she does."

"I need never look for sympathy from you, Debby," broke in the invalid
with a low sob; "you are very hard-hearted, but the day will come when
all those cruel speeches will rise up and condemn you."

"When?" with provoking gravity.

"When I am no longer here" (low sobs), "and the cold earth hides me for
ever from your sight."

"So let it be," retaliated Miss Deborah, coolly proceeding to turn the
heel of her stocking, and speaking quite placidly. "I shall remember
the amount of exasperation I received when that day comes, and be able
to meet the condemnation with becoming fortitude."

"Debby, Debby," said Miss Latimer's voice reprovingly; but the warning
came too late. A violent fit of hysterics ensued, and Miss Margaret
was borne to her room by the much-enduring sisters, whose services were
both required to quell the outburst and settle her comfortably for the
night.

Nellie, left alone in the snug parlour, drew her chair closer to the
fire, and lifting the cat from its cosy bed on the rug, allowed it to
curl up comfortably on her lap. "What a fuss," said the girl,
shrugging her shoulders and gazing into the bright, glo