A Little Girl in Old Boston

ight. They had been ironing and baking all the morning, and now Mrs. Leverett had attacked her pile of shirts, whe

ion paid to her because she was from across the

be seventeen, and we are going to have seventeen young people. The girls will come in the afternoon, and the young men at seven to tea. Then they will have a little mer

es go out among young people, but I do

at sixteen, but that is too young to begin life, though she

s the last girl home. And the others wer

I've had a happy life, and all six of us gi

handy oftentimes," s

ch meed of respect paid her as the "bachelor maids" of to-day. She often went out as housekeeper in a widower's famil

n work presses, but they do get queer and opi

le woman, snubbed on ever

nd not scandal. Mrs. Morse had a new recipe for making soap that rendered it clearer and lighter than the old one and made better

ven't said

it over," was the ra

hould hesitate, when our children have grown up

house twice as often as Jane is here. And when girls begin to go to parties there's no telling just where to draw

d: 'Now, mother, you run over to the Leveretts' f

isn't to be a grand dress affair, for I hadn't counted on making Betty any real party gown this win

That makes six, with Betty. We haven't quite decided on the others. I dare say some of the girls wi

-do families. Mrs. Leverett did feel a li

t, but I knew there'd be a talk right away about Jane marrying, and she

ugh. I don't suppose the

Morris is coming round to help the boys plan it

to be too trifling. I can't seem to make up my mind just

st young people here-about are going to a dancing class this winter. Joseph has p

d forth, putting her thimble and spool of cotton inside and slipping it in he

Jane's, and say we shall be happy to see them a week from Thur

the corner where Doris sat with her book. She had half a mind to ask her

sewed. Then Betty came

ng her about Doris. She wants me to bring her over some afternoon. She is a little cur

to learn pl

s will increase. Can I take her

ever any time

her eyes, and Doris answered in the same fashion, though she had a fancy that

easily," she said, with a

everything in a moment, or your

she asked with some curiosit

she lives in a little one-story cottage that is just like-well, full of curious and costly things. And now she gives lessons

uns like a mil

said Doris with quaint consideration th

of room in the country t

do some

, y

dd up in the right amounts. Mrs. Webb did not like the children to count their fingers, though some of them were

at entertainment for the young men. There would be plenty of time to give them the invitation.

r children. Doris was not much used to babies, but she liked the little girl. The husband came up after

ren yawning over his book, when Mrs. L

ed you both to Jane's birthd

street to-day, and he t

Betty. You are quite too

r father, wincing suddenly. "They can't help having

her mother dryly. "And, by the looks of

but it did not seem quite the thing to do. And perhaps she was not to go, af

d. His mother was in the kitchen, mixing panc

e in dealing out all her good things at once. I wish you h

y been a little school-girl until this year, and somehow it is very hard for th

ard and clothing and half a dollar a week for spending money. When he was twenty-one there would be a new basis, of course. There was not much call for money unless one was rich enough to be self-indulgent.

l as New York. And when winter set in fairly there was sledding and skating and no end of jest and laughter. Many a decorous love affair sprang into shy existence, taking a year or two for the young man to be br

ity. Mr. Leverett and his wife had gone to the old establishment, as it was beginning to be called, to see the tragedy of "Gustavus Vasa," that had set Boston in a furore. They were never quite settled on the point of the sinfulness of the p

erett admitted, "but whether you ca

an square the Westmins

the children. I'm not sure but the old-fashione

goodness of it. Isn't belief largely a matter of habit and education? Min

t, and was ashamed that she was not more strongly

worker in many ways. The intangible change to liberalness puzzled her. If yo

feel more anxious about Betty than she had felt

only done! She had outgrown her last summer's gowns. There was a pretty embroidered India musli

still afraid of the damp night air. Aunt Priscilla had a trunk full of pretty things she

ere were sweeping and scrubbing and scouring and baking. Doris was very anxious to help, and was

ack mare Juno. It was such a nice day, and he had to go up to the North End on

t in the child's eyes. Bett

ng," said Mrs. Leverett. "And by night it may turn of

half-smile. "Elizabeth, don't pattern after Aunt Priscilla, w

eady to cross bridges before w

y inmost heart. I want to

eyes aglow, and Betty followe

th her, Uncle Win;

ook up and laugh,

nice lanes and alleys then that felt quite as dignified as the streets, and were oftent

sit here alone? I will

so different from the town across the seas. Some of the streets were so narrow she wondered how the horses and wagons made their way, and was amazed that they did not run over

me interesting points of view. A hundred years seems a good while to us new people. And already streets are changing, ho

g the lantern out of

d I was a young fellow just arrived at man's estate. Still it was a splendid

fight, Un

re used for the defense of Boston. You are

store, with two large windows, where Paul Revere had carried on his trade of silver-smith and engraver on copper. There was a brok

l Revere's ride in such vivid, thrilling words that he was placed in the list of he

ned in the Revolution. Here had stood the old Second Church that General Howe had caused to be pulled down for firewood during the siege of Boston, the spot rendered sacred by the sermon of many a celebrated Mather. And here had resided Governor Thomas Hutchinson, who would have been sacrificed to the fury of the mob for his Tory proclivities during the Stamp Act riot but for his brot

amused when her uncle told her of a Captain Kemble in the days of Puritan rule who, after a long sea voyage, was hurrying up the Square, when his wife, who had heard the vessel

so very wrong?" Her f

r ideas in those days. They thought all

the harbor. Perhaps that was the

ly days, the patriots came to plan and confer and lay their far-reaching schemes. It was

ocks, bring

George we'll

forei

re vain, he n

wives and g

ile B

drink it," said Doris, with a touc

hrop. "Then they want some comfort. They smoke-at least, the me

f copper painted green, his two hind feet resting on a bar that swung out of the house, his wings spread ou

dful!" excl

as I have seen him. A coat of pai

e any such thing as a real dragon? Of course I've read about St. George

hat old fellow, or with any more life in him. There are many queer signs about, and queer corners, but I think now we will go

, y

It will take a long while. Next summer w

she smiled with such a sweet grace

uckles had not dropped all their leaves, and the evergreens were taking on their winter tint. On some of the wide lawns groups of children were

eflections and glints of colors from the sky above, and the sun beyond that was now a globe of softened flame

he felt it all too deeply for any words. He liked

d could have gone down Sudbury Street. "It is early and we will go al

ncle Winthrop," she returned with grave sweetness, q

this little girl that

up to the edge of her hair, "I heard you and Uncle Leverett talking

his tone. What made her think about money

ld have-just a little

you all the th

nless it was someone to talk French with," and t

t have been talking French half the afternoo

ering inflection in her ton

happy at Cous

a little surprise. "But the money

odded enco

going to

teasing her mother

ella has such quantities of pretty clothes, and they are being saved up for me.

the impossibility, as i

want it

pid. A little girl in school said yesterday that I was 'dreadful dumb, dumber than a goose.' Aunt Elizabeth said a g

the truth," lau

nything for Aunt Elizabeth, because I don't know how, and it takes most of my time to study. But if I could give Betty a gow

had been lying away many a long year. He couldn't offer an

An old fellow like me would

that made me think-but it didn't come into my mind until a few mome

much greater thing. He remembered, too, that Elizabeth Leverett had refused to take any co

ill surprise Betty. But perhaps h

quite want Betty to go, although

ery nice people. And young folks do go to

fairy stories. I had such a beautiful fairy

his driving glove, but he felt the

Street and Hilier's Lane a

sigh as he lifted her out. Then she reache

"and it is because you are so good

sin Elizabeth came out and wished him

Gardiner regard a little girl like that? He would have her over sometime for a day and they would chatter in French. Perhaps he had better brus