Esther

n so much as he said they did; I could find so little to narrate. And, talking of that, it strikes me that we are not sufficie

nly when the storms of sudden crises and unlooked-for troubles break over

nd pinched as the cold weather came on, as he always did, and looked a shivering, shabby Dot sometimes. Jack's legs grew longer, and her frocks shorter, and we had

ing Miss Lucas, until she began taking to it herself. "For you are so young, and you are more Flurry's playfellow than her governes

of the little seaside place where Mr. Lucas had a cottage. "Aunt Ruth says you mu

leave mother and Dot?" I added in a regretful parenthes

Ruth at luncheon that "Esther's little brother should be invited to Roseberry." Miss

go without Dot, Dot must come too." But though the bare idea was too de

's door, and the footman lifted Dot in his little fur-lined coat, and placed him at Miss Ruth's side. And seeing the little lad's rapture, and Flurry's childish delight, she oft

fractious days-days of moods and tenses I used to called them-when nothing seemed quite right, when I was beset by th

my warm bed. For I was young and healthy, and why should I lie there while Deborah and Martha broke the ice in their pitchers, and came downstairs with rasped red faces and acidulated tempers? I was thankful not to do likewise, to know I should hear in a few minutes a surly tap at the door,

going to get up in the middle of the night to please any one; never mind the robins-of which I reminded him gently-he wished he were a robin too, and could get up and go to bed w

like a starved dove in his white plumage; but he cheered up at the sight of the fire and hot coffee in the

t get up so early this cold weather, my dear." But I held my peace, for who would dress Dot, and

room a perfect chaos of doll revelry prevailed. All the chairs were turned into extempore be

r of great importance an

, and these are all the poor sick and wounded soldiers; look at thi

rievously maltreated and had robbed of an eye; the waxen tip of his nose was gone,

used dates and the multiplication table. To make matters worse, it commenced snowing, and there was no prospect of a walk before luncheon. Miss Ruth did not come down to that meal, and af

dows lurked in the corner of the room, Flurry looked at me so wistfully that I am afraid I should have relented and gone on a little with Ju

olent hands on my work. I felt rather surprised at the summons, for Miss Rut

ntered it; some glorious pine logs were crackling and splut

n the white fleecy rug, and the little square tea-table stoo

her; but at that instant another figure I had not seen started up

at the sight of his dear dark face. Could anything be more deliciously unexp

was no chance of your spending Christmas with us? Have you been home

s hands as he to

mother thought I might come and fetch you, why I thought I would, and that you would be pleased to see me; that is all my story," finished Allan, exchanging an amused glance with Miss Ruth. They had never met

an for a long time very solemnly, until he won her heart by

ther's brot

nce-I believe th

or short; nobody calls me Florence except father sometimes. I

assed tone; and then he took Flossy o

ere's Fred, and you, and Dot. I think she likes Dot best, and so do I. What

n. His hearty tone made Flurry look up in his face. "He is a nice man," she said

Allan had been very much as

person," an opinion in which I heartily agreed. Then he asked me about Mr. Lucas; but I had only Flurry's opinion to offer him on that subject, and he questioned me in his old way about my da

as so nice to be walking there by his side, with the crisp white snow beneath our feet, and the d

be content with a sufficient round of duties. She worked hard with her pupils all day, and besides that she had a district

to us all, and to work Carrie in the way she does. She has got an influence over her, and she uses it for her own purposes, and Carrie is weak to yield so entirely to her judgment; she coaxes

would not say another word on the subject. But I forgot

down his cheeks when Allan kicked over the mending basket, and finally ordered Martha to take it away. When Carrie returned from the night school, she fo

ying my head on the pillow there was a knock at the door, and Carrie ente

not to wake Jack, and sat down

lly. "Why should I listen to him more than to you or mother? I

ience with Carrie, even a saint ought to have common sense, I thoug

even noticed my exasperated silence. "It is of no use for Allan to come and preach his wordly wisdom to me; we do not measur

of your own," I demanded, scornfully, "i

ekly obstinate that we could do nothing with her. "We cannot create our own world, Esther; we can only do the best we ca

self out," I returned, determined to have my sa

t afraid of wearing out; I hope to die in harness. Why, child, ho

" I answered, stubbornly; but Carrie on

perfect example to us-of unselfishness and energy. She says I am her right hand, and I do believe she means it, Esther." But I only groaned in answer. "She is doing a magnificent work in Milnthrope," she continued, "and I feel so proud that I am allowed to assist her. Do you know, I had twenty boys in my c

but long after she left I muttered the wo

in that pure radiance every unworthy work would wither up to naught-every

be wasted, and so commit the "sin of omission;" but there would have been quite as much good done had Carrie dutifully helped in our invalid home and cheered us all to health by her b

t. Above was the soft light of countless stars, sown broadcast over the dark s

mourning hearts, on divided homes, on mariners tossing afar on wintry seas, and peace