Jane Field

elvet panel, her hat trimmed with a fold of silk and a little feather. She had curled her hair over her forehead, and tied on a bit of a lace veil. Distinct among

Lois," she said, calmly. "You th

ped out

acquainted with Miss Lois Field," said she. "L

of the situation, and greeted the young girl with ready grace. "You

e word. There was a fierce resolve in her heart that, come what would, she

rd any response, with the vanity of a deaf man, he assumed

and went on flourishingly in h

which suspects an enemy, and watches his eyes for the first im

ok very strong," Mr. Tu

ring. I've been considerable worried abou

iot is considered a very healthy place. We shall soon have her so hearty and rosy that h

smile in response, but she loo

you and your niece must positively rema

t will put yo

sed expression. "She will be delighted. I will run over to th

k," said Mrs. Field. That was

u. Don't distress yourself

fe with his sister there were exigencies during which he was obliged to de

dining-room, and his sister was setting the

er, I expect," he remarked, in

y red from bending over the kitchen fire. "Wh

Maxwell and

now she had any niece.

unt, I suppose. I don't think she knew she was

they're comin' i

now." His tone was soft and conciliatory, and

m! I ruther guess I coul

n't any idea

last night, when I got all ready for 'em, an' now they're comin', an' everything w

he kitchen, with the children, in

t, mother?

sked that Maxwell woman an' her niece

a, with a half-giggle. She was so young and healthy and

an't you manage somehow?" said he. "I'll

ed his sister, contemptuous

rough the open door, and saw that it indic

l you what I'll do, mother," said she. "I'll go over to Mrs. Benn

orhood borrowin'; that ain't th

Mrs. Bennett as not. She borrowed

t little piece we had left from yesterday, an' there ai

ake the best of it." Flora tied a hat on over her light hair as she spoke. "I d

n she's had as much as I've had, I guess she won't take it any easier than I do. I

k very bad," ventured

in' a couple of perfect strangers come in to dinner makes more work than a man knows anything

n ask them in there?" Mr. Tuxbury

ornin'; I s'pose it's all right unless the

This occasion was, metaphorically speaking, a whole flock of jubilant infantile larks for them. They loved company with all their souls, and they also felt always a pleasant titillation of the

aused their buoyant spirits to realize that ther

u children will have

ue eyes scowled sulkily. "Oh, gramma, we don't want to wait! Can't we sit do

ake such a racket, children." That was their mother

ut in an extra leaf; this table-cloth wa'n't long enough, an' I wa'n't goi

squeeze them in beside me. Put the napkins round, chil

kind i

uas

got to buy one to pay her back. I shoul

. I couldn't help it. Squash

I've got all them dried

happy unconcern about the cost of squas

d Daniel taking 'em in the front do

go in a minute

Mrs. Lowe, with a sig

ings on the table, and you

ss don't

too; it's cle

advanced upon the parlor with the air of a pacific grenadier. The children were fol

photograph album for Lois, and a book of views in the Holy Land for her mother. If he had felt in considerable hast

alone in the office, their first sensatio

k, and looked out of the office door, which the lawyer had left open. Just opposite the

, in a harsh voice, which seemed to rudely sh

e stole furtive, wildly questioning glances at her mother, but her mother

te voice. But just then Mr. Tuxbury had re

The two women sat timidly on the yielding cushions, and gazed during the pauses at the large flower pattern on the carpet. All this fine

ield first and Lois after her, when Mrs. L

your acquaintance

ngly like a cuirass. Mrs. Lowe's gowns, no matter how thin and faded, always fitted her in that way. Stretched over her long flat-chested figure, they seemed to acquire the consistenc

etiquette. She held up her long rasped chin with a curt air, and, in spite of herself, her voice also was curt. She was too thorough a New England woman to play with any succ

owe had nothing of her brother's ease of manner; indeed, she entertained a covert scorn for it. "Daniel can be dreadful smooth an' fine when he sets out," she sometimes remarked to her

dining-room. Flora was quite sure that she remembered Mrs. Maxwell, she was glad to see her, and she was glad to see Lois, and they would please sit right "here," and "h

d and not tease," she whispered admonishingly, and their blue eyes stared ba

warmed-up veal stew. Or had the guests looked approvingly at the stew, the scanty portion of beefsteak would have satisfied the furthest desires of the family. But the perfect understanding among the adults did not extend to the two little girls. They leaned forward, with their red lips parted, and watched their uncl

k!" wailed each, in w

er face was very red, but she took it-she was aware there was no other course open-d

perfectly evident that if they accepted, there would be nothing whatever left for the family to eat. They declined in terrified haste

and when they had eaten their meagre s

little vigorous side-shakes. "If you don't keep still,

d sniffed, but warily, lest the

arrassing situation and converse easily with t

young girl, to whom it was useless to talk. Mrs. Field replied at length to all interrogations with a certain quiet hard

he regulation six pieces, while the children as carefully counted the people and watched the distribution. The res

s pie," said she. "Mother, I wan

r, raised her own jealous little pipe. "I want a piece of Mis' Bennett's pie," she procl

n pie to the elder child, and gave the last piece on the plate to the younger. Th

little girl, smacking her lips contemplatively; and Flora gave a half-chuckle, while

at last over and the guests were gone-they took their leave ve

the little girls. "Oh, mother, y

iggled

said her mother, severely; "you oug

upstairs, children," said she. "It's so funny, I can'

nny in children's actin' the

r's chastisement. They knew by experience that her hand was very soft, and the force of its fall tempered

s, apparently maintained more from a childish sense of the fitnes

Mrs. Lowe, who was listening

ed himself there as soon as possible, coverin

ll house. Mrs. Field stalked ahead with her resolute stiffness; Lois followed after her, keeping always several paces

ntrance of the Maxwell grounds, and

" said she, in a def

plied her mother, short

going i

ourse

n't going i

"if you want to go away an' desert the mother that'

turned in at the gate, with her

et up to the house," said her mot

ull of the impulse of flight when she watched her m

into the sitting-room

earest chair. She never to

led up a curtain. Then she turned, and confronted steadily her daughter's eyes. The whole house to her was full of the cla

o think of it," said

You know, I s'pose, that Mr. Tuxbury took me for yo

ed eyes never wavered

ur aunt Esther. The minute I come in, he took me for her, an' Mis' Henry Maxwell come into his

t it seemed almost to communicate to her muscles. With her face s

I'm goin' to have that fifteen hundred dollars of your poor father's earnin's that I lent

ought maybe it belonged to us

left to old Mr. Maxwell's ni

out the fifteen hundred dollars? Would

y wouldn't have been obliged to pay it, an' folks ain't fond of payin' over money whe

got this-a

took her

into my head. I knew how much folks said I looked like Esther, but

oing to take

that fifteen hundre

o stay here, and make folk

, I

terror manifested themse

poor father worked hard to earn. I lent it to your uncle Edward, an' he lost it. I never see a dollar of it afterward. He never paid me a cent of interest money. It ain't anything more'n fair that I should be paid for it out of his father's property. If poor Esther h

the

at

here in this house, and n

prettier place than Green River. Now you're down here, I don't see any se

long here in this house, and no

better take off your things an' lay down a lit

er," sobbed she, "what does it mean? I can't- What does it mean? Oh

e at her side. "Lois," said she, with tre

! You frighten me dreadfully." Lois s

you to feel so. Oh, you dear child, you dear child, you don't know what mother's goin' through. But it ain't anything to you. Lois, you remember that; it ain't anything you've done

a pillow, and she lay down on the sofa, turning her face to the wall with an

e. "I'm goin' out in the kitchen, an' see if I ca

and purchased some small necessaries. There were groceries already in the pantry at the Maxwell house. She had spied them, but would not

d by this great stress into a fierce impetus, carried her daughter's, strong as it was for a young girl, befor

sofa until her mother came in and

bed now, Lois," said she. "I'm goin' my

ed herself wea

om. Mrs. Field had prepared the beds that afternoon. "I thought

oft stir and the pat of a naked foot in there, then she heard the door swing to with a cautious cre