Letty and the Twins

watching the descending passengers anxiously. The older man was Joshua Adams, the head man on grandfather's farm. Grandmother always called him Joshua, but to every one

ook hands heartily with Joshua, wh

, standing the children off and looking at them in mock

, squirming with embarrassment

if you haven't. Hain't you, Miss Jane? And you're both of you dres

istopher had been promoted to trousers, but he never lost a chance

at Christopher whenever he caught his eye. Grandfather bustled up presently, followed by the station agent wheeling the trunks

ne, missing the gray mare with

to pastur' for a while.

w it must have hurt!

Christopher knowingly, "else the hors

nd sat down opposite her grandpa

n the wagon. Ma

good-naturedly, "if you promise t

ully. Jane felt hurt at being deserted by her twin so soon, but

boys a little," she reflected philosoph

's teasing, Jane persisted in playing with

stopher, climbing up on the high wagon seat. "Shall I

winkle in his eye. "But I guess 'twon

pirit as Perk strapped on the last trunk and mounted to his seat (swinging up over the wheel after the horse had started, to Christopher's keen e

t and dropped some of the patronage from his m

e he had visited in Hammersmith, which left plenty of time for improvements. Each new building or alteration had to be

t the blacksmith's forge. M

y now to shoe horses. He makes w

hey used to have good sarsaparilla there,"

" answered Perk

ents a week pocket money all summer, an' so's Ja

a store where nothin' costs more'n ten cents; and lots of

y mother'd never let me buy there, but they had mighty pretty things in the windows. Painted plates and thin

age by this time into the count

istopher, patting a bag of belov

a trifle sore over the fact that this boy, so much younger than he

ew his hand sudden

with Jane sometimes-to amuse her. And there's a boy lives in our street that coaxes me to have a game with him once in a whi

hey were spoils. But all the time his heart thumped guiltily at the white lie he was acting, for

aimed Perk in admiration, transferring the reins to

r, "some I had. And some I traded," he add

t to swap

topher had not even whittled with it yet. The idea of parting with it hurt. He drew it from his pocket with mingled pride

ough to refuse to take any advantages. He admired it

thing that was a present," he said. "'

ever you want," replied

on to several flaming posters that decorate

next week," he said. "Guess it'

Letty and the bear. Together they studied the bills as they passed, comparing notes as to their op

ion occupied them all

ces had been made every few yards, and at the bottom ran a delightful little brook. At the bottom of the hill were the farmhouse, barn, chicken and cow-houses and, wher

to the kitchen where Jane's bobbed head could be seen, topped with a big pink

opher. "My stomach just aches for one of your spiced

more before you are through," mildly obse

hough supper was almost ready. That is one of the p

d the whole place in her quiet, energetic way. She had learned all the news regarding live stock new and old and had petted all her favorit

er?" she said. "Now, if it was Juno, I shouldn't be so surprise

been given away or disposed of in their early infancy. Some, grown to cat-hood, disported themselves about the stables with a serene indifference to the house privileges of their mamma, and w

h such thin wabbly legs and big, scared eyes-in the barnyard. Six patiently setting hens pro

n was busy choosing names for the new puppies while gra

es together. Jane had not thought to ask for the cakes b

nizingly. "And I know just where Juno keeps th

lf. I'm going now. And I c

e one. And you can't go to see

did it don't count, 'cause it's not fair t

ups are three weeks old and they just had to be named. They're real nic

other, "go up-stairs and wash

when they have to stand

nd Christopher at a flying

Jane with exasperating calmness, following and wat

tfully. "I guess I can find the pups easy enough-if I want to see 'em. And I k

. There's a lovely horseback rider in it and gran

ircus posters, the twins linked arms and ran down to

eresting but with now and then a little cloud of disappointment or regret overshadowin

stopher both learned to milk). But when Perk took Christopher fishing, Jane was not invited to go. Christopher soon developed into quite a sportsman, and begged his grandfather for a gun-Jane turned pale when she heard the request-to shoot some of the r

le woman's soul took as thriftily to household duties as the boy's instinct turned to sport. Huldah found her nimble fingers of real use in shelling peas, beating eggs and sifting flour. Indeed, seldom had

her's or Huldah's watchful eye. For although the twins had reached the dignity of nine years, they were seldom left to their own devices for long at a time. Grandfather and gran

ly as well and Juno got into the habit of carrying the four fluffy balls of fur out to

had not a new game been suggested to her by Mrs. Hartwell-Jones. Grandmother had called very promptly upon Mrs. Hartwell-Jones at her boarding-place in the village. The

dy box. His hopes were not disappointed, for Mrs. Hartwell-Jones had planned for their visit and a regular "party" was spread fort

s," said Christ

too," inte

Perk. When grandfather can spare

o you do, Janey dear, whe

make cake, and pl

! May I play with you there som

asked Jane with big eye

airies' ball and y

do for a throne. But perhaps you woul

e master of

s and butterflies her royal messengers. Her faith in the real fairies was firm and deep-rooted, the most ardent desire of her life being to see one. She never confided this h