Aikenside

the doctor's offer to take Maddy there himself. With this arrangement Maddy was well pleased, as it would thus afford her the opport

e commended his child to God, asking that she might be kept from temptation, and that the new sights and scenes to which she was going might not beget in her a love of the world's vanities, or a disgust for her old home; but that she might come back to it the same loving, happy c

I could ever be asham

ty apt to set folks up, and after you've walked a spell on them velvet carpets

And Maddy emphasized her words with a kiss, as she thought how nice it would be provided she

r!" was her next mental comment, as, leaving her grandfather, she went to help her grandmother with the breakf

anticipation; but when, with her shawl and bonnet on, she stood waiting while the doctor fastened her little trunk, and when she saw a tear on the wr

e the laborers were busy; and with the elasticity of youth, Maddy's tears stopped their flowing, bu

rs. Remington and Mr. Guy?"

ly. They left this morning for

" Maddy repeated in

?" the doctor asked

e him once; you k

eive her, the doctor thought; and so he relapsed into a thoughtful mood, from which Maddy aroused him by break

od, but if you only will take me for payment," an

" the doctor said, smiling, half seriou

ny weeks to pay him; besides, there was the debt to Mr. Guy. She wanted to help pay that, but did not see how she could, unless he waited, too. Did the doctor think he would? It seemed terrible to the doctor that one so young as Maddy should be harassed with the

ore they passed through the gate, guarded by the great bronze

time have just such a home! and doctor, look! What does make th

ed, too, could he have heard the enthusiastic praises heaped upon his home by the little schoolgirl as she drove up to his door. But Guy was away in the dusty cars, and

have a pleasant room; and when Guy says a thing, it's so. It's nice in here, and close to m

contemptuously, the small hair-cloth box containing Maddy's wardrobe. "Here's on

ut one-th

rried three most as big as my bed to Saratoga. You can't

." And Maddy looked

ys we will have it at one, as folks ought to do. To-day I coaxed her to wait till you come, and

urtle soup, and that she supposed she should wear to dinner the delaine she had on. "Why, we always

addy's wardrobe, and Jessie glanced at it a little ruefully as Maddy carefully shook out the nicely folded dresses

re dawned upon her mind the possibility that her plain apparel, and ignoran

efully," she said, her lip beginning to quiver, and her eyes

ivate room was in that hall, and as the doctor knew a book was to have been left there for him, he took the liberty of getting i

ing to her side, and then amid a to

e instead of twelve-she should surely starve to death-she couldn't carve-she could not eat mud-turtle soup, and she did not know which dress

somewhat, ascertained that the greatest present trouble was the deciding what dress was suitable to the occasion. The doctor

y, grandma never let me wear that, excep

fferent from the quiet, unpretentious one you have led," the doctor thought, but he

and another impetuous fit of weeping ensued, in the midst of which Jessie came b

r ways, which would not take long, and nobody would laugh at her, she said, when Maddy expressed her fears on that point. "You are too pretty even if you do make mistakes!" and then she went into ecstasies over the blue muslin, which was becoming to Maddy, and greatly enhanced her girlish beauty. The tear stains were all washed away, Jessie using very freely he

ildered by the elegancies which met her at every turn, Maddy followed to where the dreaded Mrs. Noah, in rustlin

brought her there; and this, if nothing else, had disposed her to feel kindly toward the little governess. She had expected to see her rather pretty, but was not prepared to find her what she was. Maddy's was a singular type of beauty-a

ou, Miss Clyde," sh

a little and her voic

They do at home, and I

tood her, and remembering her own experience when first she went from home, she involuntarily stooped to

f speaking to each of the servants concerning Miss Clyde, Jessie's teacher. As he could not be there himself when she first came it would devolve upon them, more or less, to make it pleasant for her by kind, civil attentions, he said, hinting at the dire displeasure sure to fall on any one who should be guilty of a misdemeanor in that direction. To Paul, the coachman, he had been particular in his charges, telling him who Maddy was, and arguing that from the insolence once given to the grandfather the offender was bound to be more polite to the grandchild. The

rs. Noah suggested that she try the

f Absence,' as most girls do," and opening the

Jessie, but as yet she could only play one scale and a few simple bars. These she attempted to teach to Maddy, who caught at them so quickly and executed them so well that Jessie was delighted. Maddy ought to take lessons, she said, and some time during the next day she took to Mrs. Noah a letter which she had written to Guy

ught Guy's consent for Maddy to take lessons, together with a note for Mr. Simon

enly opened before her, and the homesickness all disappeared. It had been arranged with Mrs. Noah, by Agnes, that Jessie should only study for two hours each day, consequently Maddy had nearly all the time to herself, and well did she improve it, ma

change. It was nearly time now to expect them. Indeed, Guy had written on one Saturday that they should probably be home the next, and during the ensuing week Aikenside presented that most uncomfortable phase of a house being cleaned. Everything must be in order for Mr. Guy, Mrs. Noah said, taking more pains with his rooms than with the remaining portion of the building. Guy was her idol; nothing was too good for him, few things quite good