A Little Mother to the Others

aid Diana, "and I don

rode rapidly i

to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you. I do not take the least notice of what that rude little girl says

e close together, and Diana flung her stout little arm round Orion's fa

, please, Aunt Jan

he lady; "that is a very stiff way of speaking

estowed a very chaste salute

unt Jane, taking one of his

plied, flinging

ities-positively impious. What could my poor sister-in-law and your father

ed a beautif

y much indeed, and I would rather you did not say

ion-both Diana and Orion are very good children indeed, and"-here her lips quivered, her earnest, brown eyes were fixed with great solicitude on her a

good-night now; we can have a further talk to-morrow. But first, before I go, let me repeat

to his elder sister, "and I am Apollo,

se. I declare it may be inconvenient-it may frighten the parishioners. I must think it well over. I have, of course, heard before of girls being called Diana, and also o

rough the house, and Aunt Jane s

, raising a pair of almost fright

oubt if my master is pleased to see her. She will most likely go away in a day or two, so don't you fret, Miss Iris,

stone blind." He began to strut up and do

a bit, and will you lead me to that place where

tone, "we can have no more of that ridiculous story-telling

e good," said Iris,

to her sister a

you," she said, in a low whisper. "It's

is i

b has got

-a-D

d him stark dead and stiff. I

aid no

said Diana, "and a beautiful insipcron. Do say

b-a-Dub. Yes, Di; I'll think it over. We can meet aft

nerals to-morrow-I'm so glad

ath, a good portion of which he spilt on the floor. This put both Fortune and the under-nurse, Susan, into a temper, and

thought. "The usual kind of things don't seem to please th

d that I might get quite far away from here. Things are different her

so I suppose it is wrong not

e means to make mischief. Why did she come here without bein

rather not,"

the day when he really sees us. I think, perhaps,

so, Apollo; but I am

o be a bit what mother wants us to be; and now that Aunt

eplied Iris. "I'll run and g

ttle room of her own, which

ill you please help me to p

ear this evening, miss; your new

ll be all right

and your poor moth

in Heaven; she has gone up the golden stairs, and she is quite well and ever so happy, and she won't mind my weari

back. When Susan had brushed it, and taken the tangles out, it shone like burnished gold. Her pretty white frock was speedily

ntered the big dining room. They looked almost lost in the distance when they first appeared, for the table a

e had never been better pleased to see them in all his life, and the note o

d placed themselves one on each side of

I am right glad to

is," said Mrs. Dolman. "Children, I must frankly say that I a

o, fixing his flashing black eyes, with a distinc

was: 'Little boys should be seen and not heard.' To-night, of course, I make allowances; bu

ip each from my port," said Mr. Del

grow up drunkards. Early impressions! Well, all I can say is this-when they come to live at the Rectory they will have to be teetotalers. In my house we

. Dolman spoke of when they were to live at the Rectory. What rectory? She spoke of a time when they w

pushed aside the tempting macaroon which Mr. Delaney had

ed his wine and swallowed his biscuit manfu

a gentle sigh and put both he

her; I should li

to go too,"

k they are dead tired for want of sleep, poor little mites. Good-night, both of you. When you come to live with m

, Aunt Jane

Aunt Jane,"

u both, my pets,"

orehead-a moment later the little pair left the room. As soon

d this is Tuesday evening. It will be impossible for you to stay on here with those four children and no one responsible to look after them. You

quite enough to keep me out of anxiety

quite that. No doubt you let your farms too cheap; and so much gr

e," said Mr. Delaney. "The pro

affliction. When you married you broke off almost all connection with me, but now-now I am willing to overlook the past. Do you, or do you not, intend those children to run wild any longer? Even though the

; "their mother brought them up as no one else

reatures. Good-looking they are-you are a fine-looking man yourself, and your wife was certainly pretty-the children take after you both. I have nothing to say against their appearance; but they talk

Jane; I would

if you were to see them, you would be well assured that Iris and Diana, Apollo and Orion would do well to

names their mother chose," said

are too young for anything of that kind at present. Give me the children, David, and I will act as a mother to t

untold relief,"

r appeared with the evening post on a salver. Mr.

the drawing room

man rose

d. "Read your letters, please, David;

pened to be from an old friend, and certainly seemed to come at an opportune moment. This friend was about to start on an expedition to the Himalayas, and he begged his old fellow-traveler to

portion of the letter aloud. "If I might venture to trust my darlings to you," he said, "there is nothing in all the world I shou

children to me. I assure you I will do my duty by them." She spoke with real sincerity, and tears absolut

ou will be good to the children-tender, I mean.

p as I would my own. I will do my utmost to rear them in the fear of God.

n, feeling that she had done a very good and excellent work,