Marm Lisa

dent of the society convinced her that he was not a person to be 'helped' according to her understanding of the term. She thought

ent with Marm Lisa as one of the most interesting and valuable in his whole experience; saying that he hardly knew wh

enses. Every wooded path unfolded treasures of leafy bud, blossom, and brier, and of beautiful winged things that crept and rustled among the grasses. There was the ever new surprise of the first wild-flowers, the abounding mystery of the bird's note and the brook's song,

Lisa's service; but Rhoda's sacrifice was perhaps the most complete, for Mrs. Grubb having at first absolutely refused

ugust, leading her charges into Mistress Mary's presence. Th

he greetings were over; 'and remember that there ar

e been with me eight weeks, and I do--not--like--them. What are you going to do with me? Wait, I haven't told you the whole truth,--I dislike

om of the family than they have been here

tual effulgence, a saintly radiance, such as comes after a long spell of persi

martyr! Sit down and

ave kept a

you drag your poor mot

and another with them. I have held to your plan of discipline pretty well; at any rate, I haven't administered corporal punishme

in the valleys or on the mountains, there is always a young minister. Have all the old ones perished off the face of the earth, pray? And what do the

droom for Atlantic's incarceration, as it has nothing in it but a huge coal-stove enveloped in a somewhat awe-inspiring cotton sheet. I put in a comfortable low chair, a checkerboard, and some books, fixing the time limit at half an hour. By the way, Mary, that's such a pretty idea of yours to leave the door unlocked, and tell the children to come out of their own accord whenever they feel at peace with the community. I tried it,--oh, I always try your pretty ideas first; but I had scarcely closed the door before Pacific was out of it again, a regenerated hum

he became intere

sted. You have heard me speak

summer's minister, the one wh

s at the hotel until his cottage is finished, and the first thing I knew he had hired a stout nursemaid as his contribution to the service of humanity. I think he was really sorry for me, for I was so confined I could scarcely ever ride, or drive, or play tennis; and besides, he simply had to have somebody to hold the children while he observed them. We succeeded better after the

r new in my experie

what the young

logical investigation durin

has no mate

then?--carry it on

ill come here occasionally: it is the most natur

Mistress Mary, rec

tune, my v

numbers mi

I sing Euph

oul on Chl

o devoted to science, particularly to this neglected science! I shall

xtremely

rom what you tell me, bo

ll be finished and furnished by n

onversation into safe educational channels. 'Isn't it curious,' she said, 'that we should have thought Lisa, not the twins, the impossible problem? Yet, as I have written you, her solution is somet

on. The state of mind and body in which she came to us was out of all proportion to the moving cause, when we discovered it. Her mo

y, 'though the writing was not graved so deep but that love and s

nger writes; an

r all your p

back to canc

ears wash out

ll hardly know h

play nine-pins. For the first time in my life, Rhoda, I can fully understand a mother's passion for a crippled, or a blind, or a defective child. I suppose it was only Lisa's desperate need that drew us to her at first. We all loved and pitied her, even at the very height of her affliction; but

ture I ever knew,--so cold that he could stand the Shadrach-Meshech-and Abednego test with impunity; Pacific is hot,--so hot-tempered that one can hardly touch her with

Atlantic, selfish and grasping with all the world, shares generously with his sister. We must remember, too, that Lisa's care has been worse than nothing for them, notwithstanding its absolute fidelity; and t

their clean hands, their new boots; and, on being smartly slapped by Atlantic for putting the elastic of his hat behind his ears, kisse