The Oriel Window

it seemed to Ferdy, for she was smiling, and i

and she heard a little tremble in the voice below the cheeriness. "My dear Ferdy," Miss Lilly was saying, "see what comes of holidays! Much b

fancy looked very wistful that morning. He had stretched out his arms, and was clasping them round her neck. Ferdy was very fond of Miss Lill

g, my dear little matter-of-fact. No, your mamma says you are only to do your really favourite lessons

ay in bed a good bit. What I most want to get out of bed for is to lie on the sofa and have the end of it pulled into the window, so that I can see along the ro

ellow's eyes were very bright-too bright, she feared. "Chrissie d

; "it was about Jesse Pi

the window, and we wondered what it was about.

name of the mining village that Ferdy had been thinking about on his

aughty," said Chrissie, as if it was rather surprising that the havin

illy s

the way of good example certainly. But I hope it's getting a little better. If one could get hold of the children." She sat silent for a moment or two, her eyes looking

use where Miss Lilly lived with her grandfather, an elderly man wh

s what you were saying

boy, it was nice of him. He wa

ooked p

him I was bett

And then he asked if he might send you his 'respexs

about-taking them all and selling them to somebody at Freston. Papa's almost sure-at l

offer to get Ferdy

te little, never to take all the eggs, and I've never taken more than one. If yo

t if he knows he can always sell them. I told him I would give you his message, but that I did not think you wanted an

e say?" ask

goes, I see plenty of boys who have homes of their own idling about in the evenings. It doesn't matter in the summer, but in the winter grandfather and I often feel sorry

n very pale again since the excitement of seeing Miss Lilly had faded away. "We shall be back s

have a little sleep now, but if he is awake and not too tired when you

don't feel as if I could do any lessons. It is so-so dreadful to be without Ferdy, when you think that only the day before yesterday we were both

left her place and was knee

that we can do much better for Ferdy by controlling our grief than by giving way to it. A great deal depends on keeping him cheerful and happily employed and interested. When I got your mother's note yesterday afte

u mean if poor Ferdy was to lie there all day alone, like some poor children

e himself, and for a few days he is sure to be restless and fidgety from weakness; but as he gradually gets stronger again

ood to anybody, that would make him happier than anyth

d I do not think suffering and trial such

fell again at th

have to stay in bed or on a couch for a long time, and of course that cannot but be a great trial to a

as very glad of; and when at last he opened his eyes and looked about him, it was not long be

back now?" he asked. "Miss Li

y to come, but first Ferdy must be "good" and dr

wanted to lie still and not be bothered. But "To please me" from his mother was enough, and when she kiss

d when she heard the soun

. "I am so glad, and Miss Lilly has brought a

dy. "Do tell me the name

l read you the names of some of them, and

ng in the book, so said Miss Lilly. It was about a family of children in Iceland, and though it was ra

as she turned over the leaves. "Yes, here is a sh

hey did not say anything. They were so afraid