The Staying Guest

ion. The day was warm, and the dimity curtains, the feather bed, and the

he extra length of Martha's long night-dress t

a veranda roof, and swinging herself over the sill, she st

scrambled out of the feather nest and

im up, "how do you like our new home? I think

d not open any until she reached the last one. There the blinds flew open at her touch and discl

lf on the window-sill

she had slept in, and as she looked, a night-capped f

as young, and the face between the bed-curtains wa

d most engagin

Dorinda; I'm sitti

dog still in her arms, she

proaching the bed, "'cause my feet are cold-though it's

og and all, into her aunt's bed, and

mpossible, with the little childish face framed in it

clock, dearie;

The train was late last night

un right back to your room and dress; the breakfast-be

should hope so!" sai

through the window and ran along

Martha staring in di

ing on my aunt; it's such a lovely morning for visiting, you know. But I'm

ssistance her toilette was soon made; then sh

came to the dining-room, where the breakfast-table was

r she resented any intrusion on the quiet of

y," the good-hearted old cook fell a victim at on

ss? And what wou

; and if I go and sit at the tab

ong, thin, and set at the pl

scilla and Miss Dorinda came into the dining-room they found their gue

I just couldn't. And Bridget brought me such lovely things! I never had strawberries and cream before. Do you alw

la; "we have used them for forty years,

e remark was intended for a warning to herself, as her quick motions and un

throwing her little thin arms above her head, graspe

ery day. It's such a comfort to see them around; and you needn't break china or glass just because you use

r, and glass in a row in front of her, and seized a spoon in one hand an

acquaintanc

brought

at the accented notes, and beating an acco

saucers, but the dear old tune, sung in the pretty, childish voice, with

shed the refrain

and you both tap your gl

that they tapped on their glasses with their thin old silver spo

ey all laid down their spoons. "And now if you've finished your breakfa

ad by no means lost her mi

u are to start back to Boston this morning,

h a wise smile, and an air as

ow, if you will come into the morning-room with u

grasped Miss Priscilla's hand in both her o

acquaintance

and her sister took their acc

s Priscilla's side and sat down upon it,

ome unaccountable reason Ladybird felt more attracted toward Miss Priscilla; and, too, the child could already see t

, and she caressed Miss Priscilla's hand for the simple

laring at her niece, "will yo

id the little girl, w

l name, not that

name. I never

real name is L

Lavinia Lovell, th

w old a

e year

ot! You ar

'm. Fo

e would treat a harmless lunatic who m

ck hair? Your father wrote, when you were a b

anged, haven't I? Did you ever know a

you did. As it is, I cannot think of allowing you to stay here, and so when your trunks come this morning-and I suppose Mr. Marks will bring them pretty soon-I shall send them back, and you with them, t

ard the end of her aunt's speech her mind began to w

n make poetr

scilla Flint's early life h

nd indeed, had a little hair-trunk in the attic packed quite full of them,-yet she had never been able to summon sufficient courage to offer them to any publisher; and lately

tten poetry. It is a talent that runs

te it. I just say it

ar aunt name

in a beaut

lovely o

can't ab

ors her cake

e to use words that rhyme, whether the sen

was a lady

ecause she

husband f

ughtful

live very l

some of your

te mine, child,-you co

e not. But I'd l

set Star,' sister,

a little; then, foldin

et star i

he meado

ne vines a

llises

y pleasan

it fro

fancies

at eveni

I know the sunset star that comes out in the sky just as the sun goes down

older you'll see that poetr

ake verses like yours. Can you

nda, simply; "my tal

me how? I've always wanted to learn to paint, and I'm very

very prettily," said Miss Dorinda; "d

have. Shall I pl

as never been touched since your mother left us, a

f my mamma, and papa never told me anything about her. I didn't know papa very well, either,-he

, with rosy, plump cheeks.

white face. Papa used to call me a black-and-white ghost. But after I live here awhile, I

to live here; you're g

e it's my home, and I have no other. I belong to you and Aunt Dorinda, because I have no other relatives. I hope you'll learn to like m

own house? I say you are to go, and go you shall. Here comes Mr. Marks up the ro

hing eyes, and Ladybird, who had risen from her st

oom. The windows were high from the ground, an

or, shut it behind her, and turned the key in

nda just as Mr. Marks drove up

on the porch? Oh, here is Matthew; he will help you. Now, if you ple

y her three trunks were safely lodged in the room she had oc

and when he told she paid him from her

of sight, and then she went to u