Mostly Mary

r Goldilocks?" asked a deep vo

ugging and ran into Mr. Selwyn's arms. "I'm so glad you are here! Everything has been so-so different this morning. Li

ther had forgotten

el lonely, because I had to stay here instead of running righ

er father, stroking the bright hair which f

be there; but it would be so nice to have someone to play with all the time-not just sometimes, the way it is when Evelyn and Hazel and Rosemary come to see me. Mother says that Robert would be five years old, and Francis, three; and oh! we would have the

never be lonely again," and taking Mary's frail

y passed the head of the stairs. Her father smiled in a knowing fashion, and

ther?" whispered the little girl,

, dear. Perhaps you would

rday; and it can't be a letter from Aunt Mary, because that would be under my plate at the table. Besides, those thin

better waste

ld see nothing that had not been there the night before. Mr. Selwyn whisper

nt Mandy, her colored nurse, came out, carefully carrying

fraid it am too hebby fo' yo'," chuckled A

whispered the little girl. "A dear, swee

hed her father, seating him

baby! Oh!

mb! Dat's what dey is

re they,

ur very own-your l

semary one; but I never dreamed that He would give me two-never! Isn't He good!" and Mary lightly kissed the lips, cheeks, foreh

mewhat heavier," warned her father

; "for, of course, I love them both exactly the same. And, Aunt Mandy, you must not bother about me any more. You won't have time,

mmy is gwine to let yo' git yo' curls all wet, an' kotch yo' def ob cold dat

t in bathing at the seashore. I suppose, though, that someone will have to help me with my

o, sah! Dey ain't gwine to be no hair-cuttin' round heah! Aunt Mandy's

spered Doctor Carlton, Mrs. Selwyn's brother, coming into th

orning kiss. "It doesn't pain at all, so I'm sure it can't be out of joint. Whe

he has been asking God to give her one little sister, and He h

Father? I want to see what color th

beth after Mother. She has blue eyes and wi

ry dark eyes like his, so she must be named for him-Rober

e loveliest ones

t," insiste

re--well, just a little bit too b

mites," agreed Mr. Selwyn, "but the bab

y and Bobbie for the present," propose

ldn't like to call my little sister by such a name. Let-me-see. E-liz-a-beth.... Oh, I know! We can call

declared the Doctor; and M

hey be bapti

nday, pr

y is T

of face, 'Tuesday's ch

little gi

ded on the god

ther and mother, Mary. You remember the little girl whos

ith seven

d I went to college with her father, and Aunt M

es, rides horseback like a little Indian, and is as much a boy as any one o

nd Berta and Beth mu

underst

this baby-I mean Bet

ur poor little arms

long without being tired. I shall be back in just a little minute," a

up her two prettiest dolls, and was

themselves with these. I h

ast she entered the sitting-room, he and the Doctor had quite a time to keep from laughing aloud at sight of her with her pet white kitten

ant them if there is nothing for them to

h them, are you?" and Mr. Selwyn put his

f my dolls are hard ones that might hurt them. I shall save those until they ar

or, a mist gathering in his eyes.

have to grow stronger before they can hold even such lovely, soft things? These little folks will

hing when Robert was a baby; and Francis stayed with us only a few days, so that I don't know

d her father, earnestly; for he had fel

would make everything nicer,

--?" inquire

more

more than satisfied with

ncle Frank. That is a boy's name and a girl's name, too; so it woul

drew her to him, saying, "But one baby was named for me

ttle baby so it would be baptized; and we named it Mary for our Blessed Mother. Of course, we could never see the baby that we buy, but-but-well, when it dies, it will go to heaven-that is, if it keeps on being

you are now, pet. But come; it is time you had some breakfast.

t and tell her the s'prise. Do you think we coul

ll take you out to Maryvale, and you may tell Aunt Mary

" asked the little girl, with a longin

to send for you the mom