his own conscience, if in no other way.




ACORN HOLLOW.


"Oh, Aunt Elissa! stay with us and spend the evening, why can't you!"
exclaimed Janie, Nelly, and Thanny, as the before-mentioned aunt entered
their cheerful little parlor one evening, after being absent some time.

"Stay and spend the evening! Bless your dear souls! no. Haven't I got to
go to the post office, and besides that, a hundred and one other errands
to do?"

"Never mind the post office, Aunt Lissa. Where's my hat? I'll run there
and back again in two minutes, and that will save you the trouble of
going. And never mind the errands either; you can come over in the
morning and do them; besides that we don't like to have our aunt going
about these dark evenings--she might get lost, or something might catch
her and carry her off, and then--"

"What then?"

"Why she wouldn't tell us any more stories."

"Away with you, you selfish things! that's as much as you care for me.
Now I'll go right home."