can promise you she reads beautifully."

"Well, I will come on Monday," said Edith, gaily, "and send me away if
you don't want me; but dear me, do you like this light on your eyes?
I'll ask mamma for a piece of green baize to pin up. Good bye."

As she was going out of the room Joe called her back. "I have such a
favour to ask of you, Miss Parker. Don't bring that preaching German
lady here of whom I have heard Fred speak; I don't mind you, but I
cannot bear so much preaching. Mrs. Barton and her together would craze
me." Edith promised, but she felt disappointed. She had hoped that
Emilie might have gained an entrance, and she knew that Emilie would
have found out the way to his heart, if she could once have got into his
presence; but she concealed her disappointment having made the required
promise, and ran after her brother.

"I don't like going where I am so plainly not wanted, Fred," said she on
their way home, "Oh, what a sad thing poor White's temper is for himself
and every one about him."

"Yes Edith, but _we_ are not always sweet-tempered, and you must
remember that poor White has no mother and no father, no one in short to
love." Edith found at first that it required more judgment than she
possessed to make her visit to Joe White either pleasant or useful.
Illness had increased his irritability, and so far from submitting
patiently to the confinement and restriction imposed, he was quite
fuming with impatience to be allowed to sit up and amuse himself at
least.

How ingenious is affection in contriving alleviations! Here Joe sadly