come under the direct rays of Henrietta's influence, Jane, dear!

"Yes, Sallie, I should call them a responsibility," I answered her with
a laugh, as I reached up my arms for the Kitten. Then, as the little
yellow head snuggled in the hollow that was instituted in the beginning
between a woman's breast and arm for the purpose of just such nestlings,
I whispered as I laid my lips against her little ear, "and a happiness,
too, darling."

And as Sallie rocked and recuperated her breath Nell eyed the ruffle
apprehensively.

"Are you going to let us make another dress for the kiddies, Sallie,
dear?" she finally was forced by her uneasiness to ask, though with the
deepest sweetness and consideration in her voice.

If I am ever a widow with young children I hope they will burn us all up
with the deceased rather than keep me wrapped in a cotton-wool of
sympathy, as all of us do Sallie.

"It's lovely of you, Nell, to want to do more for the babies after all
the beautiful things you and Evelina have made them, and I may be able
to get another white dress apiece for them after I give Cousin James the
bills, that are awful already, but this is some ruffling that I just
forced Mamie Hall to let me bring up to you girls to do for her baby.
The poor little dear is two months old and Mamie is just beginning on
his little dress for him. He has been wearing the plainest little slips.
Mamie says Ned remarked on the fact that the baby was hardly presentable
when you girls stopped in with him to see it the other day, Nell. I
urged her to get right to work fixing him up. It is wrong for children