"Mamma dear, there is really no hurry about the silk and the pencils,
nor about the eggs either; I don't care for any of them just now; it
will do as well by and by. I'd rather have Elsli stay here with me."

Her mother was well pleased, and answered,--

"Certainly; Elsli can stay with you now; it will be time enough for the
errands when she comes in the afternoon."

The two children were equally delighted; Nora at the prospect of
pleasant intercourse to enliven her weary hours, and Elsli at the
thought of sitting in peace and quiet by this friendly new acquaintance.

As Mrs. Stanhope sat down with them, nothing more could be said about
the Song of Paradise, and Nora must put off till another time her
account of all that Clarissa had told her about the happiness of the
heavenly life. So at first there was silence between them, but then she
asked Elsli about her life at home, and Elsli told about her little
brothers and the baby, and then about Fani; and once started upon that
topic she hardly knew where to stop. She told how kind he was to her,
and how clever at his lessons, how he helped her with her exercises, and
she did not know how she could live without him. If she was ever so
tired and miserable, it always rested her and made her happy to have
Fani come home; for he was so full of hope and courage that it seemed as
if her burdens were lifted off, and she felt as gay as he did, while he
described the delightful things that they would do and see together some
day.

Mrs. Stanhope listened with pleasure to the soft-voiced child whose blue