"What put that into your head, Karen?"

"Everything puts it in my head, missus," said the old woman
with a smiling look at her; "sometimes when I see the sun go
down, I think by'm-by I won't see him get up again; and times
when I lose something, I think by'm-by I won't want it; and
sometimes when somebody goes away, I think by'm-by we'll be
all gone, and then we'll be all together again; only I'd like
sometimes to be all together without going first."

"Will you get down, Winnie?" said her mother, "and let mamma
make a cake for brother Winthrop?"

"A cake? -- for Governor?"

"Yes; get down, and I'll make one of Governor's hoe-cakes."

The spirit of love and cheerfulness had got the upper hand
when the little family party gathered again; at least that
spirit had rule of all that either eyes or ears could take
note of. They gathered in the 'keeping-room,' as it was
called; the room used as a common sitting room by the family,
though it served also the purpose of a sleeping chamber, and a
bed accordingly in one corner formed part of the furniture.
Their eyes were accustomed to that. It did not hurt the
general effect of comfort. There the supper-table was set this
evening; the paper window-curtains were let down, and a
blazing fire sparkled and crackled; while before it, on the
approved oaken barrel-head set up against the andirons, the