Replete with vivid promise, bright as spring."
WORDSWORTH.

"Well then; but you must remember that I have been ill, and cannot be
expected to invent anything very entertaining."

"Oh, we do remember, indeed, Aunt Judy; we have been so miserable,"
was the answer; and the speaker added, shoving her little chair close
up to her sister's:-

"I said if you were not to get better, I shouldn't want to get better
either."

"Hush, hush, No. 6!" exclaimed Aunt Judy, quite startled by the
expression; "it was not right to say or think that."

"I couldn't help it," persisted No. 6. "We couldn't do without you,
I'm sure."

"We can do without anything which God chooses to take away," was Aunt
Judy's very serious answer.

"But I didn't want to do without," murmured No. 6, with her eyes
fixed on the floor.

"Dear No. 6, I know," replied Aunt Judy, kindly; "but that is just
what you must try not to feel."

"I can't help feeling it," reiterated No. 6, still looking down.