manner of nice things. Hold yourself straight, Annie. What will these
young ladies think of you, Belle, if they look at your dirty
pinafore? Mine are such troublesome children," she continued, in a
complaining voice; "they are never nice and tidy and obedient, like
other children. Mr. Thorne spoils them, and then finds fault with me."

"What is your name, dear?" I whispered to the youngest, when Mrs.
Thorne had withdrawn with Carrie for a few minutes. They were
certainly very unattractive children; nevertheless, my heart warmed
to them, as it did to all children. I was child-lover all my life.

"Annie," returned the little one, shyly rolling her fat arms in her
pinafore. She was less plain than the others, and had not outgrown
her plumpness.

"Do you know I have a little brother at home, who is a sad invalid;"
and then I told them about Dot, about his patience and his sweet
ways, and how he amused himself when he could not get off his couch
for weeks; and as I warmed and grew eloquent with my subject, their
eyes became round and fixed, and a sort of dawning interest woke up
on their solemn faces; they forgot I was a stranger, and came closer,
and Belle laid a podgy and a very dirty hand on my lap.

"How old is your little boy?" asked Lucy, in a shrill whisper. And
as I answered her Mrs. Thorne and Carrie re-entered the room. They
both looked surprised when they saw the children grouped round me;
Carrie's eyebrows elevated themselves a little quizzically, and Mrs.
Thorne called them away rather sharply.

"Don't take liberties with strangers, children. What will Miss