them next morning was her mother's old doll. Maria had laid it on the
pillow beside her.

It was beautifully dressed, although in a queer, old-fashioned style
that seemed very strange to the child.

She took it up with careful fingers, remembering its great age. Maria
had warned her not to waken her grandfather, so she admired it in
whispers.

"Jus' think, Fritz," she exclaimed, "this doll has seen my Gran'mothah
Amanthis, an' it's named for her. My mothah wasn't any bigger'n me when
she played with it. I think it is the loveliest doll I evah saw in my
whole life."

Fritz gave a jealous bark.

"Sh!" commanded his little mistress. "Didn't you heah M'ria say, 'Fo' de
Lawd's sake don't wake up ole Marse?' Why don't you mind?"

The Colonel was not in the best of humours after such a wakeful night,
but the sight of her happiness made him smile in spite of himself, when
she danced into his room with the doll.

She had eaten an early breakfast and gone back up-stairs to examine the
other toys that were spread out in her room.

The door between the two rooms was ajar. All the time he was dressing
and taking his coffee he could hear her talking to some one. He supposed
it was Maria. But as he glanced over his mail he heard the Little