asioned in the bosom of my amiable family when I announced that I, too, was about to join the vast majority, is not easy to imagine. But if you think that I at once became a per

ions every pain which assails any one of us, for fear, it may be her dreaded foe. Yet when my sister's blessed lamb baby had it before he was a year old, and after he had got well and I was not afraid he

asking the difference between a check and a note. He said I reminded him of the juryman who asked the difference between

over children and fools," said my cousin, with what Geo

French trunks to me with such reckless generosity that I had to get m

t with an ecstatic smile on her face, and let herself get cheated and lost, and she would

and take care of me and see that

take care of me. I do assure you, however, that I have bought all the tickets, and carried the common purse, and got her through t

our wheel before you go, and I'll take you out for a lesson to-morrow if you'll get up and go at six o'cl

but milkmen,"

the milkmen think

ty tight when one has to grip one's handle-bars as fiercely as I do. Bu

sni

I said, "but if I fall off, remember

resignation. "I've seen you fall off that wheel

lained, carefully. "I feel my

the next morning,

give such instructions in Chicago-"and don't look at anything y

ride so close to

et away from

aid. "You're choking

," he said, when it was too late for me to expostu

d. "I'm falling off. Get out of

hman's hut, rounded it neatly, and leaned myself and m

uth, thrust itself out of the tiny window just in f

t of riding as

cried. "You c

a railroad train going at full sphee

my brother so close to my ear

mbled down. Ted's

nto immediate conversation with a man like that

y gloves and took me

and assisted

long the boulevard in silence for a while, for my conversation when I am on a wheel is gen

sitatingly, "I wear a No. 8

ad large hands and feet,"

gig

te that down somewhere. You can ge

turn, or of Christmas intervening, o

ly. Although you kno

I, th

I am still

n your putting some money

I never get my head above w

use you know I always get silly about

ful good-"

if I bring you glove

borrow it of me or of mamma?" I asked, with a chuckle at t

me! You don't know wh

I said, indignantly

-bar and righted me

aid. "I'll tell you what, Teddy. You needn't give me

sister! I'll never forget that as long as I live. You d

hree were the only objects i

shrieked at him. "I'm

orse and cut do

sighed. "How glad I am I h

Ted. He was biting his l

l I ever saw!" he burst out. "

said. "The wh

n't the m

ht ahead. "Silk stockings with polk

oked s

ceeded. "I sit up so st

ans

at him. "White and pearl ones for evening

rry I said that. But if you

And when I come back you will either have got o

will let me use your rooms while you are gone. Your bed is the best one I ever

. He went on, utterly obli

rls out on. I know some awfully nice girls who can ride, but their wheels are last year

my party dresses. Have you

tter? Won't you let

ens, child! I

or much," said my small, mo

you will promise not to go into my rooms and rummage once while I am gone, and not

me some things from Europe,

I am so tired I can't move. You'll have to walk it

breakfast more

earie? Did you ride t

if he couldn't use my rooms while I was gone, but something has made

n fuming an

anticipation. Inquiries over the telephone

, but would not give his name. He was inquiring for a fri

ll him?" I cri

im nobody but an idiot w

ch a variety

owers or candy. Why didn't you t

tions," he retorted, with the liberty fathers h

Don't you see?" Oh, how hard it is to explain a delicate point like that

now?" asked my p

it would be almost s

s nothing funny in what I

rry you didn't t

not," dec

to scrub like Josie, the cook. I had bought him a little red pail, and I gave it to him that night when he was partly undressed, and he was so enchanted with it that he scampered around huggi

l, Billy?" asked Aunt Lida,

in a whisper. He alw

She is going away on the big

ecious pail, and came and licked my face lik

him until

y day. And buy him a toy out of my money often, and tell him Ta

, handing me her handkerchief. "I'l

or. She was all ready to sta

. "Go out, all of you. We'll lose the train. Hush, somebody's at the te

tainly. To-night on the Pennsylvania. You're qui

r papa in t

all I said this morning! I ne

raised in my defence. Ted

se they're from? Another box just came for you. Say, couldn't you leave that smallest box of v

swered my dear sister, "they

said, "but I'll buy you a box for

grandmamma, coming out of the nursery, fo

ll," said mamma. She wouldn't look at me. "Remember, dearie, your medicines are all labelled, and I put needles in your work-box all threaded

ve sufficed for my tears. I reached o

ou've sopped that," he s

arest. You are my favorite niece

tells my sister the

much that I am going,"

and she is going to stay so long,"

oesn't stay a y

r home by Chris

eat Thanksgiving dinner,"

as long as she has said

to the front door. Everybody was carrying something. There were

ith loads of flowers and everybody c

the platform of the station. Can anybody else remember how she felt at going to Europe for the first time and leaving everybody she loved at hom

re were such loads of things that we might almost have set up as a florist, or fruiterer, or bookseller. Such

nk you don't know what you want. I travelled horizontally most of the way, and now people roar when I say I wasn't ill. Well, I wasn't, you know. We-well, Te

unspeakably thankful to get my foot on dry ground once more. When we got to the dock a special train of toy cars took us through the g