Bessie Bradford's Prize

chards, in a tone indicative of anything

red of a like sentiment, and rising, she tossed asid

be over to her place this evenin'. I did tell her, you know, I'd fit that dress for her Mrs. Bradford give her to Christmas, but she just needn't a come here when I told her I'd go there

stion, when Jennie, who was still gazing out of

tle Miss Bradfords, wi

Lily Norris al

up to the window, began to clap her hands, and Mrs. Ri

hem, and I'll set the sunshine they'll br

by beamed

his long while, real live po'try, if there ain't no jingle about it. I allers did think you might a writ a book if you'd set about it, an' if you'd put such readin' as that

of Mrs. Fleming might be. Their quicker footsteps brought them in before Mrs. Fleming, and they received a warm welcome. It is to be feared that the younger girl

id oo b

excuse her, young ladies," said Mrs. Richards, mortified also; "but she's only

t that Lily presently had the little one on her lap, while Belle

, the first three because they were generally ready for a visit to the family of the policeman, who had befriended Bessie when she was lost, the latter because she thought Mrs. Granby "such fun." To have Mrs. Flemi

and as the latter was putting it up Mrs. Fleming came in and was

ichards. "I think that's the name of the young lady who wa

Mrs. Richards. The doctor has said she is out of danger, and her mot

wonderful and brave she was, and how she never thought of herself trying to save the other

aggie; "but Mr. Howard is much better

r head mournfully, as if she would say, "Don'

ily whispered to Bessi

rolling round her

red Bessie, "s

f she does,"

uch a lackadaisical, tearful tone as one w

't come of 'avin' that number of children to her Christmas tree-twice thirteen; an' I said if thirteen was h

oked grav

o," she said, in an admonitory tone, "and tha

y that there come the burnin'

equally determined to maintain her side of the case. "But they are both a great deal better, and it ought to show you

liance on the goodness and power of God were very strong; and more than one occurrence in her little life had tended to foster these, and she always rather resented the want of them i

can't help havin' my hown feelin's an' hopinions; but the Lord made me

at she was still making her moan over matters and things in general, and that in some way she seemed to be blaming her own dear mother. She looked di

ter Mrs. Bradford which there never was a better lady, nor one that was so far from down-treadin' folks but more like to be upliftin' 'em if only they'll let themselves be uplift, an' all her family the same an' the little ladies brought up accordin'; so, if you please, no slurs on any of 'em afore me an' Mary Richards which we would have feelin's on account of it an' wouldn't stan' it in this house. I don't se

into tears and buried her face in an a

sumed in a soothing tone a

ain't a woman of many words neither. There, Mrs. Flemin', don't mind, an' if you've a min' to compo

e them in public, and she sat still, sobbing only the louder. The situation was becoming embarrassing

you made dresses. I thought you only did plain

he same an' acted accordin', which there's never a night on my bended knees I don't ask the Almighty's blessin' on you, an' there's none more deserves it, an' I do b'lieve the dear Lord's of the same way of thinkin', for there's none as I see happier nor more prosperin' an' does one's heart good to see it, an' never will I forget the night we was in such a peck of troubles an' seein' no way out of 'em me an' the Richardses, an' your pa comin' in an' turnin' the tide, an' since th

un," and she was quite

arcel ready and Maggi

with her mother. It isn't likely Mrs. Neville will want to be leaving her child again after such an escape as she's had. I'm sure I couldn't abide one of mine out of my sigh

elf, "a woman of few words," for she, as well as the rest of the family, had been greatly interested in the a

ted one momen

Lena has not gone with her. She is to stay with Colonel and Mrs. Rus

sudden?" interposed Mrs. Fleming, whose tears did not prevent her from hearing all that passed. "You never

f this cheerful prophecy

like to be quite well

Mag

is quite well enough now to enjoy everything except walking; but her feet are still tender and s

acie Howard, and Maggie stopped to speak to her, although Gracie had shown no sign of wishing

to the meeting of our club the day after to

nervous way dug the toe of her overshoe into the snow which ha

, anxious for some excuse, and yet too honest to invent one that was altogether withou

possible. "It is so long since you have been, and you know there is a paper owin

saw cause for disapproval, and above all if she thought others were assuming too much; and she had on certain occasions so plainly made known her opinion of some of Grade's assumption, that a sort of chronic feud had bec

had excited the indignation of all who were present. But if they had known what followed after Gracie had been left alone in the room where she had so disgraced herself, how would they have felt then? How she had stood by and seen the source of contention, a composition, which she believed had been written by Lena, torn to atoms by a mischi

d shrunk from meeting her classmates, and although she had been obliged to do so at school, she had avoided all other opportunities of seeing them, and on one excuse and another had refused to a

smate whom she chose to consider as her rival; and this had in some measure relieved the weight of sorrow and remorse she had felt when Lena was severely burned and lay for days hovering between life and death. But she could not shut her eyes o

e and distress for the bad temper and unkindness she had shown to Lena on that memorable day; and now Maggie, feeling sorry for her and also

she would be received kindly by the majority of the members, but about Lily and two or three others she had

he rest of her days, her heart smote her, and flinging her former resolution to the winds, she followe

s and being offended among us. It's horrid; so let by-

not say 'let by-gones be by-gones;'" but she said that she would co

tender to suffer her to put them to the ground, or to take any steps upon them. But she had been so long a prisoner upstairs that it was quite an event for her to be allowed to join the family at dinner once more; and the Colonel had seen fit to make it a little more of a celebration by coming for Maggie and Bes

efore the two little maidens had appeared upon the scene-the three friends se

ises for her presence of mind and her bravery, and for the patience with which she has borne her suffering; so it was very precious to her, for she adores him, you know; and there was another from her father, containing news which she would like to give you herself, I am sur

down at her with a twinkle in his kind eyes,

ere are girls and girls, you know, and it is easier for one spec

rcumstances," said Maggie, "because I have never been ve

d with you as you are," answered the Colonel, bending another loving look upon the rosy, gl

ncy; but in former days, whenever she heard what she called "a new word," she would presently contrive some occasion for using it

e boarded. The woman was somewhat rough and unprepossessing, it is true, and hence Maggie had conceived the prejudice against her; but she was kind-hearted and good, as the little girl le

lly, rollicking farmer with a very soft spot in his heart for all children, took it good-naturedly and thought it a tremendous joke, and his uproarious merriment called Mrs. Jones upon the scene to reprove him and inquire t

mstance" had remained a family joke ever since, and the expression was frequently brought into use in the sen