ouldfind an excuse for dropping in unannounced as they were settlingdown to their work beside the lamp. Ann Eliza noticed that Evelinanow took the precaution of putting on her crimson bo

ters had blushingly accorded himthe privilege of a pipe he began to permit himself

th little feminine doubts and distresses; and thesisters fell into the habit of saying to each other, in moments ofuncertainty: "We'll ask Mr

sympathy grew almostpainful to the sisters. With passionate participation theylistened to the story of h

he sisters were alone Evelina called aresponsive flush to Ann Eliza's brow by saying suddenly, withoutthe mention of any name: "I wonder what she's like?"One day toward spring Mr. Ramy, who had by this time become asmuch a

tore at night."Evelina, with such protests as politeness demanded, acquiescedin this opinion, and spent the next day in trimming a white chipbonnet with forget-me-nots of her own making. Ann Eliza broughtout her

and shewas surprised, when she heard Evelina tap on the

again," she reflected as sh

triking stereopticon views of Berlin had afforded Mr. Ramy t

ned her glowing face. "Did you ever hear anything sosilly? I didn't know whi

ent onirrelevantly, smiling at her reflection

t lovely," sa

y an increased harshness of wind and prevalence ofdust, when one day Evelina

thing pretty to look at right away.""Oh, sister," said Ann Eliza, in trembling sympathy. She feltthat special indulgence must be

e broken china vase, and was putting the jonquils in theirplace with

owers into a starry circle. "Seems as if spring was really here

e for anything that blooms made

idence oftheir thought. "It's just what I was saying to my sister."Ann Eliza got up suddenly and moved away; she remembered tha

Ra

his very minute--somewheres where itwas green and quiet. Seems as if I couldn't stand the ci

Evelina?""No, we don't very often; leastways we ain't been for a goodwhile." She sparkled at the prospect

undressed she took a jonquil from thevase and pressed it with a certain ostentation between the leavesof her prayer-book. Ann Eliza, covertly observin

dbonneted, awaiting Miss Mellins's knock. Miss Mellins presentlyappeared in a glitter of jet sequins and spangles, with a tale ofhaving seen a strange man prowling under her windows till

en it was found that Mr. Ramy intended to pay theirfares. Nor did he fail to live up to this opening liberality; forafter guiding them thr

erything about her seemed new and miraculously lovelyto Ann Eliza; but she kept her feelings to herself, leaving it toEvelina to exclaim at the hepaticas under the shady ledges, and toMiss Mellins, less interested in the vegetable than in the humanworld, to remark si

eand more discursive, and her ceaseless talk, and the kaleidoscopicwhirl of the crowd, were unspeakably bewildering to Ann Eliza. Herfeet, accustomed to the slippered ease of the shop, ached with theunfamiliar effort of walking, and her ears with the din of thedress-maker's anecdotes; but every nerve in her was

tosuggest that they ought to be going home. Her flushed f

negro woman and a pock-marked man with a bandaged head, while the car rumbled slowly downa squalid avenue to their corner. Evelina and Mr. Ramy sattogether in the forward part of the car, and Ann Eliza could catchonly an occasional glimpse of the forget-me-not bonnet and theclock-maker's shiny coat-collar; but when the little party got outat their corner t

t her sister's side, she suddenly felt the pressure of Evelina's