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 a child, particularly to a sick child, as being treated like a very old man, Charlie would sit on Rachel's knee, his eyes fixed admiringly on her, while she "fabled of green fields," or turned the white feathery clouds on the bright blue canopy above, into troops of angels, to whose swift flight she gave fanciful destinations; and Charlie would gravely say, "Yes, veddy true, pooty Rachel," and shake his head with an air of precocious wisdom that delighted her.

"Nay, never shake your gory locks at me, such dear little curling locks, too, as they are. And now, Charlie, your aunts have got some more visitors to entertain," she whispered, as Mr. Greydon was announced, "so you and I will go and sit in the shade in gradmamma's garden, and I will tell you such a funny story of a little kitten," and with a nod to the girls, she carried him off. Willis looked fidgetty, and did not lend himself to conversation with his usual asperity, and after a time he too disappeared in the direction of the garden.