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304 life; if you grow to be a woman with these shy manners, you will hardly be fitted for society. You really make quite a stranger of Dr. Bretton: how is this? Don't you remember that, as a little girl, you used to be rather partial to him?"

"Rather, papa", echoed she, with her slightly dry, yet gentle and simple tone.

"And you don't like him now? What has he done?"

"Nothing. Y-e-s, I like him a little; but we are grown strange to each other".

"Then rub it off, Polly; rub the rust and the strangeness off. Talk away when he is here, and have no fear of him".

"He does not talk much. Is he afraid of me, do you think, papa?"

"Oh, to be sure! What man would not be afraid of such a little silent lady?"

"Then tell him some day not to mind my being silent. Say that it is my way, and that I have no unfriendly intention".

"Your way, you little chatter-box? So far from being your way, it is only your whim!"

"Well, I'll improve, papa".

And very pretty was the grace with which, the next day, she tried to keep her word. I saw her make the effort to converse affably with Dr. John on general topics. The attention called into her guest's face a pleasurable glow; he met her with caution, and replied to her in his softest tones, as if there was a kind of gossamer happiness hanging in the air which he feared to disturb by drawing too deep a breath. Certainly, in her timid yet earnest advance to friendship, it could not be denied that there was a most exquisite and fairy charm.

When the Doctor was gone, she approached her father's chair.

"Did I keep my word, papa? Did I behave better?"

"My Polly behaved like a queen. I shall become quite proud of her if this improvement continues. By-and-by we shall see her receiving my guests with quite a calm, grand manner. Miss Lucy and I will have to look about us, and polish up all our best airs and graces lest we should be thrown into the shade. Still, Polly, there is a little flutter, a little tendency to stammer now and then, and even to lisp as you lisped when you were six years old".