my dear she exclaimed severely the next moment i am ashamed of your being so and then laughed again and took the affecting old hat and carried it back to its place i would not have had any one else see you for the world she said sorrowfully as she returned feeling quite self possessed again to the parlor doorway but still sat in the minister s chair with her small feet placed as his stiff boots had been by s lady and a copy of his solemn expression before they came to speaking of and of the i wish i had asked him if he would be so kind as to the said a little at the discovery that her cousin would consent to laugh no more there are all those ripe on the top branches i can climb as high as he but i can t reach far enough from the last branch that will bear me the minister is so long and thin � i don t know what mr ton would have thought of you he is a very serious young man said cousin still ashamed of her laughter will get the for you or one of the men i should not like to have mr think you were frivolous a young lady of your opportunities � but had escaped through the hall and out at the garden door at the mention of s name miss sighed anxiously and then smiled in spite of her deep convictions as she shut the blinds and tried to make the house look solemn again the front door might be shut but the garden door at the other end of the broad hall was wide open upon the large by s lady garden where the last of the red and white and the golden lilies and the first of the tall blue lent their colors in generous fashion the straight box borders were all in fresh and shining green of their new leaves and there was a fragrance of the old garden s inmost life and soul blowing from the blossoms on a long it was now late in the afternoon and the sun was low behind great apple trees at the garden s end which threw their shadows over the short turf of the green the cherry trees stood at one side in full sunshine and miss who presently came to the garden steps to watch like a hen at the water s edge saw her cousin s pretty figure in its white dress of india muslin hurrying across the grass she was accompanied by the tall shape of the new maid who dull and indifferent to every one else showed a surprising and to the young guest ought to be in the dining room already slow as she is it wants but half an hour of tea time said miss as she turned and went into the shaded house it was s duty to wait at table and there had been many scenes by s lady and defeated efforts toward her education was certainly very clumsy and she seemed the because she had replaced her aunt a most person who had but lately married a farm and its prosperous owner it must be confessed that miss was a most bewildering and that her pupil s brain was easily confused and prone to the coming of had been somewhat dreaded by reason of this service but the guest took no notice of or futile gestures at the first tea table except to establish friendly relations with on her own account by a smile they were about the same age and next morning before cousin came down showed by a word and a quick touch the right way to do something that had gone wrong and been impossible to understand the night before a moment later the anxious mistress came in without suspicion but s eyes were as affectionate as a dog s and there was a new look of on her face this dreaded guest was a friend after all and not a foe come from proud boston to confound her ignorance and patient efforts by a the two young creatures mistress and maid were hurrying across the i can t reach the explained politely and i think that miss ought to send some to the minister he has just made us a call why you have n t been crying again yes m said sadly miss always loves to send something to the minister she acknowledged with interest as if she did not wish to be asked to explain these latest tears we arrange some of the best in a pretty dish i u show you how and you shall carry them over to the after tea said cheerfully and accepted the with pleasure life was beginning to hold moments of something like delight in the last few days you ll spoil your pretty dress miss gave shy warning and miss stood back and held up her skirts with unusual care while the country girl in her heavy blue checked began to climb the cherry tree like a boy down came the scarlet fruit like bright rain into the green grass by s lady break some nice twigs with the and leaves together oh you re a duck and flushed with delight and looking far more like a thin and solemn blue came rustling down to earth again and gathered the spoils into her clean apron that night at tea during her s temporary absence miss announced as if by way of apology that she thought was beginning to understand something about her work her aunt was a treasure she never had to be told anything twice but has been as clumsy as a calf said the precise mistress of the house i have been afraid sometimes that i never could teach her anything i was quite ashamed to have you come just now and find me so 