The Magnolia gazette., 1883-02-22
GOING VISITING.


II was such n cold day that the pco.
pie in the streets, hurried by, muilled
mp almost to the tips of their noses.
VIII lie the window-panes were covered
with frost fern.leaves and branches of
coral, that were very pretty to look at
if they had not looked 50 cold; and no
one who could help it cared about going
out
Three little people, however, took
this dreadful day to 90 a-visiting. They
did not 60 very far TO be sure-only to
Cousin Nellie's room; and when Cousin
Nellie, who was busy writing q story for
little readers (which she often didl,
heard a slow pattering down the stairs,
and then a whispering and laughing,
and finally u loud knocking on her door
that was kept up until the visitors fairly
got into the room, she wondered little
what was coming nor. Ur
But she was used to funny things, for
she had two little cousins and Il small
nelghbor next door, who played with
them a great deal, and Cousin Nellie
was not very much surprised even to
hear q sort of bark, that seemed TO be
suddenly stopped, Then there was a
little barking in a VIII sper for Billy,
the dog, always felt that he ought TO
bark whenever there was anything
going on, and he was quite sure that
there was something going on now. .a
When Cousin Nellie said. gsCome
in,' the door opened suddenly, and in
tumbled Billy, the first thing, with one
of the boys caps on his head. He
looked absurd enough, but he was sun
posed to be a gentleman who had come
with the three ladies. They introduced
him as "Mr. Bill" but with one shake
he knocked the cap off his head and
picking out the warmest place Gas he
always did), instead OF attending to the
ladies, he settled himself down behind
Cousin Nellie's stove and went fast
asleep. A's 9l.t 1s s1E ST
TWhy Mrs. Brown" said the lady of
the house Chat was Cousin Nellie, iyou
know, ,as she saw Clara's bright ewes
peeping out from under her mothers
black lace veil while the velvet sacoue
fairly reached her feet, "I am veryy
glad to see you--do walk in.f And this
is Mrs. Smith, isn't itP So kind of vou.
Mrs, Smith, to come out on such day
as this,
"Mrs. Smith was Mamie Rade. the
little girl next door, who was a gentle
little thing, with great blue eyes and
cheeks like damask roses. eShei was
bundled up so in big shawl that She
could scarcely move; and she had on a
large bonnet with great bunch of
flowers in it, l.illG
But the funniest figure of all was lit,
tie roly-poly Alice, who was nearly as
broad as she was long. whose dress
trailed so that she nearly tumbled at
every step; and she carried grand
mamma muf, that was nearlyas large
as herself. When Cousin Nellie called
her Mrs. Biscuits, and gave her the
rocking chair, she was very much de-
lighted-it made her feel quite as though
she .st'is. grown-up lady going out
visiting.a -aa 'ye ass1's sg
,'.We have brought all our children, !,
said Mrs. Brown, who thought that she
ought to say so1netbi1ag;and she displaveti
her largest doll. ssFlora. Matilda.r
closely muifea up. aiaE .l aagr
Mrs. smith seemedto have a pair of
twins in her arms; and little Mrs: Bjs4s
cults held out an unfortunate infantwith
only one foot and no hands to'speak Of.
"The darlings.n exclaimed the,ladv
OF the house, as though she were yery,
much delighted to see them, .but ars