Year: 1860

This child belongs to my family" said
Grandma Grove, quietly. n have attended to
my family affairs for great many years, and no
one will hinder me now. Will you bring me
some dry clothes?"


Mrs. Green looked into the resolute face o
the old lady who had not paused in her work,
and noticed the responsibility OF her dress.


"Do you mean to say that child's relative
ofyourn?" she asked


II do"


ri wish you Joy Of your relatives" muttered
the dressmakeras she flung out of the room.
Lefty stood by shvering, no longer with the
cold, but with the excitement of hearing that
she had living relative in the world. After
looking timidly into her face two or three times,
she summoned up courage to say.


"What is your name, please?


"Mehitable Grove" said the old lady briefly.


"Were you-were you anything to my faith
er?" whispered the child, still more tmidly.


eyes" said Grandma Grove, whose benevo-
lent feelings were subject to the influence Of
external impressions like those of other people
"Your father was son OF my husbands cousin"


Lefty was wise enough to perceive that the
relationship was very distant one and it quiet
ed her excitement little, but her curiosity was
not allayed, and she asked another question


"Did you come here to see me?"
Yes. I'm going to take you home for avisitr


81 can't spare her now" said Mrs. Green.
who entered at this moment "There's the
greatest heap of work to be done before Christ
mas" But the sight of Grandma Groves purse,
which came out to remunerato her for the SER
vice the child would be TO her during the week.
soon quieted her renonstrances, and the child
was suffered TO go, with the promise that she
should be brought back when the week closed


81 dare say it's no kind ofuse," thought the
old lady, shaking her head, as she led the child
toward the Kaiser House, where she wasj to
meet her grandson. "She looks as if she was
entirely too warped to be bent back; but
couldn't answer it to myself if didn't try"


Yet when she looked into the child's brown
eyes, she could not help feeling that it was
some kind Of use; for Grandma Grove was in
the habit Of looking deeper into human faces
than some people.


There was much wonder in the house of Jo-
seph Grove at the strange freak which had in
duced the old lady to bring home such deform-
ed i'll looking child; but no one doubted her
right to bring the child home in she chose.


"Now girls" she said the next morning, af-
ter silently listening to their remarks the even
ing before. about the child's i'll looks and her
utter destitution of respectable clothing, "now
girls, expect you to see that this child is
clothed up. There's plenty of fingers among
you, and plenty ofclothes that you don't want
in your closets. If Ifanything needs to be bought,
come to me. And those that are most active
in putting the child In order, may expect the
best Christmas present from their grandmother"
~ Great was the stir among the cousnage, for
none of them depised the Christmas presents Of
Grandma Grove, and the busy fingers that were
set at work in her behalf soon turned the hearts
of those who had at first looked upon Lefty
with aversion add disgust: and from being the
the protege ofthe old lady she was in some dan
ger of becoming pIotege to the whole circle of
relatives. Some of the younger ones, it is true,
were inbIined to report poor Lefty as a bad
child but Grandma Grove had never expected
that the faults ofa child, reared as she had
been, could be cured in moment, and instead
of being discouraged she only fortified herself
with new strength at each new proof that the
child was warped in mind as we'll in body. 1t
had always been SAID of her in the days of her
active life, that she was sure to cure the sick
lambs, and make the crooked apple trees grow
straight; and even where she was not sure of
success she loved to Try to set that right which
offended her nice eye. And in Letty's Quick
intelligence, and the grateful affection aate ma
ture which she showed, the old lady saw good
ground for hope. Before the week had expired
her mind was made up.


Joseph" SAID she, shaking the snow from
her cloak after an early walk, Il want to have
you get some men and have the cid cottage put
in repair. ! have been looking at it, and there
is not great deal to be done. l think csu
find you tenant" and there was queer twin.
kle in her eye.


"Why, mother" seid Joseph, ~ was going to
rent it to James Hall in the spring. and l did
not know it needed any repairs"


flames Hall must find another house." said
the old lady. "It was the house into which /
went when l was married, and its roof is strong
enough and proud enough yet, to shelter my
last years. | am going into in myself"


"Why mother" said her son with a flush O,
pain crossing his face, Don't we make you
com Portable here?'


"Just as comfortable as it is possible to make
me-" said she laying her hand affectonately on
his shoulder, but you know, Joseph, that your
mother always liked to be independent. There
can never be two rulers in one house. would
not consent to be the first mistress, or the Sec
ond, in your house should be happy by N.Y.
self You cannot object"


"Not if you will be happier mother But think
how lonely you will be- Who will be with YOU
for company


Lefty"


"oh! Then you intend to keep hcr?"


~ intend to keep her."


II am afraid it will bs more lonely than YOU
think. Who will be there to take care of Won?
To keep your walks clean of snowy morning
or to see that your wood and water is conye.
nientr'


You can let Kit sleep there. can put the
kitchen chamber in order for him, and he can