Mother Meg

you, my girl; least

nty-five, in a workman's dress, as he led h

fully, for there had been a different tone in the e

to ha' brought you to, Meg; but work's b

shy and somewhat fearful. Should she be afraid to

ssure in return reassured her. Whatever it mig

s had never been seen before; she had left the cottage where every china mug and shepherdess was like a bit of her life; she had left the situation in the grand house at the end of her mother's garden, where she had

t front and back, and as her husband ushered her

blithely, placed there in readiness by some one as yet unkn

y different to what y

nd looking round; "it's ever so nice. And how coul

se Meg's mother had one just like it; the bright-burning grate, with its little oven and boiler; the two American arm-chairs, looking so inviting by it; the large rag hear

ed up in her husband's fac

sion of it all with her heart. Hers and hi

t shone in the man's eyes as he

home flowers, and looked roun

," she said, "or a jug either

ner and produced a nice-sized one

lot of basins and things, Jem; I sh

will," he an

hem with soft tender touch, for she l

e over him with a pang, of what the women grew into around the

ought; "not while I love her, and God love

ake off yer bonnet, my dear?" he aske

, "my bonnet won't fade, and these wil

a cup o' tea with us at five o'c

-fashioned watch from his

to, my girl, so if we mean to get

s and putting them into the fire, where they crackled up

came back Jem had put a small square ha

given me?" she asked a little timidly; for "mother" was a ne

Meg; and tea don't ma

e cupboard where she had seen the cups, and beg

med; "how kind your mother is; and s

g over to her and lifting the tray to the chiffonier. "I

k at the door, which Jem hasten

," he said, by wa

ress of some mixture of grey and brown, which Meg had decided on for her wedding dress, because it would wear well in London, and th

ancing and kissing her; "I'm glad

n the arm-chair, "because Meg thought as you'd like to see the

Seymour heartily, drawing nea

mistress's I was always called Archer, so she said, 'Archer, I've put you in a few things to begin on, and so that you will not have to b

said Mrs. Seymour, r

fully, with a bright glance at Jem; "b

of fine chickens all ready cooked, done up in a clean cloth; then there were some sausages; after that a

e was a flat parcel tied

s a mark of Mrs. MacDonald's esteem, wis

I should find her present at

t up. But he had to find another way, for the package resisted his eff

ound that the strings had been so placed as t

"Oh, Jem, how I did want to get you a c

oad hand on h

ink as I've eyes to see as all these things

worn face, and with almost

to be pretty heavy once, that I kept to buy th

so much that she had to help Jem very indu

nswered her

t, they found it was a very nice c

asked Meg, touching the vase in

placing the clock where she had made

they had no more words at their com

these fowls to-night for t

id Mrs. Seymour, "but I don't w

corner. She spread the cloth and set out the fowl on one of the dishes, putting the sausages round as a garnish; then she poured out som

-made bread," she exclaimed, turning to

ready stood on a p

Meg, preparing to sit down at the

y dear," answered Mrs. Seymour smiling, a

but Jem only patted her

ives to remember everythi

ea was kept, and then they

to bless them now and always, and Mrs.