Mostly Mary

t meant for her. The ironing was not so easy; but with help from the laundress on tucks and lace-trimmed ruffles, it was at last finished. The dolls themselves had their smiling faces well s

ed her books, putting all those which had only pictures and no reading matter in them on the shelf above the games; the A, B, C books a

ot neglect her pets nor her own little flower garden which she herself had dug and raked and hoed and planted with seeds, bulbs, and sl

nt Mandy always let her hold first one baby and then the other for a few minutes before tucking them in for their nap. It seemed to Mary a very strange hour to go to sleep. She thought every one ought to be quite wide awake

had done the winter before. Not that Mary disliked school. The few months in the spring, which she had spent at a convent day school, had been such happy ones that she had been really sorry when school

andy could very well spare her during those long hours at the academy. Only that day, her mother had made her very happy by saying that she did n

make out. She had a habit of reading aloud even when alone, so that Mrs. Selwyn, passing from room to room, was often able to correct words which the child did not pronounce properly. The little girl laughed softly at the memory of one of her mistakes. She was reading a story of a little queen of England, and

deal of time and that her mother needed rest, too, when they were asleep. But what of her father and uncle? They could help her in the evenings. The Doctor often asked her to read to him after dinner, and why could she not read the lessons in the Third Reader?-for Mary had quite made up her mind that the Second Reader was

ono and slippers, she crept from her room and down the

e you ill?" her father asked anxi

Aunt Mandy are so busy with the babies. Something popped into my head a li

til morning, I suppos

you know there is never very much tim

orrow, you will be almost too busy

but Mother will be there, too, and this is something that

ou should be sound a

right; so let us hea

to do it. Mother says she doesn't see how they are going to get along without me. I can save them a great many steps, you know, and

not see the twinkle in t

oyed going to school that you

s'pose it would be the same now; but when Mother needs me

oked very tho

bad to keep you home from school. Your education is a very important thing, you know. Would it not

cher when I could skip Kindergarten and Primer and First Reader; but she has no time to help me now. The thing that p

ut for little girls of your age, I object strongly to night study. The morning and early afternoon

ement is not always best, either. In a schoolroom, a child learns much from hearing the others recite, and is taught many, many things not in books. At school, too, she has playmates of her own age. So be ready to kee

your office and drop me off at the convent. Then I wouldn't ha

house as early as you do, and do not return until six or after in th

t? From half-past eight to

d one-ha

an stand it all that time, I ought to be

hen your appetite will improve, and you will grow strong, and those rosy cheeks which you brought from the seashore, but have since

ven whole years and t

ll these years, months, and days, you are our little Mary and will stil

en I shall have to fast. Surely, by that time, Father, you can't call me little.

for my age. Make it between seven fives and six

is Mr. Conway, Father? He look

mes eleven years

es eleven. Mr. Conway is seventy-seven; but

our arithmetic, young l

please see Sister Florian in the morning, F

your book, or i

cond Reader, and I can read all the lessons in it;

, pet. Are you as well up in your other studie

ardest thing o

study the time when the other children ar

her, I s'po

to help Mother. Your studies will be duties enough for you until you are quite a little older; and all the daylight hours when you are not in school must be spent ou

h Mother and the ba

u every afternoon, and you may come home the long way if you like. You will have the whole evening to enjoy y

ey soon begin to gr

two months ago," wa

y I come in about five o'clock

a little. A child of your age should not have it t

ieve I am hung

put away any necks or backbones of those chickens we had for dinne

wyn. "Strange that her little head should be filled with

regard for the feelings of others. At the same time, she loved her dolls and toys, and played wonderful games of make believe, when she peopled her playroom with the little girls and boys who sometimes visited her. So, if in one way, she showe

e, Uncle, for it is too warm to

that the icebox is th

d something go

ings," and the Doctor handed her a platter with the greater part of a chicken o

try! This reminds me of old times. I remember well the many tim

y didn't say anything

myself on that account; for I grew worse with age, and treated my friends through the pantry window. Where is that bread box!-Come, now, pull up a ch

little girl, who sat facing the open door,

in her sleep. Beth has been so restless that I have not been able to go to b

wn to plan a surprise for you, which Rob and I nipped in the bud. I fear

d the little girl's wish-not that their ideas on the subject had changed in the least, but be