looked at her with a relaxed face, and after a little consideration said "she guessed she'd try."

"Mis' Plumfield," cried the old lady as they were moving,-"Mis' Plumfield, you said you'd send me a piece of pork."

"I haven't forgotten it, Mrs. Elster-you shall have it."

66

'Well, you get it out for me yourself," said the old woman, speaking very energetically, "don't you send no one else to the barrel for't; because I know you'll give me the biggest piece.'

Mrs. Plumfield laughed and promised.

"I'll come up and work it out some odd day,” said the daughter nodding intelligently, as she followed them to the door.

"We'll talk about that," said Mrs. Plumfield.

"She was wonderful pleased with the pie," said Barby, "and so was Hetty; she ha'n't seen anything so good, she says, since she quit Queechy." "Well, Barby," said Mrs. Plumfield, as she turned and grasped her hand, "did you remember your Thanksgiving over it?"

"Yes, Mis' Plumfield," and the fine grey eyes fell to the floor,-"but I minded it only because it had come from you. I seemed to hear you saying just that out of every bone I picked."

"You minded my message," said the other gently.

"Well, I don't mind the things I had ought to most," said Barby in a subdued voice,—"never !-'cept mother-I ain't very apt to forget her. Mrs. Plumfield saw a tell-tale glittering beneath the drooping eyelid. She added no more but a sympathetic strong squeeze of the hand she held, and turned to follow Fleda who had gone on ahead.

"Mis' Plumfield !" said Barby, before they had reached the stile that led into the road, where Fleda was standing,-"Will I be sure of having the money regular down yonder? You know I hadn't ought to go otherways, on account of mother."

"Yes, it will be sure," said Mrs. Plumfield, "and regular;" adding quietly, "I'll make it so.'

There was a bond for the whole amount in aunt Miriam's eyes; and quite satisfied, Barby went back to the house.

"Will she expect to come to our table, aunt Miriam ?" said Fleda, when they had walked a little way.

"No-she will not expect that-but Barby will want a different kind of managing from those Irishwomen of yours. She won't bear to be spoken to in a way that don't suit her notions of what she thinks she deserves; and perhaps your aunt and uncle will think her notions rather high-I don't know.' "" " and I guess I

"There is no_difficulty with aunt Lucy," said Fleda ; can manage uncle Rolf-I'll try. I like her very much.

66

Barby is very poor," said Mrs. Plumfield; "she has nothing but her own earnings to support herself and her old mother, and now

suppose her

sister and her child; for Hetty is a poor thing-never did much and now I suppose does nothing.'

"Are those Finns poor, Aunt Miriam ?"

"Oh no, not at all, they are very well off."

"So I thought-they seemed to have plenty of everything, and silver spoons and all. But why then do they go out to work?"

They are a little too fond of getting money I expect," said Aunt Miriam. "And they are a queer sort of people rather-the mother is queer and the children are queer-they ain't like other folks exactly-never were."

"I am very glad we are to have Barby instead of that Lucy Finn," said Fleda. "Oh, Aunt Miriam! you can't think how much easier my heart

feels.

66

Poor child!" said Aunt Miriam looking at her. Fleda, to have things work too smooth in this world."

"But it isn't best,

"No, I suppose not," said Fleda sighing. "Isn't it very strange, Aunt Miriam, that it should make people worse instead of better to have everything go pleasantly with them?"

"It is because they are apt then to be so full of the present that they forget the care of the future."

"Yes, and forget there is anything better than the present, I suppose," said Fleda.

"So we mustn't fret at the ways our Father takes to keep us from hurting ourselves?" said Aunt Miriam cheerfully.

"Oh no! said Fleda, looking up brightly in answer to the tender manner in which these words were spoken; "and I didn't mean that this is much of a trouble, only I am very glad to think that somebody is coming

to-morrow.

Aunt Miriam thought that gentle unfretful face could not stand in need of much discipline.

F

The

Mrs.

LEDA waited for Barby's coming next day with a little anxiety. introduction and installation however were happily got over. Rossitur, as Fleda knew, was most easily pleased; and Barby Elster's quick eye was satisfied with the unaffected and universal gentleness and politeness of her new employer. She made herself at home in half an hour; and Mrs. Rossitur and Fleda were comforted to perceive, by unmistakable signs, that their presence was not needed in the kitchen, and they might retire to their own premises and forget there was another part of the house. Fleda had forgotten it utterly, and deliciously enjoying the rest of mind and body, she was stretched upon the sofa, luxuriating over some volume from her remnant of a library; when the inner door was suddenly pushed open far enough to admit of the entrance of Miss Elster's head. "Where's the soft soap?"

Fleda's book went down and her heart jumped to her mouth, for her uncle was sitting over by the window. Mrs. Rossitur looked up in a maze and waited for the question to be repeated.

"I say, where's the soft soap?"

"Soft soap!" said Mrs. Rossitur, "I don't know whether there is any. Fleda, do you know?"

"I was trying to think, Aunt Lucy-I don't believe there is any."

"Where is it?" said Barby.

"There is none, I believe," said Mrs. Rossitur.

"Where was it, then?"

"Nowhere-there has not been any in the house," said Fleda, raising herself up to see over the back of her sofa.

"There ha'n't been none!" said Miss Elster, in a tone more significant than her words, and shutting the door as abruptly as she had opened it.

"What on earth does the woman mean?" exclaimed Mr. Rossitur, springing up and advancing towards the kitchen door. Fleda threw herself before him.

66

Nothing at all, Uncle Rolf-she doesn't mean anything at all—she doesn't know any better."

"I will improve her knowledge—get out of the way, Fleda."

But, Uncle Rolf, just hear me one moment-please don't! she didn't mean any harm-these people don't know any manners-just let me speak to her, please Uncle Rolf!" said Fleda, laying both hands upon her uncle's arms, "I'll manage her."

Mr. Rossitur's wrath was high, and he would have run over or knocked down anything less gentle that had stood in his way; but even the harshness of strength shuns to set itself in array against the meekness that does not oppose; if the touch of those hands had been a whit less light, or the glance of her eye less submissively appealing, it would have availed nothing. As it was, he stopped and looked at her, at first scowling, but then with a smile.

"You manage her!" said he.

Yes," said Fleda laughing, and now exerting her force she gently pushed him back towards the seat he had quitted, "yes, Uncle Rolf, you've enough else to manage, don't undertake our 'help.' Deliver over all your displeasure upon me when anything goes wrong, I will be the. conductor to carry it off safely into the kitchen and discharge it just at that point where I think it will do most execution. Now will you, Uncle Rolf? Because we have got a new-fashioned piece of firearms in the other room that I am afraid will go off unexpectedly if it is meddled with by an unskilful hand; and that would leave us without arms, you see, or with only Aunt Lucy's and mine, which are not reliable."

"You saucy girl!" said her uncle, who was laughing partly at and partly with her. "I don't know what you deserve exactly. Well, keep this precious new operative of yours out of my way and I'll take care to keep out of hers. But mind, you must manage not to have your piece snapping in my face in this fashion, for I won't stand it."

And so, quieted, Mr. Rossitur sat down to his book again; and Fleda leaving hers open went to attend upon Barby.

"There ain't much yallow soap neither," said this personage, if this is all. There's one thing-if we ha'n't got it we can make it. I must get Mis' Rossitur to have a leach-tub sot up right away.

for havin' plenty o' soap.".

"What is a leach-tub?" said Fleda.

"Why, a leach-tub, for to leach ashes in.

I'm a dreadful hand

That's easy enough. I'll fix it afore we're any on us much older. If Mr. Rossitur 'll keep me in good hard wood I sha'n't cost him hardly anything for potash."

"I'll see about it," said Fleda, "and I will see about having the leachtub, or whatever it is, put up for you. And Barby, whenever you want anything, will you just speak to me about it? and if I am in the other room ask me to come out here. Because my aunt is not strong, and does not know where things are as well as I do; and when my uncle is in there he sometimes does not like to be disturbed with hearing any such talk. If you'll tell me I'll see and have everything done for you.

"

"Well, you get me a leach sot up, that's all I'll ask of you just now,"

said Barby good-humouredly; "and help me to find the soap-grease, if there is any. As to the rest, I don't want to see nothin' o' him in the kitchen, so I'll relieve him if he don't want to see much o' me in the parlour. I shouldn't wonder if there wa'n't a speck of it in the house."

Not a speck was there to be found.

"Your uncle's pockets must ha' had a good hole in 'em by this time," remarked Barby as they came back from the cellar. "However, there never was a crock so empty it couldn't be filled. You get me a leach-tub sot up, and I'll find work for it."

From that time Fleda had no more trouble with her uncle and Barby. Each seemed to have a wholesome appreciation of the other's combative qualities and to shun them. With Mrs. Rossitur Barby was soon all-powerful. It was enough that she wanted a thing, if Mrs. Rossitur's own resources could compass it. For Fleda, to say that Barby had presently a perfect understanding with her and joined to that a most affectionate careful regard, is not perhaps saying much; for it was true of every one without exception with whom Fleda had much to do. Barby was to all of them a very great comfort and stand-by.

It was well for them that they had her within doors to keep things, as she called it, "right and tight;" for abroad the only system in vogue was one of fluctuation and uncertainty. Mr. Rossitur's Irishman, Donohan, staid his year out, doing as little good and as much at least negative harm as he well could; and then went, leaving them a good deal poorer than he found them. Dr. Gregory's generosity had added to Mr. Rossitur's own small stock of ready money, giving him the means to make some needed outlays on the farm. But the outlay, ill-applied, had been greater than the income; a scarcity of money began to be more and more felt; and the comfort of the family accordingly drew within more and more narrow bounds. The temper of the head of the family suffered in at least equal degree.

From the first of Barby's coming poor Fleda had done her utmost to prevent the want of Mons. Emile from being felt. Mr. Rossitur's table was always set by her careful hand, and all the delicacies that came upon it were, unknown to him, of her providing. Even the bread. One day at breakfast Mr. Rossitur had expressed his impatient displeasure at that of Miss Elster's manufacture. Fleda saw the distressed shade that came over her aunt's face, and took her resolution. It was the last time. She had followed her plan of sending for the receipts, and she studied them diligently, both at home and under aunt Miriam. Natural quickness of eye and hand came in aid of her affectionate zeal, and it was not long before she could trust herself to undertake any operation in the whole range of her cookery book. But meanwhile materials were growing scarce and hard to come by. The delicate French rolls which were now always ready for her uncle's plate in the morning had sometimes nothing to back them, unless the unfailing water-cress from the good little spring in the meadow. Fleda could not spare her eggs, for perhaps they might have nothing else to depend upon for dinner. It was no burden to her to do these things; she had a sufficient reward in seeing that her aunt and Hugh eat the better and that her uncle's brow was clear; but it was a burden when her hands were tied by the lack of means; for she knew the failure of the usual supply was bitterly felt, not for the actual want, but for that other want which it implied and prefigured.

On the first dismissal of Donohan Fleda hoped for a good turn of affairs. But Mr. Rossitur, disgusted with his first experiment resolved this season

to be his own head man; and appointed Lucas Springer the second in command, with a posse of labourers to execute his decrees. It did not work well. Mr. Rossitur found he had a very tough prime minister, who would have every one of his plans to go through a kind of winnowing process by being tossed about in an argument. The arguments were interminable, until Mr. Rossitur not unfrequently quit the field with, "Well, do what you like about it!" not conquered, but wearied. The labourers, either from want of ready money or of what they called "manners " in their employer, fell off at the wrong times, just when they were most wanted. Hugh threw himself then into the breach and wrought beyond his strength; and that tried Fleda worst of all. She was glad to see haying and harvest pass over; but the change of seasons seemed to bring only a change of disagreeableness, and she could not find that hope had any better breathingtime in the short days of winter than in the long days of summer. gentle face grew more gentle than ever, for under the shade of sorrowful patience which was always there now its meekness had no eclipse.

Her

Mrs. Rossitur was struck with it one morning. She was coming down from her room and saw Fleda standing on the landing-place gazing out of the window. It was before breakfast one cold morning in winter. Mrs. Rossitur put her arms round her softly and kissed her.

"What are you thinking about, dear Fleda?-you ought not to be standing here."

"I was looking at Hugh," said Fleda, and her eye went back to the window. Mrs. Rossitur's followed it. The window gave them a view of the ground behind the house; and there was Hugh, just coming in with a large armful of heavy wood which he had been sawing.

"He isn't strong enough to do that, aunt Lucy," said Fleda softly.

"I know it," said his mother in a subdued tone, and not moving her eye, though Hugh had disappeared.

"It is too cold for him-he is too thinly clad to bear this exposure," said Fleda anxiously.

I know it," said his mother again.

"Can't you tell uncle Rolf?-can't you get him to do it? I am afraid Hugh will hurt himself, aunt Lucy.'

"I did tell him the other day-I did speak to him about it," said Mrs. Rossitur; "but he said there was no reason why Hugh should do it,—there were plenty of other people

"But how can he say so when he knows we never can ask Lucas to do anything of the kind, and that other man always contrives to be out of the way when he is wanted? Oh, what is he thinking of?” said Fleda bitterly, as she saw Hugh again at his work.

It was so rarely that Fleda was seen to shed tears that they always were a signal of dismay to any of the household. There was even agony in Mrs. Rossitur's voice as she implored her not to give way to them. But notwithstanding that, Fleda's tears came this time from too deep a spring to be stopped at once.

"It makes me feel as if all was lost, Fleda, when I see you do soFleda put her arms about her neck and whispered that "she would not" -that "she should not

Yet it was a little while before she could say any more.

But, aunt Lucy, he doesn't know what he is doing!"

"No-and I can't make him know. I cannot say anything more, Fleda --it would do no good. I don't know what is the matter-he is entirely changed from what he used to be—"