grass, and burst a great juicy peach on her
bosom, at which she began to cry.

"O, never mind, Jenny!" cried Sarah, picking her up, and using her
handkerchief to remove the effects of the disaster from the child's
clear skin. "You look as though a slight application of water would do
your face no harm, sis. What a monster you are, in peach time!"

At that moment a tall, awkward youth, with a good-natured grin on his
brown features, came through the gate, at the corner of the shed, and
shouted,

"Hillo!"

What a voice! It was rough as the bark of a hickory-tree.

"You can't guess who is come," said Sam,--for it was he,--with a broader
grin than before.

"Anybody to see me?" asked Chester.

"Wal, you as much as anybody," replied Sam, throwing his head aside to
spit.

"Who is it?" Sarah inquired.

"Guess!"

"How provoking you are, Sam Cone!" exclaimed Lizzie. "Why can't you
tell? Georgie said it was Deacon Dustan's carriage that stopped."

"So 'twas; I opened the gate for the deacon to drive through; but
somebody came with him--you can't guess who."

Sam spit again, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"O!" said Sophronia, with a look of disgust, turning away her face; "he
chews tobacco!"

"What of it?" rejoined Sam, who overheard her.

And he rolled the weed in his cheek, with the air of one proud of the
accomplishment.

"Do spit out the filthy stuff!" exclaimed Chester.

"It an't no worse than smoking," retorted Sam.

This was a home thrust. Chester, during his last year at school, had
become addicted to cigars, which his silly little wife thought
delightful in his lips.

"O, there's no comparison!" she cried, indignantly.

Sam was not convinced; but he could not be indifferent to the opinion of
so pretty a creature; so, with a sheepish look, he flung the quid on the
ground behind him.

"Well, if you can't guess who has come," said he, "I'll tell you. It's
the old minister,--Father Brighthopes."

"Father Brighthopes!" echoed the children, in chorus.

"Yes," said Sam; "Deacon Dustan was over to town when he came, and
brought him straight here."

There was a general rush for the house. Lizzie--for the first time
voluntarily--abandoned the baby to Mr. Kerchey's arms, and ran to greet
her old friend. Georgie, who had not forgotten the clergyman, came
slipping down the tree, regardless of damage done his clothes.

"What else could have happened, to give us a more delightful surprise?"
crie