en them hung
the old swing; but the charm was forgotten. In the field beyond, her
eye fell on an object more interesting to her.

"O, O," said she, "I don't see how God _could_ make a man so homebly
as that!"

"So homely as what?"

"Why," laughed Dotty, "she means that scarecrow."

The corn was up long ago, but one direful image had still been left to
flaunt in the sunlight and soak in the rain.

"That isn't a man," said Prudy; "it's only a great monstrous rag baby,
with a coat on."

"Put there to frighten away the crows," added Miss Polly. "When Abner
dropped corn in the ground, the great black crows wanted to come and
pick it out, and eat it up."

Flyaway frowned in token of strong dislike to the crows. "I wouldn't
eat gampa's corn for anything in this world," said she,--"'thout it's
popped! 'Cause I don't like it."

Miss Polly laughed quite merrily.

"There," said she, "I've dropped a stitch in my side; it never agrees
with me to laugh. I must be going right home, too; but there is one
thing more I want to ask you, Katie; do you remember how you ran away,
one day, and frightened the whole house, trying to climb up to
heaven?"

Katie's face was blank; she had forgotten the journey.

"You passed Jennie Vance and me in the Pines," said Dotty, "and went
deep into the woods, and a bee stung you."

"O, now I 'member," said Katie, suddenly. "I 'member the bee as plain
as 'tever 'twas!" And she curled her lip with contempt for that small
Flyaway, of long ago--that silly baby who had thought heaven was on a
hill.

"_I_ went up on a ladder when I was three years old," said Prudy.

"Did you?" said Flyaway. This was a consolation. "Well, I was three
years old, too; I didn't know 'bout angels--didn't know they had to
have wings on."

Here Flyaway curled her lip again and smiled.

"You are wiser now," sighed Miss Polly. "You and I won't try to go to
heaven till our time comes--will we, dear?"

Katie took Miss Polly's large, thin hand, and measured it beside her
own tiny one.

"Miss Polly," said she, with one of her extremely wise looks, "when
you go up to God you'll be a very little girl!"

"Ah, indeed!" said Miss Polly, weaving the third pin into her shawl;
"how do you make that out?"

"Your body'll all be cut off," replied Katie, making the motion of a
pair of scissors with her fingers; "all be cut right straight off;
there won't be nuffin' left but just your little spirit!"

"Since you know so much