your mother thought too much of you to send you to the
likes of us; that's the secret of it. She was always fond of fine folks,
was my Phoebe; and I don't blame her, bringing you up quite the lady as
she's done."

"You must not find fault with mamma," said Phoebe, smiling. "What a nice
cozy room! This is the dining-room, I suppose; and here is your cushion,
and your footstool at this nice window. How pleasant it is, with the
crocuses in all the borders already! I am not at all tired; but I am
sure it must be tea-time, and I should so like a cup of tea."

"We thought," said Mrs. Tozer, "as perhaps you mightn't be used to tea
at this time of day."

"Oh, it is the right time; it is the fashionable hour," said Phoebe;
"everybody has tea at five. I will run upstairs first, and take off my
hat, and make myself tidy. Jane--is that her name?--don't trouble,
grandmamma; Jane will show me the way."

"Well?" said Mr. Tozer to Mrs. Tozer, as Phoebe disappeared. The two old
people looked at each other with a little awe; but she, as was her
nature, took the most depressing view. She shook her head.

"She is a deal too fine for us, Tozer," she said. "She'll never make
herself 'appy in our quiet way. Phoebe's been and brought her up quite
the lady. It ain't as her dress is much matter. I'd have given her a
silk myself, and never thought of it twice; and something lively like
for a young person, 'stead of that gray stuff, as her mother might wear.
But all the same, she ain't one of our sort. She'll never make herself
'appy with you and me."

"Well," said Tozer, who was more cheerful, "she ain't proud, not a bit;
and as for manners, you don't pay no more for manners. She came up and
give me a kiss in the station, as affectionate as possible. All I can
say for her is as she ain't proud."

Mrs. Tozer shook her head; but even while she did so, pleasanter dreams
stole into her soul.

"I hope I'll be well enough to get to chapel on Sunday," she said, "just
to see the folk's looks. The minister needn't expect much attention to
his sermon. 'There's Phoebe Tozer's daughter!' they'll all be saying, and
a-staring, and a-whispering. It ain't often as anything like her is seen
in chapel, that's a fact," said the old lady, warming into the
exultation of natural pride.

Phoebe, it must be allowed, had a good cry when she got within the
shelter of her own room, which had been very carefully prepared for her,
with everything that was necessa