real gentle when the fiery heat was gone. She
lay there like a child, so weak and white. One
night, when I'd been singin' to her a spell,
she took this little bag from her neck, where
she'd allus worn it, under her clothes, and
giv' it to me.

"Faithful slave," she said,--she couldn't speak
above a whisper,--"King Solomon is comin' for
me to-night. I have had a message from him. I
leave you this as a token of my love and
gratitude. It is the Great Talisman, more
precious than gold or gems. Open it when I am
gone. And now, good slave, kiss me, for I would
sleep awhile."

I kissed my poor dear, and she dozed off
peaceful and happy. But all of a sudden she
opened her eyes with a start, and sat up in the
bed.

"Solomon!" she cried, and held out her arms
wide. "Solomon, my King!" and then fell back on
the piller, dead.

There, little Dolly! don't you cry, dear! 'T
was the best thing for the poor thing. I opened
the bag, when it was all over, and what do you
think I found? A newspaper slip, sayin', "Lost
at sea, on March 2, 18--, Solomon Marshall,
twenty-seven years," and a lock o' dark-brown
hair. Them was the Great Talisman. But if true
love and faith can make a thing holy, this poor
little bag is holy, and as such I've kept it.

There's your ma comin', Dolly. Put on your
bonnet, Honey, quick! And see here, dear! you
needn't tell her nothin' I said about Hezekiah
King, I clean forgot he was your grandfather.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] Pronounced Kay-iry.

CHAPTER VIII.

FLOWER-DAY.

"Cousin Wealthy," said Hildegarde at breakfast the next morning, "may I
tell you what it was that made me so rude as to interrupt you last
night?"

"Certainly, my dear," said Miss Wealthy; "you may tell me, and then you
may forget the little accident, as I had already done."

"Well," said Hildegarde, "you spoke of the time when Mamma was a
'harum-scarum girl;' and the idea of her ever having been anything of
the sort was so utterly amazing that--that was why I cried out. Is it
possible that Mammy was not always quiet and blessed and peaceful?"

"Mildred!" exclaimed Miss Wealthy. "Mildred peaceful! My _dear_ Hilda!"

An impressive pause followed, and Hildeg