ring rocker, while the others were kicking up in the air,
just as Bailey had told me.

"Then the little fellow was lifted up on his horse, and I said, "Get
up, pony;" and then all of a sudden such a funny little shy fit came
over Bailey, that down went his curly head on the horse's neck, and he
very nearly tumbled off. After that he dismounted, and pulling down
the prancing legs of the horse, got between them, and holding fast, he
had a fine ride after an ingenious invention of his own; for, as the
horse's legs rose in the air, up went little Bailey, and then down he
came with a funny little stamp of his feet on the carpet, which sent
him into the air again.

"Then the dear little fair-haired Daisy showed me her birds,
'Buttercup' and 'Primrose,' and two others whose names I did not hear;
and then we went down stairs again.

"In the charming library we met another daughter, a lovely young lady,
and a friend who was visiting her. I knew this young lady before, and
loved her very much; and I was very glad to meet her; and you may be
sure we were very merry together.

"Just then we heard Bailey's voice in the hall, lifted up in loud
wailing and weeping. We all rushed out, thinking the sweet little
fellow had fallen down stairs. But he was safe, though the great tears
were running down his cheeks; and he sobbed out, 'Mamma! mamma! Edith
won't come to see Aunt Fanny!' Dear little fellow! It seems that
Edith was the shyest little maiden in the world, and Bailey, in his
loving endeavor to get her to come to me, had first coaxed her, then
kissed her over and over again, and at last, broken-hearted about it,
had burst into loud crying. Edith stood at the turn of the stairs,
ready to dart away; and when I said, 'Do come, darling--come, little
Edith,' she fled like a frightened fawn, upon which Bailey began
lamenting again, and I had hard work to bring the peace once more into
his little, loving, troubled heart.

"When we returned to the room, Miss Laura, the young lady who was
visiting the family, told a funny story about Bailey. She was walking
in the beautiful glen before breakfast, and frolicking round her were
Gouldy, and Caesar, and Bailey."

"Were they all boys? or what?" asked the children.

"Not exactly, for two of them were dogs; but far better and gentler
companions than _some_ boys I know. Gouldy was a dear old fellow, that
would not have hurt a hair of your head for a thousand dollars in
gold, even if he knew