stairs, where the latter, opening her basket,
held to view a neat-looking straw hat, far prettier than the one which
Mrs. Campbell had presented.

"See," said she, placing it upon Mary's head; "this is for you. I
wanted to give you mine, but 'twasn't big enough, so Rose let you have
hers. It's real becoming, too."

The tears which fell from Mary's eyes were caused not less by Jenny's
kindness, than by the thought that the haughty Rose Lincoln had given
her a bonnet! She did not know of the sacrifice which the
noble-hearted Jenny had made to obtain it, and it was well she did
not, for it would have spoiled all the happiness she experienced in
wearing it.

"Thank you, Jenny, and Rose too," said she. "I am so glad, for I love
to go to church, and I surely would never have gone again and wore
that other bonnet."

"I wouldn't either," returned Jenny. "I think it was ridiculous for
Mrs. Campbell to give you such an old dud of a thing, and I know
mother thinks so too, for she laughed hard for her, when I described
it, though she said nothing except that 'beggars shouldn't be
choosers.' I wonder what that means. Do you know?"

Mary felt that she was beginning to know, but she did not care to
enlighten Jenny, who soon sprang up, saying she must go home, or her
mother would be sending Henry after her. "And I don't want him to come
here," said she, "for I know you don't like him, and there don't
hardly any body, he's so stuck up and kind of--I don't know what."

In passing through the hall, the girls met Miss Grundy, who had just
come from Patsy's room. As soon as she saw Mary, she said, "Clap on
your bonnet quick, and run as fast as ever you can to Miss
Thornfield's. Dr. Gilbert has gone there, and do you tell him to come
here right away, for Patsy is dreadful sick, and has fits all the
time."

There was a tremor in her voice, and she seemed much excited, which
surprised the girls, who fancied she would not care even if Patsy
died. Mrs. Thornfield's was soon reached, the message given, and then
they hurried back.

"Is Patsy worse?" asked Mary, as she saw the bedroom door open, and
two or three women standing near the bed.

Miss Grundy did not answer, and when next her face was visible, the
girls saw that her eyes were red, as if she had been weeping.

"Funny, isn't it?" said Jenny, as she started for home. "I didn't
suppose any thing would make her cry, and I guess now the tears are
sort of _sour!_"

Dr. Gilbert c