unquestioned sway over those around her; a rule in which was so happily
blended entreaty and command that her willing subjects were never quite
sure to which they were yielding. But of one thing they were sure,
which was that the winning grace of the little sovereign equaled their
pleasures in obeying her small commands, and the added fact--a very
important one--that this queen of hearts never abused her power.

No little brothers nor sisters were numbered among the princess'
retainers, but she had had from her babyhood an inseparable companion
and playfellow in Moses. Now Moses was a big brown dog who, like his
namesake of old, had been rescued from a watery grave, and it chanced
that baby-girl and baby-dog became inmates of the quiet old house about
the same time. But the dog grew much faster than the little girl, as
dogs are wont to do, and was quite a responsible person by the time
Cissy could toddle around. When she was old enough to play under the
old elm tree Moses assumed the place of protector of her little
highness, and was all the bodyguard the princess needed, for he was
wise and unwearied in his endeavors to guard her from all mishaps.
But, although Moses felt the responsibility of his position, he did not
consider it beneath his dignity to amuse his mistress, and so they
played together, baby and dog, shared their lunch together, and
frequently took their nap together of a warm afternoon, the golden
curls of the little princess tumbled over Moses' broad, shaggy shoulder.

One day when Cissy was about four years old an event occurred in her
life that seemed for a time to endanger the intimacy between the little
girl and her four-footed friend, and caused Moses considerable anxiety.
It was a rainy morning and she could not play under the trees as usual,
so she took her little chair and climbed up to the window to see if the
trees were lonesome without her. Something unusual going on in the
house next door attracted her attention, and her disappointment was
soon forgotten. No one had lived in the house since the little girl
could remember. Now the long closed doors and windows were thrown wide
open, and men were running up and down the steps. She was puzzled to
know what it could all mean, and kept her little face close to the
window, and was so unmindful of Moses that he felt quite neglected and
lonely.

The following morning was warm and bright, and the little princess and
her attendant were play