"

"I wonder whether her mother let her go to ride," said Frankie, fixing
his eyes on the picture. "I should think she would, when the little girl
was so sorry."

As no one replied to his remark, he said, presently, "Here is another
pretty piece; may I read this too, mamma?"

"Perhaps Nelly would like to read," said the lady.

"O, yes, aunty," said the little girl; "may I, Frankie?"

He passed her the handkerchief, though he did not do it very cheerfully.

"Thank you," said Nelly. "You can look over with me, if you want to."
Then she began to read the verses that were underneath the picture of
the little girls and the poor beggar:--

"Look, sister, see how rich I be!
Six cents mamma has given me,
Because it is a holiday;
And now I'm going off to play.
But let me think: what shall I buy?
A cake--or else some pretty toy!
I've wanted long a Jumping Jack.
Well, that I'll buy, and not a cake.
But stop, dear sister; who is this?
A poor old man!--how lame he is!
How lean he looks, and ragged too!--
Give him some dinner, sister, do.
Now he will have to go away,
And beg his dinner every day.
I wish I had a dollar now;
Six cents will buy some dinner, though;
And as he travels on the road,
Some biscuits would taste very good;
And he shall have them--so I'll play
Without a Jumping Jack to-day."

CHAPTER V.

NELLY'S PRESENT.

When Mrs. Gray reached home, she found a letter there for her from her
brother. She read it through, looking very much pleased; and then she
told Nelly that her father and mother sent their love to her, and hoped
she would come home very soon.

It was now more than a year since she came to live with her aunt; and
she was delighted with the idea of the visit. "But I shall come right
back again with you, shan't I?" and she gazed earnestly in her aunt's
face.

"We will see about that," said the lady, "when we get there." And then
she added, "I couldn't spare you at all, my little girl. I hope to have
you with me for a good many years yet."

Nelly was so much pleased at this, that she jumped up and kissed her
aunt, and exclaimed, "I love you dearly, dearly!"

Two days later, when they were a little rested from their journey, the
same carriage and horses came to the door, and they drove away toward
Nelly's old home. It was only twelve miles, and the horses trotted over
the road very q