creamed
she, "I ain't her! Go 'way! You're goin' to snip off my nose! O, go
right off!"

You may be sure that Grace and Susy were far from happy that day. When
they noticed that their grandmother grew more and more uneasy, and
when they saw the doctor's gig at the gate, their hearts were very
heavy.

"O Grace," said Susy, sobbing, "Prudy thought we didn't love her! We
kept saying she was always round. How much do you suppose she is
sick?"

"O dear, I don't know," said Grace, wringing her hands; "but I'll tell
you one thing--we ought to have seen to her, Susy!"

"O Grace," said Susy, "you don't begin to feel so bad as I do--you
can't, because you haven't got any little sister. Only think of my
scolding to such a darling little thing as she is!"

"Come, you go up stairs and see what the doctor says," said Grace;
"you steal in easy."

"O, I don't dare to," whispered Susy, "I'm all of a tremble." But the
moment their grandmother's step was heard in the passage they flew to
her.

Mrs. Parlin set her vial down on the hall table. "I don't like to tell
you," said she, shaking her head sadly; "the doctor calls her a very
sick child, and says he is afraid of brain fever."

"Do they die with that?" cried Susy, seizing hold of her grandmother's
dress. "O, stop a minute; is she going to die?"

"We hope not," said Mrs. Parlin, "but she is so sick that we shall
send a despatch for your mother. I want you to try and keep the house
still, girls, and coax Horace to stay out of doors."

"Keep the house still? I guess we will!" said Grace. "O grandma, will
you forgive us for being so naughty yesterday?"

"Can you forgive us?" said Susy. "I tell you we feel awfully about it,
grandma!"

Mrs. Parlin took off her spectacles to wipe them. "My dear children,"
said she, gravely, "I am ready to forgive you with all my heart; but I
hope that before this you have asked pardon of your dear Father in
heaven. That is the first thing, you know."

Susy stole off into the nursery, and threw herself on the lounge.

"O God," sobbed she, "I should think you would hate me, I have acted
so bad! O, can you forgive me, and not take Prudy? I never will do so
again! I didn't mean any thing when I said she was always round. O,
_don't_ let her die and be put in the ground! Please don't, dear God!
Seems to me I love her the best of any body. When we have any fuss,
it's always me that's to blame."

Here Susy's prayer was drowned in sobs; but her h