"Looks like all the love we have got for each other's orphant children
have mixed itself up into a wedding cake for the family. I had laid off
to tell you all about it this afternoon, and here's a box of
peppermints Mr. Hoover sent everybody. He said to make you say sweet
things about him to me. Have one, Mis' Peavey, and pass the box!"

With which a general laugh and buzz of inquiry went around with the box
of sweets provided by the wily widower.

"Well, we think we'll just build a long, covered porch acrost the
fronts of the two houses to connect 'em up," answered Mrs. Pratt to a
friendly inquiry about her future domestic arrangements.

"I know it will look sorter like a broke-in-two steamboat but I can put
the boys all over into one house and take the girls with me. We can
rent a room in the boys' house to Mr. Petway and he'll look after them
if need be, though 'Lias Hoover and my Henny Turner are getting big,
dependable boys already. I'm so glad the children match out in pairs. I
always did want twins and now I'm going to have eight pairs and the
baby over. I don't think I ever was so happy before." And pretty Bettie
fairly radiated lovingness from her big, motherly heart.

"Bettie Pratt, you are a regular Proverbs, last chapter and tenth to
thirtieth verse woman and your husband's heart is a-going to 'safely
rejoice' in you," said Mother Mayberry as she beamed across the little
sleeve she was basting in an apron. "And this brings me to the mention
of another little Bible character we have a-running about amongst us.
It's 'Liza Pike, as should be called one of God's own little ravens
arid you all know why."

"Yes, we do, Sister Mayberry," spoke up Mrs. Mosbey quickly. "And I've
just caught on to her doings, and thankful I am to her for letting in
the light to us before it were too late maybe."

"Why, what have my child been a-doing to be spoke of this way?" asked
her mother with both pride and uneasiness in her tone, for Eliza, as is
the way of all geniuses, especially those of a philanthropic turn of
mind, was apt often to confront those responsible for her with the
unexpected.

"Just seeing what we was failing to notice, that Mis' Bostick and the
Deacon was in need of being tooken care of and, without a word to
anybody, starting out with a covered dish and a napkin to do the
providing for 'em. And in the right spirit, too, walking into each
kitchen and taking the best offen the stove--no left-over scraps i