ce
would be heaven, if we found Jesus there. This old room has been pretty
near it, sometimes."

Nannie turned to the 14th chapter of John, which she knew grannie loved
to hear, and commenced reading.

While she is reading, let us go down the street to the lane--bordered
with trees--walk up the narrow footpath, and over the stile just by the
blackberry-bushes, across the field to the little garden, and through
the borders of pinks and marigolds, to the white cottage where Nannie
lives. You can come to it by the street, if you choose, and you may come
in under the great elm-tree, by the gate; but then the street is so dusty,
and you miss seeing the little garden with its bright flowers; and the
blossoms in the lane smell so sweetly, that it is quite worth while going
that way. But here we are, before the door, on which we read, in bright
letters, "Dr. Merry;" for Nannie's name is Nannie Merry, and Nannie's
father is a doctor. He is doctor in a pleasant little town that is
situated on the banks of a narrow river. I don't think you could find
either the town or the river on your maps, if you should try; so there
would be no use in telling you their names. It was a pleasant town,
however, with its large elm-trees, and pretty white cottages, with here
and there a large house, where the grandest people lived.

But Nannie's father was only a country doctor, and didn't live in a very
large house. You can see for yourself that it is only a white cottage,
with green blinds, and a long porch in front, covered with sweetbriar
and honeysuckle. But the people that live in the house are quite as
pleasant as the house itself, or even as the people that live in the
large brick house. After Dr. Merry comes Mrs. Merry, or Nannie's mother,
who is, like most mothers, very kind and good; then sister Mary, who is
grown up, and Nannie thinks the best sister ever was; then Belle, who is
very pretty, and about twelve years old; John and Charlie, who are, like
most boys, great teasers, and Nannie sometimes thinks a good deal worse
than most boys--but then, Charlie is only four years old, so there is
some excuse for him. Lastly, we have Nannie herself, who is--well, we
shall find out what she is before our story is finished. She is nine
years old, "nearly ten," and would feel offended if we left that out.
But here she comes from Grannie Burt's, so we must stop talking about
her. She is coming by the lane just as we did, running at first, then a