d, 'I shall be very glad for
the child to have a change. She seems a little unhappy at home with us,
and she behaved most unlike her usual self at lunch; it _can't_ be
natural for a child of her age to chew large glass beads. Did your
Cathie and Belle ever do such a thing?'

'Never,' said Aunt Margarine, coughing. 'It is a habit that certainly
ought to be checked, and I promise you, my dear Lucy, that if you will
only trust Priscilla to me, I will take away anything of that kind the
very moment I find it. And I do think, poor as we are, we shall manage
to make her feel at home. We are all so fond of your sweet Priscilla!'

So the end of it was that Priscilla went to stay with her aunt that
very afternoon, and her family bore the parting with the greatest
composure.

'I can't give you nice food, or a pretty bedroom to sleep in such as you
have at home,' said her kind aunt. 'We are very plain people, my pet;
but at least we can promise you a warm welcome.'

'Oh, auntie,' protested Priscilla, 'you mustn't think I mind a little
hardship! Why, if beds weren't hard and food not nicely cooked now and
then, we should soon grow too luxurious to do our duty, and that would
be so very bad for us!'

'Oh, what _beauties_!' cried her aunt, involuntarily, as she stooped to
recover several sparkling gems from the floor of the cab. 'I mean--it's
better to pick them up, dear, don't you think? they might get in
people's _way_, you know. What a blessing you will be in our simple
home! I want you to do all you can to instruct your cousins; don't be
afraid of telling them of any faults you may happen to see. Poor Cathie
and Belle, I fear they are very far from being all they should be!' and
Aunt Margarine heaved a sigh.

'Never mind, auntie; they will be better in time, I am sure. _I_ wasn't
_always_ a good girl.'

Priscilla thoroughly enjoyed the first few days of her visit; even her
aunt was only too grateful for instruction, and begged that Priscilla
would tell her, quite candidly, of any shortcomings she might notice.
And Priscilla, very kindly and considerately, always _did_ tell her.
Belle and Catherine were less docile, and she saw that it would take her
some time to win their esteem and affection; but this was just what
Priscilla liked: it was the usual experience of the heroines in the
books, and much more interesting, too, than conquering her cousins'
hearts at once.

Still, both Catherine and Belle persistently hardened