way to Norridge."

"Ah! I'm afraid you've 'come down too soon.' Didn't you forget your
whiskers?"

Horace rubbed his upper lip thoughtfully. "Will you inform me, ma'am,
where I can get a boarding-place? I'm sort of turned round. Growing
place. Last time I was down, there were only a few houses here; now it's
pretty thick settled back of the meeting-house."

"I'll take you," said Mother Hubbard, putting her handkerchief to her
face. "How would my dog feel if he knew I had come to this!"

"Come to what, ma'am?"

"Why, to New York, to take boarders."

"Are you in _indigenous_ circumstances, madam? And have you seen the
first society? If so, I may possibly conclude to come too," said
Dotty, sweeping forward, and losing a hair-pin out of her chignon.

"O, what a fascinating creature!" said the Man in the Moon, making an
eye-glass of his thumb and forefinger, and gazing at the lady boarder.
"_Are_ you a widow, ma'am?"

"Well, they don't say nuffin' 'bout fixin' _me_ up! Guess I shan't go to
the party!" exclaimed Fly, opening and closing her eyes in token of
outraged dignity.

Prudy took her into auntie's room, and proceeded at once to robe her in
her own night-dress, with a lace night-cap, and a cologne-mat for a bib.

"Hollis didn't say for me to be such a _long_ baby," sniffled Fly,
trying in vain to clear her feet from the trailing skirt.

"This is your slip, dear. You're only a baby--musn't try to walk."

"Then my papa must carry me down stairs," said Fly, entering into the
spirit of the play. "You tell him so--I can't tell him, for I can't
talk. _Argoo-goo._ My teeth haven't camed."

"If you please, Master Clifford," said Nathaniel, appearing at the head
of the stairs. Then he stopped short with surprise, hardly knowing the
children in their strange attire; but being too dignified to laugh
aloud, added, with a grim smile,--

"The woman that brought Miss Fly home the other day is down in the
dining-room, and says,'Can she see one of the family?'"

"A little girl with her, Nat?"

"Yes, sir; the blind girl is with her."

"And the freckled doggie!" asked "the long baby," suddenly raising her
head from her father's shoulder. "I meant to told 'em to bringed that
doggie."

"Let's all go down and see," said Mother Hubbard.

When they entered the dining-room, Mrs. Brooks started up in dismay.
She had left her sick husband, and come a long distance through the
storm, only to find Mrs. Allen gone, and a parc