girl asked eagerly--"But where is
the baby? I have not seen him yet--or Aunt Barbara, either."

"So you did think of Aunt Barbara. I didn't know but you had forgotten
me entirely, you were so taken up with your grandma," said the old lady,
coming slowly out of the nursery.

"No, indeed, I had not forgotten you," said Hatty, and she kissed her
affectionately.

Hatty had not forgotten Aunt Barbara; she had had painful reasons for
remembering her. The unfortunate, disrespectful words she had spoken to
the old lady, had risen up to her again and again, and made her pray
with double earnestness to be forgiven for Jesus' sake.

Aunt Barbara led the way to the nursery, and there on the bed lay the
baby, the pet of the house.

"O what a dear, tiny little creature!" said Hatty, bending over it, with
a look half wonder and half affection. "I never saw such a little baby
before; that is, I don't remember Harry very well, when he was so
young," she added, for Hatty was trying to be truthful, even about
trifles.

"Harry was twice as big at the same age," said Aunt Barbara. "He always
was a bouncer."

Hatty stooped down to kiss the wee mouth of the sleeping baby, but Aunt
Barbara pushed her roughly back, and said impatiently: "Don't, child!
don't, you'll wake him."

"Mamma does not say I mustn't!" sprang to Hatty's lips, for she was
sadly quick-tempered, but again a blush of shame took the place of
hasty words.

"He will wake soon," said Mrs. Lee, quickly but quietly, "and then,
Hatty, you can hold him in your arms; he is not much heavier than your
dolly, Susan."

"Thank you, Mother. I should like that," said Hatty; she felt that her
mother had wished to speak quickly to keep her from wrong words, and she
was grateful for the kindness that would help her to do right.

"Now, Hatty, you had better come to your room, and take off your
things."

"To _our_ room," said Meg, with a saucy, mischievous look.

Hatty turned towards her mother with a sudden glance of inquiry.

"Yes," said Mrs. Lee, "you are to have Meg for a room-mate." Hatty's
face flushed, and Mrs. Lee hastened to add, "I thought you would like to
help me, and you can do so best by taking Meg with you, and having a
little charge over her."

Hatty looked very soberly, as she answered, "I _should_ like to help
you, Mother."

Mrs. Lee opened the two lower drawers of the bureau, and said, "you see
I have put some of Meg's clothes here; when you need any more