stead of cost money! Here, Meg,
pour this away directly, and don't do such a thing again!"

"It won't help it to throw it away," said Meg. "I want to blow bubbles."

"Shan't have it! shan't have it!" said little Harry, holding tight to
the edge of the bowl with his little fat hands.

"Aunt Barbara," said Mrs. Lee, very gently, "I told the children they
might blow bubbles a little while this afternoon. Jane mixed the soap
for them, that they need not be wasteful."

"Its little use savin' in such a house as this!" said Aunt Barbara, and
she walked away as if she were particularly injured.

Marcus now came in to tell how happy and contented the chickens seemed
in the new coop. He saw some evidences of displeasure on the faces of
Meg and Harry, and he exclaimed, "I met Aunt Barbara in the hall, with
her indignation strut on. What's up?"

"Marcus, my son, I cannot bear to hear you speak in that way of any old
person, especially of Aunt Barbara."

"But she is too tiresome and provoking, Mother. If I want a piece of
twine for a kite-string she calls it wasteful, and--"

"Yes," broke in Meg, "and when I want to play tea, she won't let me have
a bit of milk or sugar,--that is, if mother is not here."

"Hush, hush, my children," said Mrs. Lee, with a look of pain. "Come,
sit down all of you, and I will tell you a story."

Marcus liked to hear stories as well as little Meg herself, and he
forthwith sat down on the floor, where he could look straight into his
mother's eyes.

Mrs. Lee began: "Once there was a little orphan girl, only seven years
old. Her father and mother died, and she did not know what was to become
of her. Now this little girl had an aunt, who was the widow of a
clergyman. This aunt had a little cottage of her own, and just enough
money to live quietly and comfortably by herself. She knew if she took
the little orphan to her home, she must deny herself a great many
comforts to which she had always been accustomed; but she resolved to do
it.

The little girl was very glad when she found that she was not alone in
the wide world, and she soon learned to love the kind aunt who did so
much for her.

Sometimes she was surprised to see what care her aunt took, that nothing
should be wasted; and she often wondered why her aunt did not buy
herself a new bonnet, or a new dress, which she seemed to need. She did
not know that her aunt had to practice so much care and economy, to give
her a home. By and by, wh