n't stayed to
tea, for it was a very poor tea indeed.

It began to rain just as hard as it could pour, and Dr. Papa came for
her in the carriage, without a single smile on his face.

When she got home there was mamma, looking grieved and surprised,--the
dear mamma she hadn't seen for three weeks. And there was "Ninny," her
sweet sister Julia, who had come and found out about her actions, and
brought her a new doll.

"Baby has cut a tooth, too," said Auntie Prim; "but he's asleep now, and
you can't see it to-night."

This was the last drop.

"I feel as if my heart was breaking," sobbed Flaxie, tottering up-stairs
behind her mother. "I don't care if Baby Proudfit _has_ got fo--ur
teeth; they're _very_ small!"

"I'm afraid you didn't have a good time, dear?"

"No'm, for Baby Proudfit's _so_ squirmy and wigglesome! But they wanted
me to stay _orf'ly_!"

"And oh, mamma," burst forth Flaxie, at last, "if you'll forgive me,
I'll never stay _anywhere_ to tea any more, as long as I live!"

"We'll talk about it to-morrow," said Mrs. Gray.

And then she put poor little Flaxie to bed.

CHAPTER III.

THE LONESOME VISIT.

Flaxie came down to breakfast next morning feeling rather humble, but
nobody noticed her, for they were all talking about the cat. The
cellar-door had been left unfastened, and Kitty Gray had come up about
midnight bringing a nice fat mouse. She mewed a long time, hoping her
mistress would get out of bed and stroke her, and say, "Good pussy,
pretty pussy!" But as Mrs. Gray would not rise, what do you think Kitty
Gray did, for this is a true story?

She just walked into the dining-room where the table was always set
overnight, jumped up to Mrs. Gray's place by the waiter, and dropped
the mouse beside her plate!

"There," thought pussy, "she'll see it now first thing in the morning,
before she turns the coffee; and if she doesn't say 'Good pussy, pretty
pussy,' why--I'll eat it!"

Of course when Mrs. Gray saw such a droll morsel lying on her napkin she
laughed, sent for Kitty Gray, stroked her, and called her "Good pussy,
pretty pussy; and the brightest pussy too that I ever saw!"

Even Mrs. Prim was laughing, and Flaxie began to hope her own behavior
of yesterday was forgotten. But no, her mother called her into the
nursery after breakfast, and said, as she took her in her lap:

"I am sorry to hear that my little girl has done so many wrong things
since I have been gone."

Flaxie dro