l bird of gorgeous colours; a woman who had once been upper
servant in his mother's house, sent by the same messenger a white
toilet cushion, made exactly after one that had belonged to her
mistress and which she had been allowed to keep. It was worth while to
see Mr. Linden examine these things,--every name was familiar to him,
every one called up some story or recollection. Alternating with these,
came richer presents,--books and vases and silver; then from the poor
people in and about Pattaquasset, a couple of corn husk mats, a nest of
osier baskets. The children brought wild flowers and wild strawberries,
the fishermen brought fish, till Mrs. Derrick said, "Child, we might as
well begin to lay down for winter!"

Ency Stephens, having got Reuben to bring her two fine long razor
shells, had transformed them into a pincushion. This she sent, with a
kiss, by Mr. Linden.

"I half promised her that she might come before the rest of the world
to-morrow, Faith," he said. "She never saw any one married, and has the
greatest desire to see you--and I said if you were willing, Reuben
should bring her here at one o'clock." Faith was just then exploring
the contents of a new package--or rather two: one of as many spools of
white thread as she had scholars in her little class, (presented by
Robbie Waters,) the other a wee far-sent carved box of curled maple.
She looked up with wet eyes.

"Oh let her come, Endecott--I should like to have her here."

Faith had been living in a strange atmosphere this week. The first
presents that came simply pleased and amused her to a great degree;
Judge Harrison's and his daughter's she saw with a strong admixture of
painful feeling. But as tokens from rich and poor began to throng
in--not of respect for her wedding-day so much as of respect and love
for Mr. Linden,--Faith's mood grew very tender and touched. Never
perhaps, since the world stood, did anybody receive wedding presents
from friends known and unknown with a more gentle and humble
heart-return to the senders. There was no least thing of them all that
Faith did not dearly value; it told her of something so much better
than the gifts, and it signified of a link that bound her with that.
How beautiful to her eyes the meanest of all those trifles did seem!
and for the rest, she was as quick to be delighted with what was really
beautiful and glad of what would be really useful, as any sensible
child could have been. So the amusement wit