Elsie, in whose
presence the remark was made, "no one to support but yourself; and the
interest of this money will be sufficient for your comfortable
maintenance."

"Possibly, if I had a home, as Isa has; but not without," returned
Virginia in a pettish tone, while her eyes flashed angrily.

Elsie bore patiently with the rebuff, and said no more at that time, but
considered the matter earnestly, carefully, and prayerfully, in the
privacy of her own room, then had a talk about it with her father,
without whose approval she seldom took a step of any great importance.

Finding him alone on the veranda, "Papa," she said, taking a seat by his
side, "I want a few minutes' chat with you before we are joined by
anyone else. You heard Virginia's complaint of yesterday--that she had
no home of her own. I have been thinking it over, also of the fact that
Dick and Bob are in the same condition, and it has occurred to me that I
might invite them to take possession here while we are absent at our
more northern home, giving employment to the servants, keeping the house
in repair, and the grounds in order; that is, merely overseeing the work
and looking to me for the means necessary to cover the expense, I to
retain my present satisfactory overseer, and pay his wages out of the
returns from the crops; also those of the laborers."

"You mean that you would simply give a home here to your cousins?"
returned Mr. Dinsmore interrogatively.

"Yes, sir; a home without expense--except, perhaps, some small increase
of the wages of the servants in consideration of the additional work
made for them, and a share of the fruits, vegetables, fowls, and so
forth, raised upon the plantation."

"A share? meaning all they might want to use? the 'and so forth' I
suppose, meaning milk, cream, butter, and eggs?"

"Yes, sir."

"I should call it a very generous offer, and I have no objection to
bring it forward, seeing that you are well able to afford it, if it is
your pleasure so to do."

"I am glad my project meets with your approval," she said, with a smile,
"for otherwise, as I think you know, papa, it would never be carried
out. Ah, how thankful I should be, and I hope I am, that I have been
given the financial ability to do such kindness to others!"

"Yes," he said, with an affectionate smile into the soft brown eyes
looking into his; "I know of no one who enjoys doing kindness more than
my dear eldest daughter.

"What a delightful winter