living with friends, one of whom was very old,
the other an invalid; and that so much of her time was occupied in
school, that she had no opportunity for visiting.

"Poor excuse," said the doctor; "poor excuse. But, now we've got you
here, we shan't let you go very soon!" and going to the foot of the
staircase, he called out loudly, "Mrs. Jeremy! Mrs. Jeremy! come down to
dinner as quick as you can, and put on your best cap--we've got
company.--Poor soul!" added he, in a lower tone, smiling, "she can't
hurry, can she, Gerty?--she's so fat."

Gertrude protested against staying to dinner, declaring she must hasten
home, and announcing Mrs. Sullivan's illness and the object of her
visit.

"An hour can't make much difference," insisted the doctor. "You must
stay and dine with me, and then I'll take you with me in the buggy."
Gertrude hesitated; the sky had clouded over, and a few flakes of snow
were falling; she should have an uncomfortable walk; and, moreover, it
would be better for her to accompany the doctor, as the street in which
she lived was principally composed of new houses, not yet numbered, and
he might have some difficulty in finding the right tenement. Mrs. Jeremy
now entered. Fat she certainly was, uncommonly fat, and flushed with the
excitement of dressing. She kissed Gertrude, and then, seeing that no
one else was present, exclaimed, glancing reproachfully at the
doctor--"Why, Dr. Jeremy!--an't you ashamed of yourself? I never will
believe you again; you made me think there was some great stranger
here."

"And pray, Mrs. Jeremy, who's a greater stranger in this house than
Gerty Flint?"

"Sure enough!" said Mrs. Jeremy. "Gertrude _is_ a stranger, and I've got
a scolding in store for her on that very account; but, you know, Dr.
Jeremy, I shouldn't have put on my lilac-and-pink for Gertrude to see;
she likes me just as well in my old yellow, if she did tell me, when I
bought it, the saucy girl, that I'd selected the ugliest cap in Boston.
Do you remember that Gerty?" Gerty laughed heartily at the recollection
of an amusing scene that took place when she went shopping with Mrs.
Jeremy. "But come, Gerty, dinner's ready; take off your cloak and
bonnet, and come into the dining-room; the doctor has much to say, and
has been wanting dreadfully to see you."

They had been sitting some minutes without a word having been spoken,
when the doctor suddenly commenced laughing till tears came into his
eyes. Gertrude