shame-faced laugh.

"Well--there are families with five children in them, and I guess we
could manage it," he asserted in self-defense.

She sat up and looked at him with amazement.

"Surely we have money enough--and I don't know how we could spend it
better," he continued rapidly; "and with plenty of help for you--there
's nothing to hinder turning ourselves into an orphan asylum if we want
to," he added triumphantly.

"Oh, James, could we--do you think?" she cried, her eyes shining with a
growing joy. "Tommy, and Tilly, and all? Oh, we will--we will!
And--and--we'll never have to choose any more, will we, James?" she
finished fervently.

The Elephant's Board and Keep

On twelve hundred dollars a year the Wheelers had contrived to live
thus far with some comforts and a few luxuries--they had been married
two years. Genial, fun-loving, and hospitable, they had even
entertained occasionally; but Brainerd was a modest town, and its Four
Hundred was not given to lavish display.

In the bank Herbert Wheeler spent long hours handling money that was
not his, only to hurry home and spend other long hours over a tiny lawn
and a tinier garden, where every blade of grass and every lettuce-head
were marvels of grace and beauty, simply because they were his.

It was June now, and the lawn and the garden were very important; but
it was on a June morning that the large blue envelope came. Herbert
went home that night and burst into the kitchen like a whirlwind.

"Jessica, we 've got one at last," he cried.

"One what?"

"An automobile."

Jessica sat down helplessly. In each hand she held an egg--she had
been selecting two big ones for an omelet.

"Herbert, are you crazy? What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"About our automobile, to be sure," he retorted. "'T was Cousin
John's. I heard to-day--he's left it to us."

"To _us_! But we hardly knew him, and he was only a third or fourth
cousin, anyway, was n't he? Why, we never even thought of going to the
funeral!"

"I know; but he was a queer old codger, and he took a great fancy to
you when he saw you. Don't you remember? Anyhow, the deed is done."

"And it's ours?--a whole automobile?"

"That's what they say--and it's a three-thousand-dollar car."

"Oh, Herbert!" When Jessica was pleased she clapped her hands; she
clapped them now--or rather she clapped the eggs--and in the resulting
disaster even the automobile was for a moment forge