ys knew when Lillie had arrived. Every sweet summer
morning Alice would jump out of bed, and her mother would
throw the window open, letting in the delicious perfume from
the strawberry bed next door, and the joyous _morning hymns_
of the little birds, and then, if Lillie had come all at
once, 'midst the songs of the birds, a small clear musical
voice would be heard, singing (for she made a little song of
it)--"Al--_lie_! Al--_lie_!" Then Alice would give a jump, and
answer, imitating her song, "What--_ee_! What--_ee_!" and then
the bird outside would sing, "Where's _you_? Where's _you_?"
and Alice would answer, "Here's I, Here's I!" and that would
finish the duet, for Alice would run to the window, and there,
just below, would be Lillie, standing on the daisy-spangled
grass-plot, looking, in her white dress and golden curls under
that blue sky, fairer and lovelier far, than any lily ever
looked, in any earthly gardener's conservatory. It is true,
that God made them both, but this Lillie was a flower blooming
for immortality, while the others would perish in one short
summer.

Then Alice would run down stairs, and out of the house, and
scramble through a little hole in the fence at the back of the
house, and rush up to Lillie, and Lillie would rush up to
Alice, and they would knock each other down, without meaning
to, on the soft grass, and roll over together, and jump up
again, as good as new, and laugh! you never heard any thing
sweeter! and report themselves ready for any play that Annie
might propose.

Lillie was very fond of singing. She could sing most delightfully,
"Old Dog Tray," "I want to be an Angel," "Pop goes the Weasel,"
and many other beautiful airs. She had taught Willie to sing
"Pop--go--a--dee--sell," as he called it, and was unwearied in
her efforts to amuse him, for he was a delicate little fellow,
and had been sick a great deal. In this, Lillie was imitating her
sister Annie, (do you see the importance of a good example?) and
it was perfectly beautiful to observe the care she took of him:
she would tie the bib round his neck, when he was to eat his
dinner, so tight, as almost to choke him to death, but with the
most loving intentions, and would comb his soft curls down on his
face, and nearly scratch his eyes out with the comb, but Willie
never cried; not he! because he knew perfectly well, baby as he
was, from the sweet affectionate expression beaming from Lillie's
blue eyes, that she did it