tmosphere.

Edna had occasion to learn more of Maggie, as she was allowed a weekly
visit to the Home to see her little friend. One day Maggie confessed
to her that she was far from perfect, and told, with tears in her
eyes, of obstinate faults. "But I will be good. I'll try harder'n
ever," promised the child, "for Miss Barnes told me I didn't love you
nor Mrs. Ramsey when I behave bad, for if I did I'd want to show you.
Do you care when I'm bad?" she asked, wistfully.

"Of course I do," replied Edna. "What had you been doing to make Miss
Barnes say that?"

Maggie was silent for a moment. "There's a little girl here with long
curls--she's awful pretty, an' every one says she'll get 'dopted some
day 'cause she's so pretty--an' one day she kicked me under the bench
when some ladies was here, an'--an' I pinched her, an' the ladies saw
me, an' made a fuss about it, so Miss Barnes sent me out of the room."

"Did you tell on her?" asked Edna.

"No, I didn't."

"I like you for that," she replied, sympathizing with the not telling,
for her loyal little heart forbade her to tell on Louis many a time
when he had done some little mean trick.

Therefore on this evening of her visit to Maggie, her mind was full of
such things. "I wouldn't let a poor little Friendlesser be better than
I am," she said to herself, "and I'll be twice as nice to Louis now."
In consequence she was quite disturbed when she missed her cousin from
the supper table that evening.

"Why, where is Louis?" she asked.

"He is in his room," replied Aunt Elizabeth, in a tone which forbade
further questioning. Edna glanced at her uncle; he, too, looked stern
and unyielding, and no chance was given the little girl that evening
to find out the cause of Louis' banishment. She had become very fond
of her cousin, although she did not always quite approve of him. He
was a gentle, affectionate boy, easily influenced, and being an only
child, had been allowed his own way, so that he was very much spoiled.
He was, nevertheless, a very agreeable companion for a little girl,
for he did not disdain to play with dolls at times, and would dress up
and play "lady" when nothing more exciting was suggested. He was very
fond of keeping shop, a drug store he usually preferred to have it;
this probably on account of the very small pair of scales among his
toys. He served Edna and the dolls a certain delectable drink made by
filling with sugar and water, bottles in which remain