the world.[A] Then
seating herself lightly on old Rover's back, she patted his neck, and
said--

"Noble old Rover, won't you give your mistress a ride?"

Rover was a grand old dog, large and strong enough to carry a much heavier
miss than Jessie. He was good-natured too. Still he had no notion of being
used for a pony. So, after standing quite still for a moment or two, he
suddenly started and sent Jessie sprawling on the piazza, while he trotted
down the steps and made a bed for himself in the greensward, on the lawn,
as quietly as if nothing had happened. A knowing old dog was Rover.

Jessie picked herself up and began singing again. Scarcely had she trilled
out two lines before she saw Guy coming towards the house. With the light
spring of a fairy she bounded across the lawn, and meeting him at the gate
exclaimed--

"O Guy, cousin Emily and cousin Charlie are coming here to-night. Aren't
you glad?"

"To be sure I am. I'm glad of any thing that pleases my sister."

Jessie kissed him, and taking his hand, walked with him back to the
piazza, where she resumed her watching, beguiling the time by humming her
songs and by an occasional frolic with old Rover.

At last, the sound of wheels told her that the carriage was coming up from
the railroad station. A few minutes later it rolled along the road which
ran through the lawn and in front of the piazza. Four bright eyes peeped
over the door, which the coachman speedily opened. Mr. Carlton stepped out
first and then came Emily and Charlie. Never did cousins meet with warmer
greetings than they received from Jessie and Guy, and Mrs. Carlton, and
Uncle Morris. Never was little girl happier than Jessie, when, a few
minutes later, she had Emily all to herself, in her own sweet little
chamber, showing her the contents of drawer and trunk and doll-house, and
whatever else might be included in the term "playthings." When Emily and
Charlie went to bed that night, they were in ecstasies over the pleasant
things they had seen and felt on the first evening of their visit to Glen
Morris Cottage.

-----

[A] See Frontispiece.

CHAPTER II.

Jessie's Two Cousins.

The first few days of her cousins' visit were like a pleasant dream to
Jessie. She had so much to say, and so many things to show to her
visitors, that they could scarcely help sharing the joy which welled up
within her like a crystal stream from a mountain spring. Seeing them so
cheerful and happy, Jes