ard opening the door-latch
again. Jessie started, listened a moment, then dropped her work, and
taking Madge's hand, said:

"Your mother is come!"

"Where is she?" asked the child, looking anxiously toward the door.

"Come with me, I'll show you," said Jessie, taking her by the hand.

They went into the hall. Uncle Morris was there, and so was Mrs. Clifton.
She was a short, slender, well-formed woman, with large, dark bloodshot
eyes. Her face was pale, her cheeks hollow, and her hair uncombed. She was
poorly dressed, and yet there was something about her, which told of
better things. As soon as she saw Madge, she ran to her, folded her
nervously to her bosom, and exclaimed:

"Oh! my child! pity your poor, wretched mother!"

Madge, finding her mother to be sober, grew cheerful. Her mother, after
being taken to the bath-room, and furnished with some changes of raiment,
was installed in the room with the seamstress, and then, as waters close
up, and flow on smoothly again, after a little disturbance, so did affairs
at Glen Morris move on once more, in their wonted quiet course.

CHAPTER XIII.

The Skating-Party.

"Now you can go skating with me, can't you?" inquired Carrie Sherwood, as
she pushed her little round face in at the door after dinner.

"Yes, _now_ I can go," replied Jessie. "I did ever so much on my slipper
this morning, and shall get it done by the last of the week."

"If you stick to it, but I know you _won't_," said Hugh, interrupting his
sister.

Jessie felt a little anger stir in her heart on hearing this fling at a
habit she was trying so so hard to overcome. But saying to herself, "never
mind, I deserve it," she merely gave Hugh a glance of reproof, and was
silent.

"I say, that's ungenerous, Mister Hugh," observed Guy, taking up his
sister's case. "You know Jessie is learning to stick to her purposes, and
that is more than anybody can say of you."

"Don't be too hard upon a fellow just for a joke," replied Hugh, wincing
under his brother's hit.

"Well, don't you throw stones at Jessie; at least, not so long as you live
in a glass house yourself," said Guy. Then turning to the girls, he added:
"Come girls, get ready, and I'll go with you to help Jessie try her new
skates."

"Oh, thank you, you dear good Guy!" replied Jessie, running to her brother
and giving him a sweet sisterly kiss.

"I think I'll go, too, if you'll let me," said Hugh.

"You may if you'll promise not to p