t day before to-morrow.'

"Wasn't it funny that she should think I had been so long away from
you, my little darling, that I had forgotten where you lived?

"Do you remember a story I once read to you, about 'Good Little Henry,'
in a book called 'Nightcaps'? Well, strange to say, I know this Henry,
and love him very much. He is now almost a young man, and just as good
as ever; yes! better than ever, for he is the comfort and joy of his
father and mother. Only think, dear Bella! that from a good and lovely
little child he has grown better and lovelier every year, till now he is
almost a man. God loves Henry; and He has helped him to be good, and He
will love you and help you to be good, if you will ask Him.

"I tell you all this now, because in looking over my writing-desk a
moment ago, I came upon an amusing story Henry wrote to me, about some
little cousins of his."

Of course you would like to know what he wrote, and here it is:

"One day my dear Aunt Sarah was sitting up-stairs with the children,
when the front door bell rang, and the servant came up and said: 'Mr.
Robinson wants to see you, ma'am.' So aunt put on her best collar, and a
little lace cap, and down she went.

"'My!' said Loulou, 'I should like to see him, too.'

"'So should I,' said Bolton, whose pet name is 'Pepper.'

"'Dear me! I, too,' cried Anna, whose pet name is 'Tot.'

"'And me! me! me!' said little Walter, jumping up and down.

"So Loulou, in a great state of delight, rushed up to the washstand and
washed her face and hands; then she took Pepper and scrubbed him
well--rubbing his nose almost off to get his face dry--and dressed him
in all his best Sunday clothes, and told him to sit down in his little
chair, perfectly stiff and straight, till the rest were ready; and down
little Pepper sat, and hardly dared to wink, for fear of getting his
clothes tumbled.

"Then she took little Tot, and polished her face, and brushed her hair
as hard as she could, and Tot never cried the least bit, when Loulou
accidentally turned the brush round and gave her a thump with the back
of it; but just sat down by Pepper when her dressing was over, and kept
as still and looked as grave as if she were in church.

"And now Loulou took dear little Walter in hands, and made him as fine
as you please; and then they all marched down stairs on tip-toe,
trembling with expectation.

"They opened the parlor door and entered very softly, and stared with
all their