a bit,
she shall go to school as long as she likes. How will that do for a
beginning?"

"It will be 'just heavenly,' as Phebe says, for it is the wish of her
life to 'get lots of schooling,' and she will be too happy when I tell
her. May I, please? it will be so lovely to see the dear thing open her
big eyes and clap her hands at the splendid news."

"No one shall have a finger in this nice little pie; you shall do it all
yourself, only don't go too fast, or make too many castles in the air,
my dear; for time and patience must go into this pie of ours if it is to
turn out well."

"Yes, uncle, only when it is opened won't 'the birds begin to sing?"'
laughed Rose, taking a turn about the room as a vent for the joyful
emotions that made her eyes shine. All of a sudden she stopped and asked
soberly,

"If Phebe goes to school who will do her work? I'm willing, if I can."

"Come here and I'll tell you a secret. Dolly's 'bones' are getting so
troublesome, and her dear old temper so bad, that the aunts have decided
to pension her off and let her go and live with her daughter, who has
married very well. I saw her this week, and she'd like to have her
mother come, so in the spring we shall have a grand change, and get
a new cook and chamber-girl if any can be found to suit our honoured
relatives."

"Oh, me! how can I ever get on without Phebe? Couldn't she stay, just so
I could see her? I'd pay her board rather than have her go, I'm so fond
of her."

How Dr. Alec laughed at that proposal, and how satisfied Rose was when
he explained that Phebe was still to be her maid, with no duties except
such as she could easily perform between school-hours.

"She is a proud creature, for all her humble ways, and even from us
would not take a favour if she did not earn it somewhere. So this
arrangement makes it all square and comfortable, you see, and she will
pay for the schooling by curling these goldilocks a dozen times a day if
you let her."

"Your plans are always so wise and kind! That's why they work so well,
I suppose, and why people let you do what you like with them. I really
don't see how other girls get along without an Uncle Alec!" answered
Rose, with a sigh of pity for those who had missed so great a blessing.

When Phebe was told the splendid news, she did not "stand on her head
with rapture," as Charlie prophesied she would, but took it quietly,
because it was such a happy thing she had no words "big and beautiful