ffered in many ways, and since he died she has been going on worse
than ever, judging from the state I find her in."

"My dear boy, we did what we thought best while waiting for you to wind
up your affairs and get home. I always told George he was wrong to bring
her up as he did; but he never took my advice, and now here we are with
this poor dear child upon our hands. I, for one, freely confess that
I don't know what to do with her any more than if she was one of those
strange, outlandish birds you used to bring home from foreign parts."
And Aunt Plenty gave a perplexed shake of the head which caused great
commotion among the stiff loops of purple ribbon that bristled all over
the cap like crocus buds.

"If my advice had been taken, she would have remained at the excellent
school where I placed her. But our aunt thought best to remove her
because she complained, and she has been dawdling about ever since she
came. A most ruinous state of things for a morbid, spoilt girl like
Rose," said Mrs. Jane, severely.

She had never forgiven the old ladies for yielding to Rose's pathetic
petition that she might wait her guardian's arrival before beginning
another term at the school, which was a regular Blimber hot-bed, and
turned out many a feminine Toots.

"I never thought it the proper school for a child in good circumstances
an heiress, in fact, as Rose is. It is all very well for girls who are
to get their own living by teaching, and that sort of thing; but all
she needs is a year or two at a fashionable finishing school, so that at
eighteen she can come out with eclat," put in Aunt Clara, who had been a
beauty and a belle, and was still a handsome woman.

"Dear, dear! how short-sighted you all are to be discussing education
and plans for the future, when this unhappy child is so plainly marked
for the tomb," sighed Aunt Myra, with a lugubrious sniff and a solemn
wag of the funereal bonnet, which she refused to remove, being afflicted
with a chronic catarrh.

"Now, it is my opinion that the dear thing only wants freedom, rest, and
care. There is look in her eyes that goes to my heart, for it shows that
she feels the need of what none of us can give her a mother," said Aunt
Jessie, with tears in her own bright eyes at the thought of her boys
being left, as Rose was, to the care of others.

Uncle Alec, who had listened silently as each spoke, turned quickly
towards the last sister, and said, with a decided nod of approva