ake."

"I will, I truly will! and when I get in a worry about things may I come
to you? Uncle told me to, and I feel as if I shouldn't be afraid."

"You may, darling; this is the place where little troubles are best
cured, and this is what mothers are for, I fancy"; and Aunt Jessie drew
the curly head to her shoulder with a tender look that proved how well
she knew what medicine the child most needed.

It was so sweet and comfortable that Rose sat still enjoying it till a
little voice said,

"Mamma, don't you think Pokey would like some of my shells? Rose gave
Phebe some of her nice things, and it was very good of her. Can I?"

"Who is Pokey?" asked Rose, popping up her head, attracted by the odd
name.

"My dolly; do you want to see her?" asked Jamie, who had been much
impressed by the tale of adoption he had overheard.

"Yes; I'm fond of dollies, only don't tell the boys, or they will laugh
at me."

"They don't laugh at me, and they play with my dolly a great deal; but
she likes me best"; and Jamie ran away to produce his pet.

"I brought my old doll, but I keep her hidden because I am too big to
play with her, and yet I can't bear to throw her away, I'm so fond of
her," said Rose, continuing her confidences in a whisper.

"You can come and play with Jamie's whenever you like, for we believe in
dollies up here," began Aunt Jessie, smiling to herself as if something
amused her.

Just then Jamie came back, and Rose understood the smile, for his dolly
proved to be a pretty four-year-old little girl, who trotted in as fast
as her fat legs would carry her, and making straight for the shells,
scrambled up an armful, saying, with a laugh that showed her little
white teeth,

"All for Dimmy and me, for Dimmy and me!"

"That's my dolly; isn't she a nice one?" asked Jamie, proudly surveying
his pet with his hands behind him and his short legs rather far apart a
manly attitude copied from his brothers.

"She is a dear dolly. But why call her Pokey?" asked Rose, charmed with
the new plaything.

"She is such an inquisitive little body she is always poking that mite
of a nose into everything; and as Paul Pry did not suit, the boys fell
to calling her Pokey. Not a pretty name, but very expressive."

It certainly was, for, having examined the shells, the busy tot laid
hold of everything she could find, and continued her researches till
Archie caught her sucking his carved ivory chessmen to see if they were
not barl