First she told
all the conversation of the afternoon before, which amused Aunt Fanny
very much, and then she continued, "You told me the other day that your
daughter was very busy writing six books for Mr. Leavitt the publisher.
I know you love my children."

"Yes, indeed!" cried Aunt Fanny. "I love children from my heart,
straight out to the ends of my fingers; and when a pen is in my hands,
the love runs into it, and then out again, as fast as it can scratch all
over ever so many sheets of paper. My thumb aches so sometimes with
writing, that I often wish I had half a dozen extra ones, so I could
take the tired one off and screw another on, and even then I am afraid I
could never exhaust my love for my darlings;" and she looked at the
children and held out her hand with such an affectionate smile, that
Helen came timidly up and gave her a little winning kiss immediately,
while George, blushing all over his face, showed two great dimples in
his cheeks, but had not the courage to leave his chair.

You may be sure that Aunt Fanny, after Helen's kiss, was quite ready to
grant any favor the mother might ask for her children. She was perfectly
willing to catch a comet for them to play with, or jump down a volcano
to find out who lived in the bottom of it, if anybody would only show
her how. Helen's mother knew this, but she hesitated a little before she
made this strange request:

"My dear friend, my two children have made me the promises I have told
you of, in regard to keeping my little rules and resolutions, and now I
think it will be the most wonderful and delightful reward possible, if
they were to be permitted to see and read your daughter's stories in
manuscript."

"Manuscript! what does that mean, mamma?"

"In her own handwriting, dear."

"Oh yes! yes! how very strange and delightful! And then to see the very
same stories printed! that would be so astonishing! We should like that
better than anything, Aunt Fanny!"

"Very well," continued their mamma; "now I have come to beg you to lend
me the stories as fast as they are written. I will take the greatest
care of them, and return them to your daughter quickly and punctually. I
have a plan in my head which will make my children very happy, if you
consent."

"To be sure I will," said Aunt Fanny, "but what is your plan?"

Thereupon commenced a great whispering between the two ladies, while the
children looked pleased, puzzled, and eagerly curious all at once;