that we had lost our game, and we comforted ourselves by telling
each other that papa had gone to see some little sick child like baby
Willie, and to make him quite well; and then we would make up our minds
to a good quiet game by ourselves.

[Illustration: PAPA AND MAMMA.]

We used to take turns, he playing at doll with me one time, and I
playing at horses with him next time. How well I remember my hairless,
eyeless doll, and all the pleasure she gave us! And good-natured old
nurse was quite willing, whenever Willie was a little better than usual,
to work wonders with dolly's toilet. One week she would be a fine, grand
lady, to whom Bobby would act footman and I lady's-maid. Next week, she
was a soldier fighting grand battles, and lying dead on the battle-field
at last, with a patch of red paint on the forehead, and we two singing
dirges and songs of victory; and then, all of a sudden, the soldier
was turned into a baby, with long white clothes and the prettiest of
caps.

The day that grandmamma's letter came, asking for "one of the dear
children to stay with her," dolly was just learning to walk. We were
having our firelight play before tea. I had tied up my curls to look
like a grown woman's hair, and I had papa's umbrella to keep the rain
off dolly in her first walk. Bobbie had papa's hat and stick, and he
held Rosalinda's other hand. I was just telling him not to walk so fast,
because his long strides would tire our little girl, when I heard
papa's voice calling me.

In a minute more I was standing between his knees, and mamma was
watching my face as I tried to take in the idea of this first visit.

"Jane shall go with you, my darling--you will not be all alone," said
mamma; "indeed, you shall not go at all if you had rather not, but
grandmamma wants to have you."

And then papa added a great deal about seeing the place where mamma
lived when she was my age, and told me that I should come back with such
rosy cheeks. And all the while I was thinking of the new doll's-house
that grandmamma would give me perhaps. The thought of this took me back
to Rosalinda, and I felt sure that Bobbie would let her fall if I didn't
be quick and go to him. So I said, "Yes, I will go," very much in a
hurry, and was ever so glad to get away and run upstairs again.

"Queer little fish!" I heard papa say as I left the room. "She thinks a
great deal more about the doll and Bobbie, than of the visit to
Beecham."

"Children never