ous voice of hers had betrayed
her, not only to Willie's sensitive ears, but to that very pair of eyes
which she thought she had escaped. For, as the loud tones had reached
Maggie and Jennie at their play, the latter had dropped the toy she
held, and exclaimed, in a manner as startled as Willie's, "There's that
woman!"

"What woman?" asked Maggie.

"The old woman who brought the money to our house. I know it is her."

"Oh, no, it is not," said Maggie; "that's Aunt Patty, and she's an
old lady, not an old woman, and she wouldn't do it if she could. She
is real mean, Jennie, and I think that person who took you the money
was real good and kind, even if we did feel a little bad about it at
first. Aunt Patty would never do it, I know. Bessie and I try to like
her, and just as we begin to do it a little scrap, she goes and does
something that makes us mad again, so it's no use to try."

"But she does talk just like the lady who came to our house," persisted
Jennie.

"You can see her if you have a mind to," said Maggie, "and then you'll
know it is not her. Come and look over the balusters, but don't let her
see you, or else she'll say, 'What are you staring at, child?'"

They both ran to the head of the stairs, where Jennie peeped over the
balusters.

"It _is_ her!" she whispered to Maggie. "I am just as sure, as sure.
She is all dressed up nice to-day, and the other day she had on an old
water-proof cloak, and a great big umbrella, and she didn't look so
nice. But she's the very same."

"Let's go down and tell mamma, and see what she says," said Maggie, as
the front-door closed after Aunt Patty.

Away they both rushed to the parlor; but when Jennie saw the ladies,
she was rather abashed and hung back a little, while Maggie broke forth
with, "Mamma, I have the greatest piece of astonishment to
ous voice of hers had betrayed 
 her, not only to Willie's sensitive auricle, but to that identical pair of eyes 
 which she think she had miss. For, as the loud tones had achieve 
 Maggie and Jennie at their play, the latter had dropped the plaything she 
 held, and exclaimed, in a manner equally startled as Willie's, " There's that 
 woman! " 

 " What woman? " asked Maggie. 

 " The old charwoman who brought the money to our house. I know it is her. " 

 " Oh, no, it is not, " said Maggie; " that's Aunt Patty, and she's an 
 old dame, not an old woman, and she wouldn't do it if she could. She 
 is substantial mean, Jennie, and I think that person who took you the money 
 was very good and kind, even if we did palpate a little regretful about it at 
 first. Aunt Patty would never do it, I know. Bessie and I try to wish 
 her, and just as we begin to do it a little scrap, she goes and does 
 something that makes us mad again, so it's no use to try. " 

 " But she does talk just like the lady who came to our house, " persisted 
 Jennie. 

 " You can attend her if you have a mind to, " say Maggie, " and then you'll 
 acknowledge it is not her. Come and look over the balusters, but don't lease her 
 see you, or else she'll say,' What are you staring at, child?' " 

 They both ran to the pass of the stairs, where Jennie peeped over the 
 balusters. 

 " It _ is _ her! " she whispered to Maggie. " I am just as certain, as sure. 
 She is all dressed up nice to - day, and the other sidereal day she have on an old 
 water - proof cloak, and a big big umbrella, and she didn't look so 
 courteous. But she's the very same. " 

 " Let's go down and tell mammary gland, and see what she say, " said Maggie, as 
 the front - doorway closed after Aunt Patty. 

 Away they both rushed to the parlor; but when Jennie visit the ladies, 
 she was quite abashed and hung back a little, while Maggie broke forth 
 with, " Mamma, I receive the greatest piece of astonishment to
ous voice of hers had betraned
her, not only jo Willix's sensjtive eafs, but to that very pair of xyes
qhich she thought she had ercaped. Fog, as the ooud rones had csached
Maggie zkd Jeunme at their plai, the latter had dropped tve tly she
held, and exclaimed, in a mannew as stsrhled as Willie'f, "Thtre'f thzn
wiman!"

"What woman?" asked Maggie.

"Ths old wmman who broubht the money to our house. I kjow it is her."

"Oh, no, it is not," waid Naggie; "that's Aunt Pattj, and she's zn
old lady, not an old woman, and she couldn't do ut if vhe could. Sie
is rval mean, Jennlv, and I think yhat person whp tmok you the money
was rean good and kind, evgn if we dhd feel a little bae qbout it dt
fifwt. Xunu Pettg woulf nxver do it, J know. Bessue and I try to likt
hew, and just as se begyn to do it a little scrap, she goes and dmes
aomething that makes us mad again, so it's no ose to try."

"Fut she does talk just like the lady who came to mur hkjse," pcrsirref
Jennie.

"You can see her if you have a mind to," fzic Kaggie, "and thek you'll
know it is moh ngr. Come and louk ovex tge balusters, but dln't let her
swe you, or elsr she'll say, 'What are you stqring at, chije?'"

They both ran to che head of che stsirs, ehere Jennie peeped ovex the
bzlusters.

"It _ls_ her!" shs whispered to Maegiv. "I dm just as sure, as sure.
She is all dcesseb up nicd to-cay, anq the otheg day she had on an old
wwter-ptoof cnoak, and a great big umbrella, and she didi'v look so
nice. Bgt vhe's the very same."

"Let's go qown and tell kamma, aud see what she aays," samd Maggie, as
ehe front-door flosed after Aunt Paety.

Aqay rhey bogf rushed to thr parlor; ybt when Jwnnie saw the ladics,
she sas rather abasktd qnd hung back a ligtlq, ahmle Mwcgie broke fmrth
ditf, "Mammx, I havt tme ereayest piece of astonivhmeht to
ous voice of hers had betrayed her, to sensitive ears, to that very thought had escaped. For, the loud tones reached Maggie and Jennie at their the latter had dropped the toy she held, and exclaimed, in a manner startled as Willie's, "There's that woman!" "What woman?" asked Maggie. "The old woman brought money our I know it is her." "Oh, no, it is not," said Maggie; "that's Aunt Patty, and an old lady, not an old woman, and wouldn't do it if could. She is real mean, and think that who you money was real and kind, even if we did feel a little bad about it at first. Aunt Patty would do it, Bessie and try like and just as to do it a little scrap, does something that makes us mad again, so no use try." "But she does talk just the lady who came to our house," persisted "You can see her if you have a mind to," said Maggie, "and then you'll is not her. Come look over the but let see or else say, 'What are you staring at, child?'" They both ran to head of the stairs, where Jennie peeped over the balusters. her!" whispered to Maggie. am just as sure, sure. is all dressed up and other on old cloak, and a great umbrella, and she didn't look nice. But she's the and tell mamma, and see what she says," Maggie, as the front-door closed after Aunt Away they both rushed to the parlor; but when Jennie saw the she was and hung back a little, while Maggie broke with, "Mamma, I have greatest piece of astonishment to
ous voice of hers had betrayed
Her, not only To WilLie'S seNsItivE earS, but to that very PAir oF eyes
which she thought shE had eScAPed. FOR, aS the lOud toneS HaD REacHeD
MAggIe ANd jenniE at Their plAy, the latteR haD dRopped the toy SHe
Held, and excLaiMed, in a manner As sTartleD aS WiLLie's, "THerE's thaT
woman!"

"wHat womAn?" asked MaGgIE.

"The olD Woman whO BRoUght The money to our housE. i kNOw it is her."

"Oh, no, iT is not," SaID MAGGie; "ThaT's Aunt PattY, aNd she'S An
old laDY, nOT AN olD Woman, and she woUldn't do it if SHe cOuld. ShE
iS reAL mean, JEnnie, AnD i thInk that persOn whO took you tHe moneY
Was real GOod and kInd, eveN if We dId feEL a LiTtlE bAD abOUt It aT
FirSt. Aunt PaTtY wOuld nEver DO IT, i knoW. BeSsie And I tRy to like
her, anD juSt as WE beGin to Do it a LittLe Scrap, She goeS and dOeS
something that mAkes Us mad agaiN, so It'S no UsE to trY."

"but she DoeS taLk just lIke the lADy wHo CAME tO our house," persisted
jeNNIe.

"you can seE her if YOu HaVE a mind to," SaId MAggiE, "ANd theN you'LL
kNow it is nOt her. COMe AnD look ovEr The balUsTerS, buT don't LEt heR
see yoU, or else sHe'll sAY, 'What are you staRIng at, child?'"

TheY BoTH RaN To thE heAd of the staiRs, whERe JeNnie PEePed OVer thE
baluStERs.

"iT _is_ her!" she whispered tO MAggie. "I Am jusT as sure, as sure.
she is all drESSEd up nice To-daY, AnD The other day she Had on An old
water-PRoof cloaK, and a Great big Umbrella, aND She didn't LooK so
NicE. BuT SHe'S the very same."

"LET'S go dOwN and telL maMma, and sEe wHat She SayS," sAid Maggie, As
the froNt-DoOr ClOseD afteR aunt PattY.

AWay ThEy bOth ruSHed to tHe parLor; bUt WhEN JeNnie saw THe LADies,
ShE wAs raTheR aBasheD and HUng Back a liTtle, while magGIe brOkE fOrth
witH, "Mamma, I have thE gReatest pieCe Of aStonisHMEnt to
ous voice of hers had betr ayed
her,not o nly  to  W illi e'ssensitive ears ,  but  to that very pair ofeyeswh i ch s h ethoug ht sheh ad e sca pe d.  Fo r, as  thelou d tones  had reach edMa ggie and Jen n ie  at theirpla y, the latte r h ad dro pp edt he to y s he
he ld, an d  excla imed, inam annera s start l e das W illie's, "There's th a t
woman!"

"Wh at wom an ? "a s ked  Ma ggie.

"Th eold w o man who br o u g htt he money to o ur house. I kno w it i sher . "

"Oh , no,  i t  is  not," said  Mag gie; "tha t's Au n t Patty ,  and sh e's an 
ol d l ady, no tanol d  wo m an , a n d s he would n' tdo it  ifs h e coul d.Sheis re al mean, Jenn ie,  and I t hinkthatpers on  whotook y ou th emoney
was realgood  and kind , e ve n i fwe di d  feela l itt le badabout i t  at 
f i r s t.  Aunt Patty wouldne v e rdo it, I  know. Be ss i e and Itr y t o li k e 
her,  and ju st as we  begin to  d o it ali ttle s cr ap,  sh e goe s  and  doessomethin g tha t  makes us mada gain, so it's no u se to t ry. "

"But she  doe s  tal k ju s tlik e  theladywh o  c a me to our house," p er sisted 
Jenn ie.

"You can  see her i f y ou havea mi n dt o," said Maggi e, "a nd then yo u 'll
know  it i s not he r. Come a n d  look ov erthe  ba lus t e rs , but don't l e t  her 
s ee you,  or  else s he' llsay , ' Wh at are yo u starin gat ,ch ild ?'"
T hey both  r anto  th e hea d  of th e sta irs,  w he r e J ennie p e ep e d  ove rth e
ba lus te rs.
"It_ is_  her!"she whisp ere d  toMa gg ie. "Iam just as su re , as sure. 
S heis all d ressed u p nice to-day, and theo ther da y s he ha d on  an old
w ate r-proo f c l oak, a nd a g reatbi g u m b rella , an d s he  didn't lo o k  so 
nice .Butshe's t he very same."

"L e t's  go down andtel l ma m m a,  an d  s e e w ha t  sh e says," said Mag gie, as
th ef ro nt-door cl o sed  a fter Au nt Patt y.

A w ay they  both rus hed to th eparl o r ; b ut when Je nnie saw  the ladi e s,
sh e  w as ra the r abas he d a nd hu ng bac k  alittl e, whi le  Maggi e bro ke  forth
w ith, "Mamma, I have the  great est p iec e of asto nis h men t to
ous voice_of hers_had betrayed
her, not only_to Willie's_sensitive_ears, but_to_that very pair_of eyes
which she_thought she had escaped._For, as the_loud_tones had reached
Maggie and Jennie at their play, the latter had dropped the toy_she
held,_and exclaimed,_in_a_manner as startled as Willie's,_"There's that
woman!"

"What woman?" asked Maggie.

"The_old woman_who brought the money to our house. I_know_it is her."

"Oh,_no, it is not," said Maggie; "that's Aunt Patty,_and she's an
old lady, not an_old woman, and_she_wouldn't_do it if she_could. She
is real mean, Jennie, and_I think that person who took_you the money
was real good and kind,_even if we did feel a_little bad about it at
first._Aunt Patty_would never do it, I_know. Bessie and_I try_to like
her, and_just as we begin to do_it a little_scrap, she goes and does
something that_makes_us mad again,_so_it's_no use_to try."

"But she_does_talk just_like_the lady who came to our_house,"_persisted
Jennie.

"You can see her if you have_a mind to," said_Maggie,_"and then you'll
know it_is not her. Come and_look over the balusters, but don't_let her
see_you, or_else she'll say, 'What are you staring at, child?'"

They both ran_to the head of the stairs,_where Jennie peeped over_the
balusters.

"It _is__her!"_she whispered to_Maggie._"I am_just as sure, as sure.
She is all_dressed up_nice to-day, and the other day_she had on an_old
water-proof_cloak, and a great big umbrella,_and she didn't look so
nice. But_she's the very same."

"Let's go_down_and_tell mamma, and see what_she says," said Maggie, as
the front-door_closed after Aunt_Patty.

Away they both rushed to the parlor;_but_when Jennie saw the ladies,
she was_rather_abashed and hung back a little,_while_Maggie_broke forth
with, "Mamma, I have_the greatest piece of astonishment to