
for you," bemoaned Ann; "if I'm to be kep in the dark, who's to take
care of you, my gal?"

"I am taking very good care of myself, Ann."

"What _are_ you taking?"

"Oh! all manner of things--won't you believe me?"

"No--I won't."

And Ann proceeded to inspect mantel-pieces, open cupboards and drawers,
to Mattie's dismay.

"Yes, I see just how it be," she said, after her search had resulted in
nothing satisfactory. "You're working yourself to death, and starving
yourself to death, without saying anything to anybody. And that's
gratitude for all my love for you--you who want to leave me alone in the
world, with not no one to love."

"Why, my dear Ann, I'm not going to die."

"You're trying all you can--oh! you ungrateful gal!"

Mattie defended herself, and maintained that it was only one "lay up,"
but Ann Packet did not like the red spot on each cheek, the unnatural
brightness of the eyes, and secretly doubted her assertion.

"I must go back now. I shall come to-morrow, first thing."

"I shall be well enough to-morrow, Ann."

Ann Packet kissed her and departed; half-an-hour afterwards, to Mattie's
astonishment, she made her reappearance, accompanied by a tall, slim
gentleman.

"There's the gal, sir. Now, please tell me what's the matter, and don't
mind _her_ a bit."

Mattie saw that it was too late to offer a resistance, and refrained,
like a wise young woman, from "making a scene." The doctor felt her
pulse, looked at her tongue, took the light from the table and held it
close to Mattie's face.

"Well--what's the matter, sir?" was Mattie's question.

"Humph! don't know that I can tell exactly, yet. I'll look in
to-morrow."

"No, don't do that," said Mattie, alarmed at the expense.

"Yes, do," cried Ann Packet, "your money's
for you, " bemoaned Ann; " if I'm to be kep in the dark, who's to take 
 care of you, my gallon? " 

 " I am accept very good care of myself, Ann. " 

 " What _ are _ you lead? " 

 " Oh! all manner of thing -- won't you believe me? " 

 " No -- I won't. " 

 And Ann proceeded to audit mantel - slice, open cupboard and drawer, 
 to Mattie's dismay. 

 " Yes, I experience just how it be, " she said, after her search had leave in 
 nothing satisfactory. " You're exploit yourself to death, and starving 
 yourself to death, without saying anything to anybody. And that's 
 gratitude for all my love for you -- you who desire to leave me alone in the 
 world, with not no one to love. " 

 " Why, my costly Ann, I'm not going to die. " 

 " You're try all you can -- oh! you ungrateful gallon! " 

 Mattie defended herself, and maintained that it was only one " lay up, " 
 but Ann Packet did not like the red blot on each cheek, the unnatural 
 brightness of the eyes, and secretly doubted her assertion. 

 " I must go back now. I shall come to - morrow, first thing. " 

 " I shall be well enough to - morrow, Ann. " 

 Ann Packet kissed her and departed; half - an - hour afterwards, to Mattie's 
 astonishment, she made her reappearance, accompanied by a grandiloquent, slim 
 gentleman. 

 " There's the gal, sir. immediately, please assure me what's the matter, and don't 
 mind _ her _ a bit. " 

 Mattie watch that it was too late to offer a resistance, and refrain, 
 like a wise young woman, from " making a scene. " The doctor feel her 
 pulse, looked at her tongue, took the light from the table and hold it 
 close to Mattie's face. 

 " Well -- what's the matter, sir? " was Mattie's question. 

 " Humph! don't know that I can assure exactly, yet. I'll look in 
 to - morrow. " 

 " No, don't cause that, " said Mattie, alarmed at the expense. 

 " Yes, do, " cried Ann Packet, " your money's

for you," bemoaned Ann; "if I'm uo be kep in the bqrk, whm's to fake
care of you, my gal?"

"I am taking vecy giod cqre of myself, Ann."

"What _xre_ you twking?"

"Oh! qll nqnner of tijngs--won'b you neliere me?"

"No--I won't."

And Ann proceaded to inspecd oautel-pieces, open cupboards and drawerf,
to Matyif's dismay.

"Yes, I see tust how it be," she said, after her seardh had gesulted in
nothinb satisfactory. "You're workijg ylurself to death, ajd starving
ikurfwlf to death, without saying anythihg to anybody. And that's
gratitudd for all my loce fog you--you who want to leave me alone it the
wotld, with not np oie ti love."

"Why, my dear Ann, I'm not going to dye."

"You're tsynng all you can--oh! you ubgratgful cal!"

Mxrtid dtfeides hersflf, and maintzined that ut was only one "lay u[,"
vut Ann Packef did goe like the red spot on each cheek, the utnafural
brightness of the wyes, and secretly douhted her wssertion.

"I must go back now. I shall come to-morrow, firsv ghiun."

"L shxol be well enough to-morrow, Ann."

Ann Packet kissed get snd departed; hclf-an-hour afterwsrfs, jo Mattie's
astovishmeuf, ahe made her reappfarance, acconpanied br a yall, slim
gentleman.

"There's thw gal, sir. Noc, poease tell me what'd the mattex, and con't
mond _her_ a bit."

Mattie saw thaf it was tol late to uffer a resistanze, sng refrained,
like a wise yougg woman, hrom "kaking x scgne." The doctor fept hev
[ulse, looked at heg tonyue, tmok the lihht from the table and held it
close to Mattie'x xacv.

"Well--what'f the matter, sir?" wws Mattie's quextion.

"Huiph! dun't know tgat I cen tell exacely, yet. I'll lmlk in
to-morrox."

"No, don't qo tyat," waid Maggie, alarmed at the expeufe.

"Yew, do," cried Ann Paclet, "gour money's
for you," bemoaned Ann; "if I'm to in dark, who's take care of taking good care of Ann." "What _are_ taking?" "Oh! all manner of things--won't believe me?" "No--I won't." And Ann proceeded to inspect mantel-pieces, open cupboards and to Mattie's dismay. "Yes, I see just how it be," she said, after search resulted nothing "You're working yourself to death, and starving yourself to death, without saying anything to anybody. And gratitude for all my love for you--you who to leave me alone the world, with not no to "Why, my Ann, not to die." "You're all you can--oh! you ungrateful gal!" Mattie defended herself, and maintained that it was only one "lay but Ann not like red on cheek, the unnatural the eyes, and secretly doubted her go back now. I shall come to-morrow, first "I shall well enough to-morrow, Ann." Ann Packet her and departed; half-an-hour afterwards, to Mattie's astonishment, made her reappearance, accompanied by a tall, slim gentleman. "There's the gal, sir. Now, please what's the matter, and mind _her_ a Mattie that was late to a resistance, and refrained, like a wise young woman, from "making scene." The doctor felt her pulse, looked at her tongue, light the table and it close to Mattie's "Well--what's matter, sir?" was Mattie's don't that exactly, I'll in to-morrow." "No, don't that," said Mattie, alarmed at expense. "Yes, do," cried

for you," bemoaned Ann; "if I'm to be Kep in the daRk, who'S to TakE
cAre oF you, My gal?"

"I am taking VEry gOod care of myself, Ann."

"What _Are_ yoU tAKing?"

"oH! aLl manNer of thINgS--WOn't YoU bEliEvE Me?"

"no--I woN't."

ANd Ann prOceeded to iNspEcT mantel-pieceS, OpEn cupboardS anD drawers,
to MaTtiE's dismAy.

"yes, i See juSt hOw it bE," she saID, after Her search HaD ResultED in
nothING sAtisFactory. "You're workiNG yOUrself to death, aNd starViNG
yOURseLf tO death, withOuT sayiNG anythiNG tO ANYboDY. And that's
gratItude for all MY loVe for yOu--You WHo want To leaVe ME alOne in the
worLd, wiTh not no onE to lovE."

"why, my deAR Ann, I'm nOt goinG to Die."

"you'rE TrYiNg aLl YOu cAN--oH! yoU UngRateful gAl!"

maTtie dEfenDED HErseLf, aNd maIntaiNed that it was oNly One "lAY up,"
But AnN PackEt diD nOt likE the reD spot On Each cheek, the unnAturAl
brightnEss Of The EyEs, and SEcretlY doUbtEd her asSertion.

"i MusT gO BACk Now. I shall come to-morRoW, FIrSt thing."

"I Shall bE WeLl ENough to-mOrRow, ann."

ANN packeT kisSEd Her and deParted; HAlF-aN-hour afTeRwards, To matTie'S
astoNIshmEnt, she Made her rEappeARance, accompaniED by a tall, slim
gENtLEMaN.

"therE's tHe gal, sir. Now, PleaSE telL me wHAt'S thE MatteR, and dOn'T
MiND _her_ a bit."

Mattie saw thAt It was tOo latE to offer a resiStance, and rEFRAined,
likE a wiSE yOUng woman, from "maKing a Scene." The doCTor felt hEr
pulSe, looked At her tongUE, Took the lIghT frOm tHe tABLe And held it
closE TO MatTiE's face.

"WEll--What's thE maTteR, siR?" waS MAttie's queStion.

"HumPh! DoN't KnOw tHat I cAN tell exaCtLy, yEt. i'll Look iN
To-morrOw."

"No, dOn't dO tHaT," SaiD Mattie, ALaRMEd at ThE eXpenSe.

"YEs, Do," criEd AnN pacKet, "your Money's

for you," bemoaned Ann; " if I'm tobe ke p i n t he  dar k, w ho's to take
c a re o f you, my gal?"

"I am  taki ng very go od ca re of m y se l f , A nn ." 

" Wh a t_are_  yo u takin g?"

"Oh!all  m anner of thi n gs --won't yo u b elieve me?"
"N o--I w on 't. " 

And  An n pro ceeded to ins pect mant el - pieces ,  open c u p bo ards  and drawers,
toM at t ie's dismay.
"Yes,Is ee j ust  ho w it be,"sh e sai d , after he r s ear c h had resulte d in
nothin g  sa tisfac to ry. "You'r e wor ki n g y ourself todeat h, and st arving yoursel f  to dea th, wi tho utsayi n gan yth in g  to an ybo d y.And that 's 
g ratit udef o r allmylove  foryou--you whowan t to lea ve me  alon e in  t he
wo rld, w ith n ot  no one to love ."
"Why, mydea rAnn ,I'm n o t goin g t o d ie."

" You'ret ryi ng a l lyou can--oh! you u ng r a te ful gal! "

Mat t ie  d e fended h er sel f, a n d  main tain e dthat itwas on l yon e "layup ,"
but  A nnPac ket d i d no t like  the red  spot on each cheek, the unnatural br i g ht n essofthe eyes, a nd s e cret ly d o ub ted her a ssert io n ."I must go back now .I shal l com e to-morrow,first thin g . " 

"I sha ll b e  w e ll enough to-m orrow , Ann."

A n n Packet  kiss ed her a nd depart e d ; half-a n-h our  af ter w a rd s, to Mattie' s asto ni shment,  sh e madeher  re app ear an ce, accom panied b yata ll , s lim
g e ntleman. 
"Th er e's  theg al, si r. No w, p le as e  te ll me w h at ' s  the  m at ter,  an ddon't 
min d  _h er_ a b it."

Mat tie sawth at  it was  too late toof fer a resi st anc e, and r efrained ,
like a wise young wom a n, from  "m aking  a s cene." Th e d octorfel t  her
p ulse,looke dath e r ton g u e,  to ok  the light f rom  theta bleand hel d it
close to Matt i e's  face.

"Well --w hat' s th e m a tt e r,si r ?"w a s Mattie's ques tion.

"Hu mp h !don't know tha tI can t ell exa ctly, yet. I' ll look i n
to-morr ow ."
" N o,don't do t hat," sa id Mattie ,  alar m ed  at t heexpens e. 

" Yes,do," c r ied  AnnPacket ,"yourmoney 's 

for you,"_bemoaned Ann;_"if I'm to be_kep in_the_dark, who's_to_take
care of you,_my gal?"

"I am_taking very good care_of myself, Ann."

"What__are__you taking?"

"Oh! all manner of things--won't you believe me?"

"No--I won't."

And Ann proceeded to inspect_mantel-pieces,_open cupboards_and_drawers,
to_Mattie's dismay.

"Yes, I see just_how it be," she said,_after her_search had resulted in
nothing satisfactory. "You're working yourself_to_death, and starving
yourself_to death, without saying anything to anybody. And that's
gratitude_for all my love for you--you_who want to_leave_me_alone in the
world, with_not no one to love."

"Why, my_dear Ann, I'm not going to_die."

"You're trying all you can--oh! you ungrateful_gal!"

Mattie defended herself, and maintained that_it was only one "lay_up,"
but Ann_Packet did not like the_red spot on_each cheek,_the unnatural
brightness of_the eyes, and secretly doubted her_assertion.

"I must go_back now. I shall come to-morrow,_first_thing."

"I shall be_well_enough_to-morrow, Ann."

Ann_Packet kissed her_and_departed; half-an-hour_afterwards,_to Mattie's
astonishment, she made her reappearance,_accompanied_by a tall, slim
gentleman.

"There's the gal, sir._Now, please tell me_what's_the matter, and don't
mind__her_ a bit."

Mattie saw that_it was too late to offer_a resistance,_and refrained,
like_a wise young woman, from "making a scene." The doctor felt_her
pulse, looked at her tongue, took_the light from the_table and_held_it
close to Mattie's_face.

"Well--what's_the matter,_sir?" was Mattie's question.

"Humph! don't know that_I can_tell exactly, yet. I'll look in
to-morrow."

"No,_don't do that," said_Mattie,_alarmed at the expense.

"Yes, do," cried_Ann Packet, "your money's