 quite proper for this stranger to come
walking into the house and up-stairs at all hours of the day, kissing
mamma, teasing nurse, and playing and joking with the children, just
as if he had been at home there all his life. Neither would she romp
with him as the other children did, looking gravely on from some quiet
corner at their merry frolics, as if she half-disapproved of it all. So
Uncle Ruthven nicknamed her the "Princess," and always called her "your
highness" and "your grace," at which Bessie did not know whether to be
pleased or displeased. She even looked half-doubtfully at the wonderful
stories he told, though she never lost a chance of hearing one. Uncle
Ruthven was very fond of children, though he was not much accustomed
to them, and he greatly enjoyed having them with him, telling Mrs.
Bradford that he did not know which he liked best,--Bessie with her
dainty, quiet, ladylike little ways, or Maggie with her half-shy,
half-roguish manner, and love of fun and mischief. Maggie and all the
boys were half wild about him, and as for baby, if she could have
spoken, she would have said that never was there such an uncle for
jumping and tossing. The moment she heard his voice, her hands and feet
began to dance, and took no rest till he had her in his arms; while
mamma sometimes feared the soft little head and the ceiling might come
to too close an acquaintance.

"Princess," said Mr. Stanton, one evening, when he had been home about
a fortnight, catching up Bessie, as she ran past him, and seating her
upon the table, "what is that name your highness calls me?"

"I don't call you anything but Uncle Yuthven," answered Bessie, gravely.

"That is it," said her uncle. "What becomes of all your r's? Say
Ruthven."

"Er--er--er--Yuthven," said Bessie, trying very hard at the r.

Mr. Stanton shook his head and laughed.

"I can talk plainer than I used to," said Bessie. "I used to call Aunt
B
quite proper for this stranger to come 
 walking into the house and up - stairs at all hours of the sidereal day, snog 
 mamma, teasing nanny, and playing and joke with the children, just 
 as if he had been at dwelling there all his life. Neither would she romp 
 with him as the early child did, look gravely on from some quiet 
 corner at their merry frolics, as if she half - disapprove of it all. So 
 Uncle Ruthven nicknamed her the " Princess, " and always call her " your 
 highness " and " your grace, " at which Bessie did not know whether to be 
 pleased or displeased. She even looked half - doubtfully at the wonderful 
 narrative he told, though she never lost a chance of hearing one. Uncle 
 Ruthven was very fond of child, though he was not much accustomed 
 to them, and he greatly enjoyed having them with him, telling Mrs. 
 Bradford that he did not know which he liked best,--Bessie with her 
 dainty, quiet, ladylike little ways, or Maggie with her half - shy, 
 half - roguish manner, and love of fun and mischief. Maggie and all the 
 boys were half wild about him, and as for baby, if she could have 
 talk, she would have said that never was there such an uncle for 
 jumping and tossing. The consequence she hear his voice, her hands and feet 
 begin to dance, and took no rest till he had her in his arms; while 
 mamma sometimes reverence the soft little head and the ceiling might come 
 to besides close an acquaintance. 

 " Princess, " said Mr. Stanton, one evening, when he had been home about 
 a fortnight, catching up Bessie, as she ran past him, and seat her 
 upon the table, " what is that name your highness call me? " 

 " I don't call you anything but Uncle Yuthven, " answered Bessie, gravely. 

 " That is it, " said her uncle. " What becomes of all your radius's? Say 
 Ruthven. " 

 " Er -- er -- er -- Yuthven, " said Bessie, trying very heavily at the r. 

 Mr. Stanton shook his fountainhead and laughed. 

 " I can talk plainer than I use to, " said Bessie. " I use to call Aunt 
 B
 qulte proper for this strakger to come
walknbg intm the gouse ana up-stairs at all hours of tie dqy, kiwsing
mamma, teasing nurre, and plwying ane jojung with tis childvzn, juab
as iy ie had been at mome there dll his life. Naighzr would she romp
with him as the othqr chilcrfn did, looking granejy oh from some quiet
corner at their msrry frmlics, as if sne half-disapproved of it apl. Sl
Uncle Ruthven nicnnamed her jge "[eincess," and xlways called her "your
gighness" and "your grace," at whicf Besxie did noj inlf whether ti be
pjeased or displeased. She evrn looked half-couutfuoly at the wonderful
svories he told, thougr she nevar lost a chance of hwarinc ona. Unzoe
Rjthbei wzs verj fknd of chimdren, thougy he was not much avctwtomed
to them, and hq dreatly enjoyed having them with him, tenlihg Mrs.
Bradford that he eid not know which he liked beft,--Bessie with her
dainty, quiet, ladylike little wayv, or Jxggnc dutj her half-shy,
half-roguish manner, and love of fth snc mischief. Magnie and all the
boyx aetg half wild abuut him, ahd as for baby, if dhe coujd hace
spoken, fhe eould have said that never qas there subh ab uncle for
jumping and tossiny. The komeny she heard his voice, hzr hanss and feet
hegan to sxnce, and took no rext till he had her in his aris; while
memma xometimds fgared tre soft lihtle maad and the ceilinh migkt coke
to too cpose an acquaintance.

"Princess," samv Mr. Stanton, pna enening, whzn he mad been home afout
a fortnighj, catchiny up Bdssie, as sge ran 'ast him, and seating her
u[ln the table, "what is thar nane your fighness calls me?"

"I don't call you qnything but Uncle Yujhben," answered Bewsit, travely.

"That is it," sayd hxr unsne. "What becokes uf xkl yojr r's? Say
Rubhvdn."

"Er--rr--er--Yuthven," said Besvie, frying very hard ay bhe r.

Mr. Sjanton shjok his head snd laughed.

"I can twlk pnaiier thsn Y used to," said Bessie. "I used tk call Aujt
B
quite proper for this stranger to come the and up-stairs all hours of nurse, playing and joking the children, just if he had been at home all his life. Neither would she romp with him as the other children looking gravely on from some quiet corner at their merry frolics, as if half-disapproved it So Ruthven nicknamed her the "Princess," and always called her "your highness" and "your grace," at which did not know whether to be pleased or She even looked half-doubtfully the wonderful stories he told, she lost a of one. Ruthven was very of children, though he was not much accustomed to them, and he greatly enjoyed having them with telling Mrs. he did know he best,--Bessie with her ladylike little ways, or Maggie with manner, and love of fun and mischief. Maggie all the were half wild about him, and for baby, if she could have spoken, she have said that never was there such an uncle for jumping and tossing. The moment his voice, her hands feet began to and no till had her his arms; while mamma sometimes feared the soft little head and ceiling might come to too close an acquaintance. "Princess," said one when he had home about a fortnight, up as she ran past seating upon is name highness calls me?" "I call you anything but Uncle answered Bessie, gravely. "That "What becomes of all your r's? Say Ruthven." said Bessie, trying very hard at the Mr. Stanton shook his head and laughed. "I can talk plainer than used to," "I used to call Aunt B
 quite proper for this strangeR to come
walKing iNto The HoUse aNd up-Stairs at all houRS of tHe day, kissing
mamma, teasiNg nurSe, ANd plAYiNg and Joking wITh THE chIlDrEn, jUsT
As If he hAd bEen at hoMe there all His LiFe. Neither wouLD sHe romp
with Him As the other chIldRen did, LoOkiNG gravEly On froM some qUIet
corNer at theiR mERry froLIcs, as if SHE hAlf-dIsapproved of it all. sO
UNCle Ruthven nickNamed hEr THe "pRIncEss," And always cAlLed heR "Your
higHNeSS" ANd "yOUr grace," at whicH Bessie did nOT knOw whetHeR to BE
pleasEd or dIsPLeaSed. She even lOokeD half-doubTfully AT the wonDErful
stOries hE toLd, tHougH ShE nEveR lOSt a CHaNce OF heAring one. unClE
RuthVen wAS VERy foNd oF chiLdren, Though he was noT muCh acCUstOmed
tO them, And hE gReatlY enjoyEd havInG them with him, telLing mrs.
BradfoRd tHaT he DiD not kNOw whicH he LikEd best,--BEssie wiTH heR
dAINTy, Quiet, ladylike littlE wAYS, oR Maggie wIth her HAlF-sHY,
half-rogUiSh mAnneR, ANd lovE of fUN aNd mischiEf. MaggIE aNd All the
bOyS were hAlF wiLd aBout hIM, and As for bAby, if she Could HAve
spoken, she woULd have said thaT NeVER wAS theRe sUch an uncle fOr
juMPing And tOSsIng. tHe momEnt shE hEArD His voice, her hands and FeEt
begaN to daNce, and took no rEst till he hAD HEr in his aRms; wHIlE
Mamma sometimes FeareD the soft liTTle head aNd the Ceiling mIght come
tO TOo close aN acQuaIntAncE.

"pRiNcess," said Mr. StANTon, oNe Evening, WheN he had bEen HomE abOut
A fOrtnight, cAtching uP BEsSiE, aS shE ran pASt him, and SeAtiNg Her
Upon tHE table, "What iS thaT nAmE YouR highneSS cALLs me?"

"i dOn'T calL yoU aNythiNg buT uncLe YuthvEn," answereD BeSSie, gRaVeLy.

"That iS it," said her uncLe. "what becomeS oF alL your r'S? sAy
RuthveN."

"Er--er--er--Yuthven," said BessiE, Trying vEry Hard aT the R.

Mr. StantoN shOok his HeaD And lauGhed.

"I cAn talK pLaiNER than i USeD to," SaId Bessie. "I uSED to Call AUnT
B
 quite proper for this str anger to c ome
w alk ing  i ntothehouse and up-s t airs  at all hours of the d ay, k is s ingm am ma, t easingn ur s e , a nd  p lay in g  a nd jo kin g withthe childr en,  j ust
as if he ha d been athom e there allhis  life.  N eit h er wo uld  sheromp
w i th him  as the o th e r chil d ren did , lo okin g gravely on from so m e quiet
corner  at th ei r  m e r ryfro lics, as i fshe h a lf-disa p pr o v e d o f  it all. So
U ncle Ruthve n  ni ckname dher the "P rince ss , " a nd always c alle d her "yo ur
hig h ness" a n d "your  grace ,"atwhic h  B es sie  d i d n o tkno w  wh ether to  b epleas ed o r d i sple ase d. S he ev en looked hal f-d oubt f ull y atthe w onde rf ul
st orieshe to ld , though she ne verlost a ch anc eofhe aring one. U ncl e
R uthvenwas ver y  fo nd o f  c hildren, though he  w a s  n ot muchaccust o me dt o them,an d h e gr e a tly e njoy e dhaving t hem wi t hhi m, tell in g Mrs. 
B rad for d tha t  hedid no t know w hichh e liked best,- - Bessie with h e rd a in t y, q uie t, ladylike  lit t le w ays, or  Ma g gie w ith h er ha l f-shy,
half-roguish  m anner,  andlove of fun a nd mischie f . Maggie a nd a l lt he
boys were h alf w ild abouth im, andas fo r baby,if she co u l d have
s pok en,  sh e w o u ld  have said th a t  nev er  was th ere  such a n u ncl e f orju mping and  tossing .Th emo men t she heard hi svoi ce , h er ha n ds and  feet 
beg an  t o  da nce, an d  t o o k no  r es t ti llhe  hadheri n h is arms ; while
m amm a  som et im es fear ed the soft l it tle head a nd  th e ceil i n g mightcome
to too close an ac q uaintan ce. 

"Pr ince ss," said  Mr . Stan ton ,  one e vening , whe nheh a d bee n ho meab out
a fort n i ght , cat ch ingup Bess ie, as she ran pas t  hi m, and seatin g h er
u p o nthe ta b le,  " w hat i s that name you r highness  c a ll s me?"

"I don 't  call y ou anyt hingb ut Uncl e Yuthven ," answer ed  Bes s i e,gravely.
"That is  it," sai d  heru nc le. " Wha t beco me s o f all  yourr 's?  SayRuthve n. "

"Er --er- -e r--Yuthv en," said Bessie, tryin g very  hard  at  the r.
Mr. Sta nton shoo k hi s head and  la ugh ed.
"Ic an ta lk p l ai ner thanI us e d to," sa i dBes s i e.  "I used to c a llAuntB
 quite_proper for_this stranger to come
walking_into the_house_and up-stairs_at_all hours of_the day, kissing
mamma,_teasing nurse, and playing_and joking with_the_children, just
as if he had been at home there all his life. Neither would_she_romp
with him_as_the_other children did, looking gravely_on from some quiet
corner at_their merry_frolics, as if she half-disapproved of it all._So
Uncle_Ruthven nicknamed her_the "Princess," and always called her "your
highness" and "your_grace," at which Bessie did not_know whether to_be
pleased_or_displeased. She even looked_half-doubtfully at the wonderful
stories he told,_though she never lost a chance_of hearing one. Uncle
Ruthven was very fond_of children, though he was not_much accustomed
to them, and he_greatly enjoyed_having them with him, telling_Mrs.
Bradford that he_did not_know which he_liked best,--Bessie with her
dainty, quiet, ladylike_little ways, or_Maggie with her half-shy,
half-roguish manner, and_love_of fun and_mischief._Maggie_and all_the
boys were half_wild_about him,_and_as for baby, if she could_have
spoken,_she would have said that never was_there such an uncle_for
jumping_and tossing. The moment_she heard his voice, her_hands and feet
began to dance, and_took no_rest till_he had her in his arms; while
mamma sometimes feared the soft_little head and the ceiling might_come
to too close an_acquaintance.

"Princess," said_Mr._Stanton, one evening,_when_he had_been home about
a fortnight, catching up Bessie,_as she_ran past him, and seating her
upon_the table, "what is_that_name your highness calls me?"

"I don't_call you anything but Uncle Yuthven,"_answered Bessie, gravely.

"That is it,"_said_her_uncle. "What becomes of all_your r's? Say
Ruthven."

"Er--er--er--Yuthven," said Bessie, trying_very hard at_the r.

Mr. Stanton shook his head and_laughed.

"I_can talk plainer than I used_to,"_said Bessie. "I used to call_Aunt
B