breakfast good for a grown person as well as for a child, and it costs us nothing but the trouble of going to take it. When I had swept the room and laid everything in its place I went into the garden, hoe in hand, to weed the beds and trim the borders. The garden was not very big, it is true, but it produced many things useful for us; notably onions and sallet, besides many herbs good for the house, for it was a fertile strip of ground and planted in every part of it. Now, such was the beauty of the morning and the softness of the air that I presently forgot the work about which I had come into the garden, and sat down in the shade upon a bench, suffering my thoughts to wander hither and thither. Much have I always pitied those poor folk in towns who can never escape from the noise and clatter of tongues and sit somewhere in the sunshine or the shade, while the cattle low in the meadows and the summer air makes the leaves to rustle, and thus alone suffer their thoughts to wander here and there. Every morning when I arose was this spectacle of Nature's gladness presented to my eyes, but not every morning could my spirit (which sometimes crawls, as if fearing the light of day and the face of the sun) rise to meet and greet it, and to feel it calling aloud for a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. For, indeed, this is a beautiful world, if we could always (which we cannot for the earthliness of our natures) suffer its loveliness to sink into our hearts. I know not what I thought this morning; but I remember, while I considered the birds, which neither reap nor sow, nor take any thought of to-morrow, yet are daily fed by Heaven, that the words were whispered in mine ear: 'Are ye not much better than they?' And this, without doubt, prepared my heart for what should follow. While I sat thinking of I know not what, there came footsteps--quick footsteps--along the road; and I knew those footsteps, and sprang to my feet, and ran to the garden-gate, crying, 'Robin!--it is Robin!' Yes; it was Robin. He seized me by both hands, looking in my face curiously and eagerly. 'Alice!' he said, drawing a deep breath, 'Oh! but what hath happened to thee?' 'What should happen, Robin?' 'Oh! Thou art changed, Alice! I left thee almost a child, and now--now--I thought to catch thee in my arms--a sweet rustic nymph--and now--fain must I go upon my knees to a goddess.' 'Robin!' Who, indeed, would have expected such language from Robin! [Illustration: '_And Robin was come home again, and I was lying in his arms, and he was kissing me._']