"Do, please," said Nettie, "and now let us have a nice talk; tell us where we are going to live, mamma, and if we can have a kitty or a rabbit, or some live thing to play with, and if we are going to school, and if you are going to leave off writing now, and play with Katy and me, and go to walk with us, and ride with us. Shan't we have some rides? What is the matter, mamma?" said the little chatterbox, noticing a tear in her mother's eye. "I was thinking, dear, how happy we are." "Isn't that funny?" said Nettie to Katy, "that mamma should cry when she is happy? I never heard of such a thing. _I_ don't cry when I'm happy. Didn't we have a good dinner, Katy? Oh, I like this house. It was such an old dark room we used to live in, and there was nothing pretty to look at, and mamma kept on writing, and I had nothing to play with, except a little mouse, who used to peep out of his hole, when it came dark, for some supper. I liked him, he was so cunning, but I couldn't give him any supper, because--" here the little chatterbox glanced at her mother, and then placing her mouth to Katy's ear, whispered, with a look the gravity of which was irresistible, "because mamma couldn't support a mouse." Ruth laughed heartily as she overheard the remark, and Nettie thought her mother more of a puzzle than ever that she should keep laughing and crying so in the wrong place. "What have you there, Nettie?" asked Katy. "Something," said Nettie, looking very wise, as she hid her chubby hands under her pinafore. "It is a secret. Mamma and I know," said she with a very important air, "don't we, mamma? Would you tell Katy, mother, if you were me?" "Certainly," said Ruth; "you know it would not be pleasant to keep such a great secret from Katy." Nettie looked very searchingly into her mother's eyes, but she saw nothing there but sincerity. "Won't you _ever_ tell, Katy ever? it is a terrible secret." "No," replied Katy, laughing. "Not even to Mr. Walter?" asked Nettie, who had learned to consider Mr. Walter as their best friend, and the impersonation of all that was manly and chivalrous. Katy shook her head negatively. "Well, then," said Nettie, hanging her head with a pretty shame, "_I'm in love!_" Katy burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, rocking herself to and fro, and ejaculating, "Oh! mamma! oh! did you ever? Oh, how funny!"