Produced by Bruce Albrecht, Janet Blenkinship and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project) By Mrs. Wiggin. THE BIRDS' CHRISTMAS CAROL. Illustrated. Square 12mo, boards, 50 cents. THE STORY OF PATSY, Illustrated. Square 12mo, boards, 60 cents. A SUMMER IN A CANON. A California Story. Illustrated. New Edition. 16mo, $1.25. TIMOTHY'S QUEST. A Story for Anybody, Young or Old, who cares to read it. 16mo, $1.00. THE STORY HOUR. A Book for the Home and Kindergarten. By Mrs. Wiggin and Nora A. Smith. Illustrated. 16mo, $1.00. CHILDREN'S RIGHTS. A Book of Nursery Logic. 16mo, $1.00. A CATHEDRAL COURTSHIP, and PENELOPE'S ENGLISH EXPERIENCES. Illustrated. 16mo, $1.00. POLLY OLIVER'S PROBLEM. Illustrated, 16mo, $1.00. HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO. BOSTON AND NEW YORK. TIMOTHY'S QUEST _A STORY FOR ANYBODY, YOUNG OR OLD, WHO CARES TO READ IT_ BY KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN AUTHOR OF "BIRDS' CHRISTMAS CAROL," "THE STORY OF PATSY," "A SUMMER IN A CANON," ETC. [Illustration: The Riverside Press logo.] BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY The Riverside Press, Cambridge 1894 Copyright, 1890, BY KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN _All rights reserved._ THIRTY-SEVENTH THOUSAND _The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A._ Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Company. To NORA DEAREST SISTER, STERNEST CRITIC, BEST FRIEND. CONTENTS. SCENE I. PAGE FLOSSY MORRISON LEARNS THE SECRET OF DEATH WITHOUT EVER HAVING LEARNED THE SECRET OF LIFE 7 SCENE II. LITTLE TIMOTHY JESSUP ASSUMES PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES 17 SCENE III. TIMOTHY PLANS A CAMPAIGN, AND PROVIDENCE MATERIALLY ASSISTS IN CARRYING IT OUT, OR VICE VERSA 26 SCENE IV. JABE SLOCUM ASSUMES THE ROLE OF GUARDIAN ANGEL 39 SCENE V. TIMOTHY FINDS A HOUSE IN WHICH HE THINKS A BABY IS NEEDED, BUT THE INMATES DO NOT ENTIRELY AGREE WITH HIM 51 SCENE VI. TIMOTHY, LADY GAY, AND RAGS PROVE FAITHFUL TO EACH OTHER 63 SCENE VII. MISTRESS AND MAID FIND TO THEIR AMAZEMENT THAT A CHILD, MORE THAN ALL OTHER GIFTS, BRINGS HOPE WITH IT, AND FORWARD LOOKING THOUGHTS 74 SCENE VIII. JABE AND SAMANTHA EXCHANGE HOSTILITIES, AND THE FORMER SAYS A GOOD WORD FOR THE LITTLE WANDERERS 87 SCENE IX.