"A letter for Miss Bella Curtis," shouted the postman; "four cents." It was quite a thick letter this time, and Bella had to pay twice two cents for it. How much was that? If you will give me a kiss I will But, dear me! she was just as glad to get it—and I do believe if she had had four dollars she would have given every speck of it for one letter. Why, certainly! A letter from your mother?—you would do so, too. Of course you would, you sweet little Ba-be-bi-bo-BOO!!! So it was taken to Edith, and The delightful letter commenced thus: "Charleston. "Dear, Darling Bella: "I have your sweet little letter, and I am so much obliged to you for telling papa such nice things to write to me, that I have sent you a long, long answer in return, which I hope will please you. "I left Savannah yesterday. When I was leaving, I kissed little Richard, and said: 'Good-bye, GOOD-BYE, RICHARD, DON'T FORGET AUNT FANNY. GOOD-BYE, RICHARD, DON'T FORGET AUNT FANNY. "'I forgot you already,' he shouted. Then I kissed Sallie, the twin-girl, and she said so sweetly: 'Aunt Fanny, can you remember where Bella lives? If you can find her house, go and tell her I am coming to see her—next day before to-morrow.' "Wasn't it funny that she should think I had been so "Do you remember a story I once read to you, about 'Good Little Henry,' in a book called 'Nightcaps'? Well, strange to say, I know this Henry, and love him very much. He is now almost a young man, and just as good as ever; yes! better than ever, for he is the comfort and joy of his father and "I tell you all this now, because in looking over my writing-desk a moment ago, I came upon an amusing story Of course you would like to know what he wrote, and here it is: "One day my dear Aunt Sarah was sitting up-stairs with the children, when the front door bell rang, and the servant came up and said: 'Mr. Robinson wants to see you, ma'am.' So aunt put on her best collar, and a little "'My!' said Loulou, 'I should like to see him, too.' "'So should I,' said Bolton, whose pet name is 'Pepper.' "'Dear me! I, too,' cried Anna, whose pet name is 'Tot.' "'And me! me! me!' said little Walter, jumping up and down. "So Loulou, in a great state of delight, rushed up to the "Then she took little Tot, and polished her face, and brushed her hair as hard as she could, and Tot never cried the least bit, when Loulou accidentally turned the brush round and gave her a thump with the back of it; but just sat down by Pepper when her dressing was over, and kept as still and looked as grave as if she were in church. "And now Loulou took dear "They opened the parlor door and entered very softly, and stared with all their eyes. But where was he? "There was nobody there but their mamma, and a very quiet-looking gentleman in a plain black coat, and a pair of ROBINSON CRUSOE. ROBINSON CRUSOE. "The children stood perfectly still for a moment. They seemed to be struck dumb. Then Loulou exclaimed: "'Why, mamma, we have come down on purpose to see Robinson Crusoe!! all dressed in fur, with his monkeys and parrots, and Man Friday. Where is he, mamma? where "How her mamma did laugh! and how Mr. Robinson did laugh! when they found that the children thought that Robinson Crusoe had come to see them; but Loulou and the rest of the dear little children were dreadfully disappointed. Wasn't that a pity? "And now I have a great "Mamma." |