"Aha! I just know why I dreamed that! I know what makes me so happy!" and she danced round in her stocking feet, singing her gayest song, quite forgetful of the old saying,

"Oh! I do hope she'll bring it to-day," Patty cried as she put on her slippers and ran out to her play-house, where in a parlor gorgeous with yellow paper carpet and green pasteboard chairs, stood an old accordion as a doll's piano, with a gayly-dressed rag lady sitting before it on a velvet-covered spool, and a fine gentleman by her side in blue paper trousers and black silk jacket.

Now the "she" of Patty's remarks was her clever cousin Charlotte who had taken home the "it"—no other than broken-headed, torn-to-pieces old Lulu Jane herself—to make therefrom, as she declared to Patty the day before, "the finest rag doll she ever saw!"

"I do b'leeve she'll bring it home this very afternoon," happy Patty kept saying to herself, as she flew out of doors after breakfast and worship was over. Everything seemed lovelier than ever this one fair morning. The little rock-basin filled by water trickling down from a higher one, which Charlotte had named "the fountain," seemed the most wonderful thing that ever was; the hollyhocks and lady-delights fairly smiled as she bent over the flower mound to admire them—all was cheerful and gay.

How Patty loved to go over by herself the events of a pleasant play-day with Charlotte! There was the little stone oven place with a mock fire of sticks, where they had played at boiling a pudding made of mud and tied in a rag, while the pot was a hollow ribbon block from old Miss Simpkins' store! there hung the swing her father had made between two ash-trees for her and her cousin. She climbed on the notched board and swayed to and fro, every now and then looking up the pasture hill to see if Charlotte was coming down the path from uncle Nathan's.

By and by she gave a joyful shout. An old-fashioned, two-seated carriage was coming up the long grassy lane from the big gate opening into the street. Mother Plummer ran to the door with flowery hands to see Patty's Grandmother Pratt getting out of the carriage. Such goodies as grandma always brought from Mill Village when she came to see the Plummers! This time the driver, uncle Dave, lifted out a huge basket of big fresh blackberries and a large newly caught salmon. Patty was not forgotten; grandma never came without something for her little namesake. The last time she brought Patty a pretty plaid gingham; this time the gift was a gay Indian basket full of tiny pats of yellow butter, covered with cool, broad rhubarb leaves.

"O, this is the goodest day that ever I did see!" warbled Patty to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, as she followed the dear plump old lady into the house. The summer day was as perfect as a day could be. Inside the house everything was sunshiny and cheerful too; and Patty opened her glad heart to take in the pleasure of all things to the uttermost. Grandmother sat in the arm-chair swaying the huge palm-leaf fan as she loosened the ribbon cap strings at her fat white throat, and Patty sat on a cricket beside her in perfect content. They were going to have such a lovely dinner! Tempting pink salmon, mealy new potatoes, blackberries with cream and sugar, and a dainty pie which Patty's eyes spied through the half-open pantry door. A dainty turnover beside it too, on purpose for Patty! Never thought of clouds or showers came into her heart as she sat there softly stroking grandma's gown of silver gray.

"Tinkle, inkle," came the sound of old Daisy's bell from the pasture; and the sound started a new train of glad thoughts. If Charlotte would only come with Lulu Jane, what fun she would have showing the doll to grandma! Grandma always took an interest in her doll babies—even in Augustus with his blue paper trousers!

They were all seated around the dining-table, Patty beside grandma, with the turnover in her hand to keep it from uncle Dave who pretended he was going to eat it, when the back door opened. Patty's heart went pit-a-pat, and she ran out with mother's leave, turnover and all, to meet cousin Charlotte in the dim little entry.

"Here it is," said Charlotte. "I hope you'll be pleased with it; and I must go right back, 'cause I've got to do a big stent o' patchwork 'n help aunt Betsy get supper for comp'ny." Patty took the bundle to the out-door light, and when she opened it, danced and screamed with delight.

"You dear, darling old thing!" she cried, hugging Charlotte so hard she fairly hurt her. "How did you fix her up so nice?" she sat on the doorstep admiring Lulu Jane between bites of turnover while Charlotte flew home like a bird.

The doll had a new smooth white linen face, the head nicely joined at the top instead of being sewn with big black stitches as Patty sewed hers. The face had beet-juice cheeks and black bead eyes, the feet were neatly shod with velvet, and the old gown had been replaced by a pink ruffled one of calico, edged at the neck with a frill of lace. But the crowning glory was a little pink bonnet trimmed with a downy chicken's feather and a tiny spray of snakeberry vine from which hung wee scarlet berries! Patty hugged her treasure closely, and ran to the swing to enjoy it by herself. Uncle Dave was coming, and he might run off with it just to tease her. By and by she ran in to show it to grandma.

"Deary, deary!" said grandma, as she took the dolly from Patty and examined it through her spectacles. "Nice piece o' work, quite a neat little gownd, 'n a bunnit too! Charlotte must be quite tasty."

Grandma held it in her fat hand a minute and then after fumbling in her big pocket she brought out a shining new quarter-dollar.

"Patty," said she, looking down into the wondering eyes of her little granddaughter, "I'd like to buy this pretty doll to take home to your little cousin Bessie Alice. She's coming to spend to-morrow with me and she'll think so much of a doll that came 'way from Mapleton." The cloud had come down over the sun; the gladness of the perfect day was completely darkened by the trial which suddenly loomed up before the child.

"Why, gra'ma!" cried she, the tears flowing fast, "you don't want me to let you have my darling sweety Lulu Jane, when she just got all fixed up new! I never could let her go! Please give her to me, grandma." Grandma placed the precious doll in Patty's arms and said quietly:

"I won't take your doll away if you aren't willing; but I was thinkin' how pleased Bessie Alice would be; you know she's no ma now 'n no Charlotte to make dolls for her like you have. Then you'd have the quarter to help buy you a winter hat, and Charlotte would make you another dolly, I'm sure. But if you aren't willing I'll say no more about it," and she put the bright quarter away in her big pocket again.

"Can I have a little while to think it over?" asked Patty timidly. Her good mother had taught her to think matters over before she decided, and the sight of the money had brought something to her mind. The Sunday-school superintendent had told the children only last Sunday about two good women who had left their homes to teach the poor Labrador children about Jesus. They needed books and papers. Miss Bridgman, Patty's teacher, had asked her class if they could not bring some money next Sunday even if they had to deny themselves of something to get it. Patty thought it all over upstairs. She looked at the beautiful bonnet, the velvet shoes and the pink ruffles, and gave the doll a hard hug as she cried amid falling tears:

"I can't give her to gra'ma, I can't sell her! I wish gra'ma 'd never come! I wish Bessie Alice 'd never been born! That hateful thing! She's got red hair, 'n she did just pinch me awful, once! Oh, dear, dear, DEAR! this is the nastiest day I ever did see!" and she threw herself on the trundle bed in a spasm of grief.

Then better thoughts came.

"Why, ain't I a goose! What am I cryin' for? I needn't sell her 'f I don't wan't to! Poor Bessie Alice, I'm awful sorry she's got no mother to tuck her in bed 'n' kiss her! I s'pose Jesus 'd be pleased if I let her have it. I'd rather have Lulu Jane than twenty quarters; but I'd have all that money to take to Miss Bridgman Sunday, 'n that would please Jesus too. And I do want to please Him, I'm sure! Of course Charlotte would make me another! She's such a 'genius girl, mother says. I'll go right away 'n give dolly to gra'ma. I'm goin' to sell it to you," handing the fine lady to Grandmother Pratt. "I want the money for the missionaries, 'n I do pity Bessie Alice. Put her away quick, so I won't want her again," said Patty, dancing away with the quarter in her hand.

"You are a darlin' child, cert'in," said grandma, looking fondly after her.

"Well, this has been the queerest day!" said little Patty as she sat on the doorstep that night watching the old carriage roll away toward Mill Village. "I'd like to have Lulu Jane to play with, 'n' I don't know what Charlotte'll say; but I b'leeve I feel happier now than I did this mornin', 'n I was happy then 's I could be!"