Come, you tell her you don't need her services any longer--that's a good girl." There was a look of mischief in Lizzie's eye, and a merry smile on her lip, as she said, "Why, don't you know that father has invited her to spend the winter, and she has accepted the invitation ?" "Invited her to spend the winter!" repeated Lucy, while the tears glittered in her bright eyes.

"What does he mean ?" "Why," answered Lizzie, "it is very lonely at Cousin John's, and his wife makes more of a servant of Berintha than she does a companion, so father, out of pity, asked her to stay with us, and she showed her good taste by accepting." "I'll hang myself in the woodshed before spring--see if I don't!" and burying her face in her hands, Lucy wept aloud, while Lizzie, lying back upon her pillow, laughed immoderately at her sister's distress.
"There's a good deal to laugh at, I think," said Lucy, more angrily than she usually addressed her sister.

"If you have any pity, do devise some means of getting rid of her, for a time, at least." "Well, then," answered Lizzie, "she wants to go home for a few days, in order to make some necessary preparations for staying with us, and perhaps you can coax her to go now, though I for one would like to have her stay.

Everybody knows she is your cousin, and no one will think less of you for having her here." "But I won't do it," said Lucy, "and that settles it.

Your plan is a good one, and I'll get her off--see if I don't!" The next day, which was Saturday, Lucy was unusually kind to her cousin, giving her a collar, offering to fix her cap, and doing numerous other little things, which greatly astonished Berintha.