A great happiness has come to me, dear, but I haven't been able fully to enjoy it, because I couldn't tell you--they didn't want me to write.

But I wouldn't tell any one before you, nor let any one tell you but me, because I wanted to enjoy your enjoyment all myself." Sophie had sat down at Cornelia's feet, upon a little wooden cricket which stood in the window, and had taken one of her hands in both of hers.

Cornelia glanced down at her somewhat indifferently; she had scarcely attended to what her sister had been saying.

But the fathomless expression of happiness upon Sophie's uplifted face struck through her gloom and pain.

She had never seen any thing like it before, and probably at no moment of her life had Sophie's earthly content been so complete.
"I am engaged to be married," said she, a rose-colored flush spreading over her cheeks.