flower-gathering. And I must not forget to say that aunt Barbara hopes you will all come to her house to tea at six o'clock, and bring your flowers."

"Sha'n't we go home and get dressed?" asked Jenny Hurd. "We sha'n't look very nice."

"By no means," answered Ida. "Come straight. from your flower-gathering. Soap and water are plenty, and that is all you will need."

"What kind of flowers shall we bring? any thing but golden-rod?"

Oh, yes! all the flowers you can lay hands on, yarrow and daisies and cockle, and, above all, plenty of green."

"I think a parcel of ferns would be nice," observed Kit. "I know where there are lovely ones,

so many kinds."

"They will be just the thing."

ever

It was a very pretty sight that greeted the eyes of Mrs. Van Zandt and her nieces as the children presented themselves the next evening at six o'clock, laden with flowers of all sorts, wild and tame. Mrs. Bassett had not dared to let little Emma, who was a delicate child, go out with the others; but, to make amends, she had cut almost every flower in her garden, dahlias, foxgloves, great spears of hollyhocks, and a huge bunch of lemon-thyme and sweet basil. Others brought sheaves of golden-rod as big as themselves. There were not many flowers in Oldfield County that were not represented in the collection. Kit brought a basket of ferns of all sorts, and a bunch of lady's-slippers, which she had found in a shady hollow, and another of the branching "bear's

grass," or lycopodium. Finally, to crown the whole, appeared Edward Kettle with half a wagon-load of laurel. He had heard what the young ladies were about, he said, and he and his wife took the liberty to help them.

"What lovely laurel!" said Amity. "I thought it was all gone long ago."

Edward explained that he had found it, by his grandfather's direction, in a shady hollow far up on Indian Hill. "You see, the old gentleman has always lived right there; and there ain't many plants nor animals round these parts that he don't know."

"I should like to make his acquaintance," said Amity. "I have often seen him in church. Do you think he would be pleased to have us come and see him?"

"Oh, yes, miss. He's like other old folks, the old gentleman is," said Edward: "he loves to tell over his old stories. Some folks thinks it tiresome, but I don't, I think it is real interesting; and anyhow, it pleases him."

"Well, you will see us up on Indian Hill some day soon," said Amity. "Meantime I should like to send him some tobacco-money, if he won't be affronted. I know he smokes sometimes."

“Oh, yes, miss. I don't think it's a very good habit, myself, but grandfather has done it all his life; and I says to Maria, says I, 'When an old man, and especially an old Indian, gets to be a hundred years old, it ain't much worth while to try to teach him. new tricks,' says I. Not that Maria would want to interfere either,—'tain't her way; but Mrs. Hills had

been talking to her about it, and saying she wouldn't have it if it was her. I can stay and wait on the table, miss, if it would be any accommodation.'

"I dare say Aggy will be glad of your help," said Mrs. Van Zandt, to whom Amity referred the matter. And, having thus carried the point he had in mind when he started from home, Edward proceeded to display his gifts in that line, which were not small. Never was a more successful tea-party, after the first shyness of the children wore off. Old Alice had made a bountiful provision of sweets and substan tials. Mrs. Van Zandt had sent to Oldbury for a supply of candy, which was put up in pretty boxes, and given to the children to carry home, with the addition of some nice little present to each.

"I wonder if Aunt Betsy would be offended if I were to send her some cake," said Ida to Myra Bassett, who had been specially invited, as she was putting up a parcel of good things for old Abner.

"Oh, yes, she'll be offended; but she will eat the cake, all the same," answered Myra, laughing. "That's her way. I'll take it to her if you like: I'm used to her."

CHAPTER XVII.

MRS. ORME.

MISS ARMSTRONG had not returned with Mrs. Van Zandt, finding business to keep her in New York, and hearing that the school was not suffering from her absence. When she did come back, she was able to tell the children of the safe arrival of their box of flowers; and she brought an urgent request from the lady to whom they had been consigned, for another box of leaves when the foliage should begin to turn. She also brought a quantity of missionary documents, which the children carried home to their parents, and talked over among themselves.

"Ma," said Myra Bassett as she finished reading one of these same papers, "why can't we have a mission band in our Sunday school? Just think! here is an Indian church in Minnesota, as poor as poverty, giving eighteen dollars in money and beadwork for the cause of missions; and our school don't give a cent."

"We take up a collection every Sunday," said Mrs. Bassett; "to be sure, it goes to keep up the library."

The White Earth church, which is a pattern in more ways than one. See Bishop Whipple's reports.

"Exactly; and I don't call that giving, at all. It is just like taking money out of one pocket and putting it into another. In Oldfield the Sunday school supports a Bible-woman in China."

"It wouldn't do to undertake quite as much as that at first, but we might do something," said Mrs. Bassett. "I expect we should have opposition from some quarters."

'So we did about cleaning the church, and yet we did it," said Myra.

"Very true. Well, I'll talk to your father; and, if he don't see any objection, I'll ask him to speak to Mr. Brace."

"I wish Mr. Brace had a wife," said Myra, who had "a true lover and a sweetheart of her own sailing on the seas, and was therefore not afraid to speak. "It would seem so much more natural and easy to go to him.”

"It is just possible your wish may come to pass," said Mrs. Bassett. "But, as to this notion of the mission band, I must say I like it for the children's sake. How much they were interested in the flowers they sent to New York!"

"Yes, and their interest did them good too."

Ma Bassett talked to her husband, and he in turn to Mr. Brace. The subject was then brought up in teachers' meeting. Miss Armstrong was present, and, being called upon, said what she thought, - that such efforts were as beneficial to those who made them as to those for whom they were made. Mr. Brace seconded her warmly, and gave anecdotes from his experience in other places. There was some