"You don't want me to go?" she questioned. "You wish I was not going back to Aunt Rose?"
Uncle John sat down in his great arm chair, and lifted Rose to his knee.
Looking into her brown eyes that were so like his own, he gazed for a moment, then he spoke, and his voice was very gentle.
"I wanted you to come to me for this little visit, but I did not dream how hard it would be to let you go. I shall miss you, I think you know that, little Rose."
"I do, oh, I do, and I don't want to go. I wouldn't EVER be ready to leave you Uncle John!" she cried.
Quickly two strong arms were around her, holding her fast, as he whispered:
"WHY, little girl? Tell me WHY?"
"Because you love me," sobbed Rose. "Aunt Judith took care of me because she HAD to, but she always said it was a nuisance, and now Aunt Rose and Aunt Lois are kind and good to me, and they like to have me with them, but they never—"
The soft little voice paused.
"They'd never think to hold me if I felt badly, and sometimes I'm so lonely. Other little girls have mamas to care for them, and big, tall papas who love them, and truly aunts, real GOOD aunts aren't the same."