"'She is locked up in the garret,' said her mother.
"'Can't she have any dinner?'
"'Yes; she can have some dry bread;' and the farmer's wife gave him a piece on a plate, as before.
"Johnny took it, and went slowly up stairs. He opened the door. There sat Susie, patient and silent. He put the plate beside her, but instead of going away, he stood looking at her in silence.
"Presently he burst out with—'Susie! you're a fool, I say! a perfect fool! Before I'd let myself be locked up, I'd—I'd—' here Johnny stopped; a great lump came into his throat, and was choking him. He drew in his breath with a painful sob, and then burst into an agony of tears, and rushing up to Susie, he threw his arms about her neck, and cried out—
"'O Susie! Susie! please forgive me. I'll never be so bad again, never. They might have whipped me forever, and starved me forever, and it would just have made me worse; but you (and here the great tears came fast and faster)—you have LOVED ME GOOD.'"
"O——h!" cried the children, taking long breaths, and wiping their eyes, "how lovely!—what a good, GOOD story—what a dear, darling Susie! She must have heard of mamma, when she wanted to LOVE Johnny good."
"Yes," said Aunt Fanny, "I think she was very much like your dear mother, and you children can hardly know what a blessed lot is yours, in having a mother who rules you by LOVE."
"Yes, we do! yes, we do!" cried the children; we know she is a perfect darling; and thereupon the little mother underwent a series of caresses quite alarming to witness.
"And now about my visit to Idlewild," said Aunt Fanny, when they were once more quiet. "Soon after breakfast I commenced my walk. I had to cross the wild and beautiful ravine. I am afraid I looked a little like a figure of fun, scrambling and scratch ing down the slippery descent. I have no doubt some of Charley's fairies were laughing at me all the time; and I am sure the beautiful little waterfall did, as it came joyously dancing down the great black rocks. Really, some of the places were as slippery as ice; and I had to go a-sliding in the summer time, whether I wanted to or not."