Drusilla suppressed the sigh that arose to her lips, but she could not forbear the question:
“And stay late, Alick?”
“That is as it may be, Drusa. I shall return as soon as I can get away. Now amuse yourself with your books, and don’t mope.”
“Oh, no, I won’t mope,” said Drusilla. “You are so good to me, Alick, I ought not to do so.”
He jumped into his sleigh, and sped away to the ringing of the bells. And she watched him out of sight, and then turned into the drawing-room and sat down among her new books, and began to unwrap them. Most of my readers know the delight of opening and examining a package of new books. Drusilla was absorbed in the pleasure of opening package after package, and examining volume after volume, until at length she selected the book that she wished to read first, and laid it aside, and then she took the others into the library and put them in proper places.
She had scarcely completed this pleasant piece of work, before she heard her maid calling to her:
“Oh, ma’am, ma’am, come here, please, and see the snow-birds.”
She who loved all living creatures, went into the kitchen and looked from the windows, and saw hopping about upon the frozen snow several hundred of these little creatures.
Drusilla, who had always spent her summers in the country, but her winters in town, had never seen, or, if she had seen, had never particularly noticed, these birds before.
“My! what a sight! What brings so many of them here, Pina?” she inquired, in astonishment.