“Is it an odd speech, papa?” said Eva, whisperingly, as she got upon his knee.
“Rather, as this world goes, Pussy,” said St. Clare. “But where has my little Eva been, all dinner-time?”
“O, I’ve been up in Tom’s room, hearing him sing, and Aunt Dinah gave me my dinner.”
“Hearing Tom sing, hey?”
“O, yes! he sings such beautiful things about the New Jerusalem, and bright angels, and the land of Canaan.”
“I dare say; it’s better than the opera, isn’t it?”
“Yes, and he’s going to teach them to me.”
“Singing lessons, hey?—you are coming on.”
“Yes, he sings for me, and I read to him in my Bible; and he explains what it means, you know.”
“On my word,” said Marie, laughing, “that is the latest joke of the season.”