No sooner said than done; and, when opened, it was found to contain a rosewood writing-desk, the very counterpart of the one given yesterday by Mr. Ashton to Nellie Ransom. The children at first took it to be the very same.
"Why, it's Nellie's prize!" exclaimed Maggie.
"Was there a mistake about it, and did they like your composition the best after all, and send it to you, I wonder?" said Bessie.
"If they did, I wouldn't take it now," said Maggie; "it would be too mean to Nellie. But let's see what Uncle Horace says."
The letter was quickly unsealed, and there appeared a long line of verses. Maggie was in too much of a hurry to try and make out for herself Colonel Rush's rather illegible handwriting, and she rushed with it to her father.
"Papa, papa! please read it for us. May Bessie's name is at the end of all this lot of po'try, but we know very well her papa made it up; and we are in such a hurry to know about the desk. Please read it for us right away."
Papa took the letter, and read aloud the following verses:—
"My dear cousin Maggie,—for 'cousin' you are,
Since your 'uncle' and 'aunt' my papa and mamma,—
You will be much surprised when this letter you see,
To find that it comes from a 'subject' like me.
"But papa and mamma—I have heard 'Love is blind'
Declare I've a very remarkable mind;
That I'm 'lovely' and 'perfect,' I'm 'brilliant' and 'wise,'
That I'm really a 'wonderful child of her size.'
"Mamma sits by my cradle, and murmurs these things
In the pauses of all the sweet songs that she sings;
While into the pillow I nestle my head,
And smile with approval at all that is said.