'Well, papa, they are; and they are happy in the right way. Papa, I was up there to-day, and I saw Jane Best, that little dressmaker Arthur spoke about, who had got broken down with work; Hazel has invited her to come there and rest out, you know, and get well.'

'Yes, my dear, I remember.'

'Well, I saw her to-day, papa. I was there, and I went into her room. And I wish you could have seen her! Such a bright cheerful room, open to the garden; which to be sure is all bare now, but there is the look-out, and a good piece of blue sky above the tree tops;and it was as prettily furnished as any lady need have; and a bunch of splendid greenhouse flowers stood on the table by her. She was sitting in an easy chair, taking royal comfort, I could see. And while I was there her dinner was brought in; a roast quail, papa, and tea in a dear little china tea-pot, and everything as nice and dainty as it could be. And she told me that the day before, you know yesterday was so mild and pleasant, papa,Hazel had taken her out for a long drive; with herself, papa, under her own fur robes, and had given her a blue gauze veil to save her eyes from the glare, because there is so much snow about yet. You ought to have seen Jane's face when she was telling me! She says she has got among angels.'

'Whose doing was all that?' Prudentia asked.

'And then, oh papa, just think of it! for it is so unlike the way of the world;two nights ago they had her to dine with themwith themselvesand entertained her all the evening. They sang for her, and talked to her. Poor Jane said she thought she was in heaven already!'

Prim's eyes were full of bright tears, and Dr. Maryland's glistened.

'But that does not strike me as judicious,' put in Mrs. Coles. 'That is mixing up things very much. A sewing-woman to dine with them! That is Dane's doing, you may be sure. Hazel never would.'

'They are not of two minds,' said Prim; 'and she likes this, for she told me about it, when I repeated to her what Jane had said to me. It is only one evening a week; but one evening a week they will entertain whoever is in the house. Being their guest, Hazel says Duke says, gives them the right. Papa, they are very happy!'

'Ay!' said Dr. Maryland. 'They will be happy; for it is written
"He that watereth shall be watered also himself." '

So the gold of Chickaree had begun its work; and if one main channel of the fertilizing flow went through Mill Hollow, that was but one; and the others, larger and smaller, wentto use the old image of the brook on the mountain side, literally wherever they could. To the well and able, men or women, Rollo rarely ever gave anything but work, which he never refused. Every other need met a ready hand and open ear at Chickaree. Let no one imagine that the heads of that house led an easy life; to meet wisely the demands that came, to sift the false from the true, to apportion the help to the need, called for all their best strength incessantly in exercise. Being stewards of so much, less than all their time would not suffice to use it wisely. For let it be remembered, they had not allotted a part to philanthropy and a part to themselves; but had given the whole to God. They were hard workers; and if at evening Rollo threw off work and would have nothing but play, that was needful too.