LITTLE MARGERY.

CHAPTER I.

MARGERY'S GRANDFATHER.

"THY kingdom come!' Oh, I wish it would come! 'cause then everybody would love the Lord Jesus,-Mr. Thorn said so."

The little girl who spoke stood upon a rough wooden bridge, looking down into the bright water beneath, with a very serious expression on her face. The noisy brook rushed along, whirling and eddying, tumbling and tossing over the rocks and stones which lay in its bed, seeming to laugh in Margery's sober face as she leaned over the rail, thoughtfully watching it.

The brook flowed at the foot of a high, rocky bank, which rose abruptly from the water's edge, and around which a narrow footpath wound from the base to the top. But the bridge upon which the child stood led over the water to a piece of smooth, green meadow-land, bounded by a thick forest of dark pines..

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Come, Duke," said the little girl, laying her hand upon the head of a great Newfoundland dog, which had been sitting quietly beside her.

As he rose to obey, she crossed the bridge to the meadow, and threw herself down at the foot of a large

tree. The dog stretched himself at her side, and she rested her head upon his shaggy shoulder and lay watching the dancing waves. By-and-by her eyelids began to droop, slowly the long lashes sank upon her cheek, and Margery was asleep. And there she slept, with the dark pine-forest behind her, the blue sky above, and the sparkling water at her feet, until the sinking sun, falling in through the waving branches of the old tree, paused, for a moment, to kiss her eyelids open with his last soft

ray.

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bank.

Margery! Margery!" called a voice from the opposite

Duke pricked up his ears, and raised his head with a low growl: but the next moment his head fell slowly to its old position upon his folded paws. He knew the voice, and felt that his little mistress was in no danger.

"Yes, auntie," said Margery, in a very sleepy tone. Then she sprang up suddenly. "Why, I've been asleep in the meadow!"

"Yes, Aunt Annie, I'm coming real quick. What do you think?" she went on, gleefully, as, running across the bridge, she gained the foot of the winding-path, and proceeded to mount it with steady, nimble feet, which evidently knew the rough path well. "What do you think? I've been fast asleep on the meadow-land. I just laid down there to watch the waves playing Catch if you can,' and the next thing I knew, the sun was shining in my face, and you were calling me."

"You should not lie on the grass in spring-time, Margery. It is very dangerous; you might be made sick by falling asleep so. Don't do it again, dear." "No, Aunt Annie. I didn't know it was naughty. Is it supper-time?"

Yes; and grandfather has come."

"Grandfather has come!" repeated Margery, opening

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her brown eyes to their utmost extent. Why, Aunt Annie, it is Sunday!"

"Yes, it is Sunday."

"But I thought it was wicked to travel about on God's holy day. Father told me so."

Aunt Annie made no answer, and Margery walked on beside her in silence. This visit of her grandfather had been thought of by day, and dreamed of by night, for weeks and weeks. She had never seen him, for he had lived in the far West for years; but now he had consented to come East, and make his home with his son, Margery's father. She had often heard of this dear grandfather far away, and he had sent her little presents, and she had his picture in her Testament; so she had learned to love the old man, although she had not seen him. But, somehow, the eager joy which she had felt when she heard that he had really come had subsided. The little feet moved on very quietly, and the little face was very grave.

"Ah! here comes my one ewe-lamb," said her father, as she ran up the steps of the porch where he stood with the old man.

"Come and see grandfather, Margery. She isn't very large, you see, father; but what there is of her is very precious."

"I should think so, indeed. Will you give grandfather a kiss, darling?"

She looked at him searchingly. It was a pleasant face, with its gentle mouth, and soft, gray eyes; and the beauty of it was enhanced by the crown of snow-white hair which clustered about the temples.

Well," said the old man, "how do you like me? I suppose that you will not give me a kiss until you have made up your mind on that point. Do you think you can love such a very old grandfather as this?"

She answered by springing upon his knee, and laying her sunny face close to his withered cheek.