fond of little ceremonies, and always went to the sewing circle
with her mother.

"We wouldn't let the boys come in. We'd have it a secret society,
as they do their temperance lodge, and we'd have badges and
pass-words and grips. It would be fun if we can only get some
heathen to work at!" cried Jill, ready for fresh enterprises of every
sort.

"I can tell you someone to begin on right away," said her mother,
nodding at her. "As wild a little savage as I'd wish to see. Take
her in hand, and make a pretty-mannered lady of her. Begin at
home, my lass, and you'll find missionary work enough for a
while."

"Now, Mammy, you mean me! Well, I will begin; and I'll be so
good, folks won't know me. Being sick makes naughty children
behave in story-books, I'll see if live ones can't;" and Jill put on
such a sanctified face that the girls laughed and asked for their
missions also, thinking they would be the same.

"You, Merry, might do a deal at home helping mother, and setting
the big brothers a good example. One little girl in a house can do
pretty much as she will, especially if she has a mind to make plain
things nice and comfortable, and not long for castles before she
knows how to do her own tasks well," was the first unexpected
reply.

Merry colored, but took the reproof sweetly, resolving to do what
she could, and surprised to find how many ways seemed open to