Dorsett, that he was. single, in busi
ness in the city, and that the chil
dren belonged to a hrqther who, with
his wife, was away on a vacation
tour, Mr. Dorsett had come to the
little country town to give the chil
dren an outing until fall, his aged
mother undertaking their care.
"Such care!" more than, ones Nel
lie had exclaimed to herself as she
saw the little ones running wild.
They bad a famous time amid glori
ous brook, bramble and bush; but
they romped, they tore, they played
in water and dirt until nightfall, they
wandered home veritable little
tramps In instinct and attire. One
day Nellie was Beated in the garden
doing some mending, the cherished
work basket by her side, when a
busby head adorned with tangled au
burn ringlets full of burrs obtruded
through a break in the hedge.
"Did my ball roll' here?" inquired
the tiny midget of a girl.
"I haven't seen it, dear," answered
Nellie, glad of company. She looked
for the missing sphere, found it and
handed it to her visitor. The latter
was In dire disorder. Her tousled
hair was secured by a ribbon tied in
a hard knot, one pocket-of her apron
hung by a thread. There was a great
tear in her dress. The little one was
shrewd and prompt to observe the
cynosure,
'Tlease, grandma was sick this
morning and couldn't fix us up. She
says we're awful children."
"You do need some attention,"
said Nellie. "I'd be glad to tidy you
up a bit. Suppose we try."
Nellie found a willing subject. She
combed out that gnarled head of
hair, she plied her needle nimbly.
She was quite proud of the transfor
mation she had effected, when the
little one went away all smiles and
dimples with the announcement that
-she would bring this "dear aunty"
some presents.
They arrived about noon, little
Betty heading "the procession of four,
her older brothers. and the youngest i
T sister of the group. Betty tendered &
bouquet of daisies, ,tne boys persent
each a formidable mud turtle and,
the smallest of the quartette held a
squeezed fistful of half-ripe black
berries. "Danny lost two buttons," ex
plained little Betty, practical-minded
and profiting from her memory, of
her earlier mending up.
Danny's garments -were indeed in
a forlorn condition and needed im
mediate attention. The other two
children also had various rips and
tears in their attire. It was an hour
of grand mending up.
"You dear, good creature," spoke
a grateful voice at the hedge the
i next morning. "Your kindly serv
j ices have quite respectably trans-
formed by grandchildren. How shall
1 1 thank you? My old hands and podr
sight count for little with the nee
dle." Old Mrs. Dorsett became friendly
I and chatty in that first conversation.
J They grew well acquainted during
the ensuing few days. An unending
thenfe 'with Mrs. Dorsett was the
goodness and loyalty of her son,
Chester. '
"He tored a hole in hla waist just
I so as to have an excuse to come over
to see you," proclaimed little Marty
one day, as his brother came to Nel
lie to be "mended up."
- It became a labor of love to Nel
lie to attend to the manifold needs
of thq little coterie. She blessed the
gift that enabled so many needful
stitches in their behalf.
"So you are the fairy: godmother
who came to our rescue in behalf of
our-little horde. 'of troublemakers?"
observed Mr. Dorsett, after his moth
er had Introduced him to her newly,
found neighbor a week later.
And Nellie, plying her needle to
mend a sad rent in little Danny's
stocking, blushed and laughed and
looked so charming in the eyes of
the city-wearied man of business
that it influenced him to take a
week's vacation.
rrriT -Bf-p
4