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CHAPTER XVI.

JACOB.

FEW weeks passed, and then a few more, and still Farmer Yates's boarders had no thought of leaving Cherry Farm. The gunning and fishing enchanted the judge; the rural beauty, the delicious calm and simplicity all about her, delighted Mrs. Peters; and as for Danie, all the hours were diamond-strung, and flew away on wings tipped with gold.

All Mrs. Yates's heart went out towards this little stranger, who was, as the farmer had said, "somethin' like the size" that her Annie would have been.

The resemblance stopped here, to be sure; for Danie's eyes were black as night, while Annie's had been blue as lakelets. But her laughter, her merry ways, the echo of her

flying footsteps upon the stairs, awoke a flood of memory. And sometimes Mrs. Yates so forgot herself, that, at the sudden appearance of Danie, who often danced in upon her unawares, she would start, as if the last five years had been a dream, and she had expected to see her own Annie walking in at the door.

ing she could refuse her. was open to her.

There was noth

The whole house

She was as much at home in the great farm-kitchen, watching the mysteries of baking in the brick oven, or the boiling of dumplings in the mammoth kettle, that swung from the iron crane in the bigmouthed fireplace, or in the milk-room, down cellar eating curds and whey, as she was in the parlor, or in her mother's suit of apartments up stairs.

Out of doors, too, she was humored the same. The largest and ripest cherries were picked for her. She had full license among the strawberry beds. She was smilingly welcomed out in the cow-yard and the

piggeries, and was taught how to pull the latch of the granary, where a cat and nine kittens afforded her much amusement. The farmer bought her a little rake down in the village, with which she raked hay; he made her a swing under the big butternut tree, and slung her a hammock in amongst the grape vines; and every morning, before the dew was off the grass, the two went hand in hand to the little clump of dwarf evergreens.

And while Danie hung her garland of flowers over the little scroll, that said "Annie, aged seven years," the farmer poured his measure of grain into the marble urn, forever guarded by the two white doves. And besides Danie's garland, there were living flowers growing thickly all over the little grave, and the bees were gathering honey, and the air was filled with fragrance, and the birds were sure to be fluttering overhead, trilling their songs of thanks. It was a pleasant spot, and Danie loved to come here.

One might suppose, so varied and numer

ous were her pleasures and occupations at the farm, that she would have had no time to spare outside. Such was not the case, however. She made the acquaintance of half the folks in town, and was a frequent visitor at the Downs.

Becky was a wonder to her. She would go out in the field where she was at work, and, perched upon the top of the stone wall, would watch her, as she bent steadily to her task.

"Farmer Yates says you're the smartest girl he ever knew," remarked she, one day, sitting on her perch, and admiring Becky's diligence and dexterity in pulling weeds.

Becky smiled. "Perhaps everybody don't think like Farmer Yates," said she.

"I do!" exclaimed Danie; "and so does mamma and papa."

The judge, on the occasion of his first visit to Becky's farm, had indeed been amazed at sight of the well-kept thrifty fields, and could hardly credit it all to the skill and labor of a girl just entering her

teens.

He had gauged the capacities of the rest of the family by the stories of their separate failures, which Mr. Yates had given him in full. He also judged pretty accurately of the shirking propensities of the three boys by his first glimpse of them at home, lounging about in their best jackets, doing nothing.

"Becky is a diamond in the rough. She only needs a little polishing."

So he had expressed himself to his wife, and with his words a plan had flitted through his head. For the time being, however, he kept this plan a secret.

It was on the occasion of the Peterses' first visit that Jacob made himself conspicuous by his gallantry to Danie.

He ruthlessly despoiled himself of his breast-knot, and presented it to her, with the gracious remark, "You may have 'em. I can get a lots more."

Danie thanked him, and put the raggedy bouquet to her nose; whereupon she made an awful face.