Her hair, plentifully sprinkled with grey, hung loosely about her neck, and she had bedizened herself with ribbons and faded artificial flowers of every hue.

“Well, Griselda,” she continued, addressing the doll, which she dandled in her arms, regarding it with a look of fond admiration, “we don’t care, do we, dear?  We love and embrace one another, and that’s enough.”

“Oh, go back to your own room,” said Virginia in a tone of annoyance, “we don’t want you here.”

“I’ll go when I get ready, and not a minute sooner,” was the rejoinder in a pettish tone.  “Oh, here’s visitors! what a pretty little girl! what’s your name, little girl?  Won’t you come and play with me?  I’ll lend you Grimalkin, my other wax doll.  She’s a beauty; almost as pretty as Griselda.  Now don’t get mad at that, Grissy, dear,” kissing the doll again and again.

Rose was frightened and clung to her sister, trying to hide behind her.

“It’s Aunt Enna; she won’t hurt you,” whispered Vi; “she never hurts any one unless she is teased or worried into a passion.”

“Won’t she make me go with her! oh, don’t let her, Vi.”

“No, dear, you shall stay with me.  And here is the nurse come to take her away,” Violet answered, as the poor lunatic was led from the room by her attendant.

“Dear me!” exclaimed Miss Reed, who had not seen or heard of Enna before, turning to Virginia, “does she belong in the house? aren’t you afraid of her?”

“Not at all; she is perfectly harmless.  She is my mother’s sister, and lost her reason some years ago, by an accidental injury to the head.”

“I wonder you don’t send her to an asylum.”

“Perhaps it might be as well,” returned Virginia indifferently, “but it’s not my affair.”

“Grandpa would never hear of such a thing!” said Isadore, indignantly.

“Mamma would not either, I am sure,” said Violet.  “Poor Aunt Enna! should she be sent away from all who love her, just because she is unfortunate?”

“Every one to their taste,” remarked the visitor, shrugging her shoulders.

Vi inquired for her Aunt Louise and the younger members of the family, and was told that they and the grandfather were spending the day at Pinegrove.

“I was glad they decided to go to-day,” said Isadore, seating Vi and herself comfortably on a sofa, then taking Rose on her lap and caressing her, “because I wanted you here, and to have you to myself.  You see these two young ladies,” glancing smilingly at her sister and guest, “are so fully taken up with each other, that for the most of the time I am quite detrop, and must look for entertainment elsewhere than in their society.”

“Yes,” said Virginia, with more candor than politeness, “Josie and I are all sufficient for each other; are we not, mon amie?”

“Very true, machere, yet I enjoy Isa’s company, and am extremely delighted to have made the acquaintance of your charming cousin,” remarked Miss Reed, with an insinuating bow directed to Violet.