“Come in,” said Nora; “are you the girl who is coming to do our errands?”

Elsli answered in so gentle a voice, and her whole air was so winning, that Nora felt instantly drawn towards her, and she stretched out her hand, saying, “Come here, and sit down by me, and let us have a little talk.  Isn’t your name Elsli?” she continued; “mamma has some errands for you this morning; sewing-silk and pencils and eggs to get; but can’t you sit down and talk with me a little first, or will that give you too little time for them, so that you’ll have to hurry and so you’ll get tired.”

“Oh, no, the errands will not tire me,” replied Elsli.  “I get tired at home, because I have to carry the little boys about so much.”

“Then you do know what it is to feel tired, very tired?”

“Yes, indeed, I know only too well.  I am almost always tired, and sometimes I think I should like to lie down and never get up again.  Hanseli is getting dreadfully heavy, and I can scarcely carry him any longer, but he won’t walk, and only screams and kicks if I put him down.”

“I’m glad to find somebody who knows what it is to be tired; now we can talk about it, can’t we?  Don’t you feel sometimes as if you never wanted to stand up again, and wouldn’t you like to have something happen that would make you over new and take all the tired feelings away?”

“But nothing can happen; you only just have to get up again.”

“I mean something different from usual; wouldn’t you like to lie down and die, Elsli?”

“Why, no; I don’t think I should like to die.  I never thought of that.  What makes you think of it?”

“I suppose you don’t know what it will be like.  Clarissa told me all about it, and we have talked it over a great many times together.  I never talk to mamma about it, because she always begins to cry.  But I will tell you, and then you will be glad too to think about going to heaven.  I’ll tell you the pretty song that Clarissa taught me.  Would you like to hear it now?”

Elsli would have been glad to hear the song, but at that moment Mrs. Stanhope entered the room.  She was much surprised to see the two little girls already on such good terms, and still more so when Nora said:—­

“Mamma dear, there is really no hurry about the silk and the pencils, nor about the eggs either; I don’t care for any of them just now; it will do as well by and by.  I’d rather have Elsli stay here with me.”

Her mother was well pleased, and answered,—­

“Certainly; Elsli can stay with you now; it will be time enough for the errands when she comes in the afternoon.”

The two children were equally delighted; Nora at the prospect of pleasant intercourse to enliven her weary hours, and Elsli at the thought of sitting in peace and quiet by this friendly new acquaintance.