“Children never look far forward,” was mamma’s answer.

But I did look forward by and by.  When dear Rosalinda was safely tucked up in her cradle, and Bobbie and I had “time to think,” as we said, then we talked it all over.  And very wonderful plans we made.  Such numbers of injunctions did I lay upon Bobbie, as to the care of the dolls while I was away, that the poor little fellow said with a sigh, “Yes, I’ll try and ’member, Sissy!”

So I consoled him by the thought of all the presents grandmamma would send him when I came back.  In fact, I was to bring something for everybody, so I thought.  Two dear little rabbits for Bobbie, perhaps a new black silk gown for nurse, a beautiful sash for the baby, and so on, and so on.

[Illustration:  So nice!]

The next afternoon Bobbie and I had our last feast.  Do you often have feasts?  I don’t mean cake and fruit, and good things at the dinner-table.  Oh no, I mean a real tiny feast all to yourselves, with the nursery-chair unscrewed to make table and chair, with square paper plates twisted at the corners, paper dishes with sugar on one, currants on another, rice or raisins on another, and little doll’s-house cups for the make-believe wine and the real milk.  Ah, that nice sugared milk taken in little sips out of the oldest nursery-spoons!  How well I can fancy myself now, giving Bobbie his spoonful, while pussy looked enviously up at us?  Then it was that the bright thought struck me that I would bring home some real Beecham kittens to puss, that would do quite well in the place of those dear little lost ones, that James had taken away and forgotten ever to bring back?  Well, you know, all the preparations were made, my pretty new frock tried on, all my kisses given, and all sorts of messages sent home from the station, and in the highest of spirits my first start in life was accomplished.  What my feelings were when the day came to an end, you know, so I need not tell you.

V.

LITTLE COUSINS.

So now you know who I was, where I came from, and all about me.  Let me, then, go on telling you about this remarkable visit to grandmamma.  You have heard all about those first quiet days, when I was all alone, the only little thing in all the place.  It was very different afterwards, I can tell you.

You know Jane had told me all that was going to happen.  Indeed, she talked always very fast, and didn’t mind filling my little head with her opinions of my betters which was certainly a mistake.  It was a shame, she said, that my uncle, “the Reverend,” should send all his children here, while he and his wife went taking their travels and their pleasure all about to those gay foreign places!

Grandmamma talked about it in quite a different way.  She told me how ill my aunt had been, so ill that my uncle had been obliged to take her away from England for the whole winter.  And she said that now they had left the place on the beautiful Swiss lake, and were going to try some German baths.  Only they could not take the children there, so they were to come and stay at the Park for a month or too, the while.