and the pet of the household, and yet the “petting” was not of that kind that develops selfishness and wilfulness, but rather a genial sunlight of love falling upon her as a focus from the entire family.  They always spoke of her as “little Sis,” or the “child.”  And a child it seemed she would ever be, with her kittenish ways, quick impulses, and swiftly alternating moods.  As she developed into womanly proportions, her grave, businesslike father began to have misgivings.  After one of her wild sallies at the table, where she kept every one on the qui vive by her unrestrained chatter, Mr. Alford said: 

“Elsie, will you ever learn to be a woman?”

Looking mischievously at him through her curls, she replied, “Yes; I might if I became as old as Mrs. Methuselah.”

They finally concluded to leave Elsie’s cure to care and trouble—­ two certain elements of earthly life; and yet her experience of either would be slight indeed, could their love shield her.

But it would not be exactly care or trouble that would sober Elsie into a thoughtful woman, as our story will show.

Some of the November wind seemed in her curling hair upon this fateful day; but her fresh young April face was a pleasant contrast to the scene presented from the window, to which she kept flitting with increasing frequency.  It certainly was not the dismal and darkening landscape that so intensely interested her.  The light of a great and coming pleasure was in her face, and her manner was one of restless, eager expectancy.  Little wonder.  Her pet brother, the one next older than herself, a promising young theologue, was coming home to spend Thanksgiving.  It was time he appeared.  The shriek of the locomotive had announced the arrival of the train; and her ardent little spirit could scarcely endure the moments intervening before she would almost concentrate herself into a rapturous kiss and embrace of welcome, for the favorite brother had been absent several long months.

Her mother called her away for a few moments, for the good old lady was busy indeed, knowing well that merely full hearts would not answer for a New England Thanksgiving.  But the moment Elsie was free she darted back to the window, just in time to catch a glimpse, as she supposed, of her brother’s well-remembered dark-gray overcoat, as he was ascending the front steps.

A tall, grave-looking young man, an utter stranger to the place and family, had his hand upon the doorbell; but before he could ring it, the door flew open, and a lovely young creature precipitated herself on his neck, like a missile fired from heavenly battlements, and a kiss was pressed upon his lips that he afterward admitted to have felt even to the “toes of his boots.”

But his startled manner caused her to lift her face from under his side-whiskers; and though the dusk was deepening, she could see that her arms were around an utter stranger.  She recoiled from him with a bound, and trembling like a windflower indeed, her large blue eyes dilating at the intruder with a dismay beyond words.  How the awkward scene would have ended it were hard to tell had not the hearty voice of one coming up the path called out: