r of Fairview, and the
threatening words on its lid.

She heard it with a shudder and a sigh. "Oh poor Mr. Leland! Edward,
don't you think it would be wise in him to leave for the present?"

"Perhaps so. I fear they will really attempt his life if he stays; but
all his means being invested in Fairview makes it very hard. Where are
our children?"

"They went to deck the corpse of Baby Ben with flowers. Ah, here they
come, the darlings!" as little feet came pattering through the hall.

They hastened to their father for their usual morning kiss, and hung
about him with tender loving caresses; but their manner was subdued, and
Vi and Harold told with a sort of wondering awe of the poor little dead
baby so still and cold.

"Are you going out, mamma?" asked little Elsie an hour later, as Mrs.
Travilla appeared, dressed in walking costume, in the midst of the
group of children and nurses gathered under a tree on the shady side of
the house.

"Yes, daughter, I am going down to the quarter to see poor old Uncle
Mose who is very ill; and I want you to be mother to the little ones
while I am away."

"O mamma, mayn't we go with you?" cried Eddie and Vi in a breath, Harold
chiming in, "And me too, mamma, me too!"

"No, dears, not to-day, but some other time you shall," the mother
answered, giving each a good-bye kiss.

"Mamma, stay wis us; I'se 'f'aid de Kluxes get 'oo!" said Harold
coaxingly, clinging about her neck with his chubby arms, while the big
tears gathered in his great dark eyes.

"No, dear, they don't come in the day-time. And God will take care of me.
Papa is down at the quarter, too; and Uncle Joe and mammy will go with
me;" and with another tender caress, she gently released herself from
his hold and turned away.

The children gazed wistfully after her graceful figure as it disappeared
among the trees, Uncle Joe holding a great umbrella over her to shield
her from the sun, while mammy and Aunt Sally followed, each with a
basket on her arm.

Uncle Mose was rapidly n

Martha Finley (1828 - 1909) was a teacher and author of numerous works, the most well known being the 28 volume Elsie Dinsmore series which was published over a span of 38 years. The daughter of Presbyterian minister Dr. James Brown Finley and his wife and cousin Maria Theresa Brown Finley, she was born on April 26th, 1828 in Chillicothe, Ohio. Finley wrote many of her books under the psodonym Martha Farquharson. She died in 1909 in Elkton, Maryland, where she moved in 1876.

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