She looked out of the window, and said to Prudy,-- "Seems as if the wind had blown out all the stars; but no matter--is it?
It is all nice in the house." Then she dropped the curtain, and went to sit in her mother's lap.

Not a word of reproach had been uttered by any one yet; for it was thought the child had suffered enough.
"Mamma," said Dotty, laying her tired head on her mother's bosom, "don't you think I'm like the prodigal's--daughter?
Yesterday I felt a whisper 'way down in my mind,--I didn't hear it, but I _felt_ it,--and it said, 'You mustn't disobey your mamma; you mustn't play with Lina Rosenberg!'" "Only think, my child, if you had only paid attention to that whisper!" "Yes, mamma, but I tried to forget it, and by and by I did forget it--almost.

There's one thing I know," added Dotty, clasping her hands together; "I'll never run away again.

If I'm going to, I'll catch myself by the shoulder, and hold on just as hard!" "My blessed child, I hope so," said Mrs.Parfin, with tears in her eyes and a stronger faith in her heart than she had felt for many a day that Dotty really meant to do better.

"You don't know how it did distress your papa and me to have you stay in that house a night and a day; but we hoped it would prove a lesson to you; we meant it for your best good." To make sure the lesson would not be forgotten, Prudy read her little sister a private lecture.