I heard nothing of my wife for months, and then only that she was dead and had left me a little daughter." "And that was our mamma!" cried the children, once more crowding about her to lavish caresses upon her.
They thanked their grandfather for his story, and Vi looking in at the closet door again, said in her most coaxing tones, "Mamma, I should so, _so_ like to play a little with some of those lovely things; and I would be very careful not to spoil them." "Not now, daughter, though perhaps I may allow it some day when you are older.

But see here! will not these do quite as well ?" And rising, Mrs.Travilla opened the door of another closet displaying to the children's delighted eyes other toys as fine and in as great profusion and variety as those she considered sacred to her mother's memory.
"Oh, yes, yes, mamma! how lovely! how kind you are! are they for us ?" they exclaimed in joyous tones.
"Yes," she said, "I bought them for you while we were in New Orleans, and you shall play with them whenever you like.

And now we will lock the doors and go down to dress for dinner.

The first bell is ringing." After dinner the play-room and the contents of the two closets were shown to Mrs.Dinsmore, Rosie, and the Carringtons: then Mrs.Travilla locked the door of the one that held the treasured relics of her departed mother, and carried away the key..