The birds were singing, the hedges were covered with little green leaves, just bursting forth.

Here and there a blackthorn bush was in full flower, and filled Jessie with delight.

She sat very quiet, looking about her with a serious happy face, drinking it all in, and evidently thinking deeply.

Her grandfather watched her with the keenest interest.
"I reckon it looks funny to you, don't it, little maid, after all the streets and houses and bustle you've been accustomed to ?" he asked at last.
Jessie nodded.

"There's such lots of room, and no peoples," she said soberly, "and at home there was such lots of peoples and no room.
Where are they all gone, granp ?" "Gone to London, I reckon," answered granp, with a laugh.
"You'll find it quiet, and you'll miss the shops, little maid." "Shops!" said granny indignantly; "we shall be in Norton in a little while now, and there's shops enough there to satisfy any one, I should hope." But when they reached the little town, and Jessie was lifted down from the cart, and put to stand in the street while granny dismounted, she looked about her, wondering greatly where the shops could be.