THE ak LAKE STORIES. 17

“Yes, indeed, you are, and I should
think your father might have told you,
Miss’Cornelia !”

AJ won't have a step-mother,” said
Freddy ;. “I'll kick her !”

At this, Jane looked more pleased
than she had done all day, which en-
couraged my sister Alice and myself to
say what we thought would gratify
her. So we each gave vent to our dis-
pledsure and indignation at the idea
of a step-mother, till we had fretted
Jane into quite a good humor, and
ourselves into a state of real dread of

the arrival of a step-mother,
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