THE FARM. 83

“ Yes, you may go if you'll help work.”.

“Well, I'll help,” said Charley, stepping with
more dignity at the thought of his importance in
being able to help work.

“Can’t I go too?” asked Mary, pulling Mrs.
Nye by the apron and looking timidly at the
farmer ; “can’t I go too ?”

“You; I am afeard you'd be tired; besides,
little ladies don’t like to make hay: it spoils their
clothes.”

“Oh! I don’t mind that,” said Mary, whose
earnestness overcame her bashfulness, ‘I don’t
mind that; andI know I shouldn't get tired, for I
used to go to the cotton-house and the barn where
they thrashed rice, when I was at home, and I
never got tired, though I helped sometimes to pick
the cotton.”

‘Why, where was your home? I thought you
lived in New York.”

“So I do now; but I mean my papa’s home in
Georgia.”

“In Georgia! why, how far the child has come!”
exclaimed the farmer. ‘Well, which home do
you like best, little miss ?””

F2