FANNY, AND HER DOG NEPTUNE. 51

Dale, had offered to keep Neptune as long as she had not
a home of her own for him; and this arrangement being
so much better than any Fanny had expected, her heart
was too full of gratitude to leave any room for regret.
 She brought from the kitchen the bones and remnants
daily set aside for her to dispense to Neptune. Here is
your dinner, Neptune," she said. Oh dear, to-morrow
you'll take it from strangers' hands; but I know you'll be
thinking of me, and that is some comfort. You'll miss
our walks to the river, won't you ? But we'll go down to
Violet Cove sometimes when I come to Mr. Thorne's, just
to show you we don't forget; won't we, Neptune ? And so
we shall have good times after all "
 Thus wisely looking on all that was pleasant and cheer-
ing before her, Fanny left Neptune munching his bone,
and went in to her mother. She found her, not busily oc-
cupied as she had left her, but languidly leaning on her
hand, and evidently intent on some painful subject, for
her eyes were red with weeping. Fanny put her arm
around her mother's neck and kissed her. You are too
tired, mother," she said.
 "No, Fanny, I am not tired."
 "I suppose, then, mother, it is because you feel so bad
at leaving Rose Lane ?"
 No, my dear child; you know we have made up our
minds to that long ago."
 "Then I suppose, mother, you are thinking how dis-
agreeable it will be for you to go among strangers to earn
our living ?"
 "No, no, Fanny. It is painful to me to go away from
a home; but Mrs. Smith seems more like a friend than a
stranger to me; and you know, my dear child, how truly
thankful I am for an opportunity of earning our living,
instead of living with any of our relatives, as we might
have done, in indolent dependence. And I feel it to be
such a blessing that we are not to be separated, except
while you are at school and I am at work, that I find
reason enough in going for gratitude and cheerfulness-
none for tears."