“Is the young lady worse, m’m?” asked the woman.

‘No, not exactly worse,” said Mrs. Wrangham; “but it will be a long case,
and the Doctor has just told me that my child must be amused, and I am
fairly puzzled to know how to doit.” She was nearly breaking down again.

“Don’t fret, m’m,” said the kind-hearted landlady. ‘Miss Olga is only a
child, and children are not difficult to amuse. Let me go and sit with her a little
bit, whilst you rest,” and without waiting for an answer she went up-stairs, and
Mrs. Wrangham gladly availed herself of the opportunity of washing away all-
traces of tears.

Olga was lying perfectly straight on her invalidcouch, but she looked wist-
fully up as the landlady entered the room. ‘‘Where’s mother?” she asked; “‘is
she with the Doctor still?”

“Doctor! Oh, dear, no; he’s been gone some time, Miss Olga. Your
mamma will be here ina minute, I’m sure, but she said I might come and see
you first, for I wanted to tell you about some queer pets my sailor nephew has
just brought me from Brazil—marmozets he calls them. Such soft, loving
little things—sort of monkeys they are, and I was wondering if you would like
to see them.”

“Oh, do bring them up here!” exclaimed Olga, eagerly. “I should so like
tosee them.” _

“Tl fetch them at once,” said the landlady good-naturedly; and in a few
minutes she was back again, and in her arms were two little marmozets, who
were uttering little shrieks something like the shrill singing of a bird. “They
always make that noise when they’re frightened,” explained the woman; “for
they are timid little creatures, but so loving and affectionate.”

“Oh, the little beauties!” cried Olga, her eyes beaming with delight. ‘Oh,
please let, me have them—put them here inthe shawl. Oh, see how they cud-
dle up tome! They are almost like tiny kittens, only they have monkey’s
faces, and such long, skinny hands, and very long tails. Oh, I do love these
dear little things!”

Mrs. Wrangham just.now entered the room, and could hardly believe it
was Olga who was speaking so eagerly and looking so interested—she who gen-
erally was,still and listless.

“See, mother!” cried: the: child, “look at the httle dears! What do you
give them to eat?” she asked, suddenly speaking to the landlady. ‘Woulda
bit of sponge-cake hurt them?”

“No, they’d enjoy that, and they like fruit, too. See here, Miss Olga! Let
me put them on the table here, and.if they may have a cherry or two off this
dish, you'll see how they'll eat.”