CHAPTER LVII. CLEAR SHINING AFTER RAIN.

fectgemofruralirregularityandfancifulbeauty.Aporchinthefrontofitwassupportedonpillarsofcedar,withtheroughbarkstillon,aroundwhichweretrainedmultitudesofclimbingroses,nowinfullflower.Fromtheporcharusticbridgeledacrossalittleravineintoasummer-house,whichwasbuiltlikeanestintothebranchesofagreatoakwhichgrewupfromthehollowbelowtheknollonwhichthehousestood. Alightform,dressedinaprettywhitewrapper,cameflutteringacrossthebridge,asClaytonascendedthestepsoftheporch.Perhapsourreadersmayrecognizeinthesmoothly-partedbrownhair,thelargeblueeyes,andthebashfulearnestnessoftheface,oursometimelittlefriendFannyiftheydonot,wethinkthey'llbefamiliarwiththecheery"ho,ho,ho,"whichcomesfromtheporch,asouroldfriendTiff,dressedinarespectablesuitofblack,comesbowingforward."BressdeLord,Mas'rClayton,—it'sgoodfordeeyestolookatyou!So,you'scometoseeMissFanny,nowshe'scometoherproperty,andhasgotdeplacesheoughtfortohave.Ah,ah!—OldTiffallersknow'dit!Heseedit—heknow'ddeLordwouldbringheroutright,andhedid.Ho!ho!ho!" "Yes,"saidFanny,"andIsometimesthinkIdon'tenjoyithalfaswellasUncleTiff.I'msureheoughttohavesomecomfortofus,forheworkedhardenoughforus—didn'tyou,UncleTiff?" "Work!bressyoursoul,didn'tI?"saidTiff,gigglingalloverincheerfulundulations."ReckonIhasworked,thoughIdoesn'thavemuchofittodonowbutIseesgoodofmyworknow'days,—doesso.Mas'rTeddy,he'sgrow'duptall,han'some