8 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
They were three motherless children, these little 
Kyles. Twelve months ago a heavy shadow had 
fallen across the household, and Clara and Edie still 
wore their black dresses for mamma. Mr. Kyle was 
busy at his law-office all day in the great city, that 
was only a few miles distant ; and the children, under 
the indulgent management of “ old Kitty,” a devoted 
nurse who had taken care of their mother when she 
was a baby, were allowed to run wild, until their 
father, a sad, reserved man, suddenly decided upon 
a governess for them, and, with some misgivings on 
account of her youth, concluded to take the daughter 
of an old friend in that capacity. 
The experiment proved to be very satisfactory to 
all. In a very short time after her arrival Miss Har- 
son had disarmed the jealousy of the old nurse, who 
grumbled at first and declared that she looked like 
little more than a child herself — had overcome the 
shyness of the little girls, and firmly bound Master 
Malcolm with the chains of love and respect. She 
looked so slight and weak physically, but proved so 
strong morally, and was so gentle with all her firm- 
ness, that it was quite impossible to withstand her, 
and soon no one thought of questioning any of Miss 
Harson’s edicts. 
It was found, too, that the children were getting on 
wonderfully fast in their studies, although the young 
