Noiselessly he opened the door,--his mother was sitting with
her face from him, engaged with her sewing, and at her feet sat the
Sea-flower, so absorbed, reading his last letter, that she was not aware
of his presence till he threw his arms about his mother's neck, and
sobbed like a child. As he turned to his sister he faltered; what a
change had been wrought in her in three years! The child, whose mature
mind had not been in accordance with her years, had come to be a fair
maiden of sixteen summers! The bud had indeed expanded, till now its
unfolding leaves were as new-born rays of love, reminding Earth of
Heaven. The Sea-flower saw that her brother hesitated in giving her his
usual salutation, and throwing herself into his arms, she said,--"I am
the little Sea-flower still, dear Harry; I shall always be the same
simple child; but how you have grown, dear brother! I can hardly believe
you are the little rogue who used to hide my pet kitten, because you
loved to see the tears come into my eyes, and you would look at me
without speaking a word, till I would laugh outright, and break the
charm, as you said; and then the tears would come in your own eyes, for
fear you had been selfish.
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