a crown, and was especially kind
to him. Her tongue, that was wont to wag so pertly, was so gentle now,
that you might fancy it had never made a joke. She moved about the house
mum and meek. She was humble to mamma; thankful to John and Betty when
they waited at dinner; patient to Polly when the latter pulled her hair
in combing it; long-suffering when Charley from school trod on her
toes, or deranged her workbox; silent in papa's company,--oh, such a
transmogrified little Hetty! If papa had ordered her to roast the leg of
mutton, or walk to church arm-in-arm with Gumbo, she would have made a
curtsey, and said, "Yes, if you please, dear papa!" Leg of mutton! What
sort of meal were some poor volunteers having, with the cannon-balls
flying about their heads? Church! When it comes to the prayer in time of
war, oh, how her knees smite together as she kneels, and hides her head
in the pew! She holds down her head when the parson reads out, "Thou
shalt do no murder," from the communion-rail, and fancies he must be
looking at her. How she thinks of all travellers by land or by water!
How she sickens as she runs to the paper to read if there is news of the
Expedition! How she watches papa when he comes home from his Ordnance
Office, and looks in his face to see if there is good news or bad! Is
he well? Is he made a General yet? Is he wounded and made a prisoner?
ah me! or, perhaps, are both his legs taken off by one shot, like that
pensioner they saw in Chelsea Garden t'other day? She would go on wooden
legs all her life, if his can but bring him safe home; at least, she
ought never to get up off her knees until he is returned. "Haven't you
heard of people, Theo," says she, "whose hair has grown grey in a single
night? I shouldn't wonder if mine did,--shouldn't wonder in the least."
And she looks in the glass to ascertain that phenomenon.

"Hetty dear, you used not to be so nervous when papa was away in
Minorca," remarks Theo.

"Ah, Theo! one may very well see that George is not with the army, but
safe at home," rejoins Hetty; whereat the elder sister blushes, and
looks very pensive. Au fait, if Mr. George had been in the army, that,
you see, would have been another pair of boots. Meanwhile, we don't
intend to harrow anybody's kind feelings any longer, but may as well
state that Harry is, for the present, as safe as any officer of the Life
Guards at Regent's Park Barracks.

The first expedition in which our gallant volunteer