the silver waiter on
which they lay, and setting there, in their stead, a delicate china cup
from whose steaming contents a delicious aroma greeted the nostrils.

"I must just peep into mamma's to see when we may expect them home," she
added, breaking open its envelope; "the rest will keep till after
breakfast."

"When was Aunt Wealthy's birthday?" queried her husband.

"Yesterday," she answered with her eyes on the letter. "Ah! Ned and Zoe
start this morning for home. The rest will stay a week or so longer, and
our cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Keith, and their daughter, Annis, will soon
follow with the expectation of spending the winter as mamma's guests."

"Will you excuse me, Aunt Elsie, if I open my letter now just for a
peep?" asked Evelyn with a slight shy smile.

"No, my dear, certainly not; as I never do the like myself, but always
wait patiently till the meal is over," returned the young aunt with
playful irony.

"Then I'll have to ask uncle or do it without permission," said Evelyn,
blushing and laughing.

"Hark to the answer coming from the chicken yard," said her uncle
facetiously, as the loud crow of a cock broke in upon their talk.

"I fail to catch your meaning, uncle," said Evelyn, with another blush
and smile.

"Listen!" he answered, "he will speak again presently, and tell me if he
doesn't say, 'Mistress rules here.' Some one has so interpreted it, and,
I think, correctly.

"Oh," exclaimed Evelyn, laughing; "then, of course, it is of no use to
appeal from auntie's decisions."

"No, even I generally do as I am bid," he remarked gravely.

"And I almost always," said Elsie. "Eva, would you like to drive over to
Ion with me this morning?"

"Very much indeed, Aunt Elsie," was the prompt and pleased reply.

"Mamma wishes me to carry the news of the expected arrival of my brother
and his wife, and to see that all is in order for their reception," Elsie
went on.

"And am I to be entirely neglected in your invitation?" asked her
husband, in a tone of deep pretended disappointment and chagrin.

"Your company will be most acceptable, Mr. Leland, if you will favor us
with it," was the gay rejoinder. "Baby shall go, too; an airing will do
him good; and beside, mammy will want to see him."

"Of course; for she looks upon him as a sort of great-grand child, does
she not?" said Lester.

"Either that or great-great," returned Elsie lightly.

"Who is mammy?" asked Evelyn.

"Mamma's old nurse, who had