ad
taller than when he left you. I don't know as I should have come only I
couldn't trust him away from me so long." "I should say by Walter's
appearance, that he has not missed a mother's care very much, and thanks
from me would poorly express my gratitude." Charley Gray had remained
with me the last night I spent at home, and he also gained permission to
remain this first night of my return. It was a happy, and I might add a
merry party which surrounded my mother's tea-table that evening, which,
to please me, was spread under my favourite tree in the garden. So happy
was I to be once more at home that I almost felt afraid to go to sleep
that night lest I should awake in the morning and find it all a dream.
"If you were as tired of the cars as I am," said Aunt Lucinda "you would
think this journey no dream, but an awful reality, for my head is all in
a whirl yet, and I shall feel no better till I got a good night's sleep."

So swiftly had the time passed away, that, till Aunt Lucinda made this
remark, my mother had failed to notice the lateness of the hour, and,
obeying the hint, she at once offered to conduct her to her room with
an apology for having failed to remember that she must be very much
fatigued. My aunt was very willing to retire, saying she would be bright
enough in the morning, but for to-night she did feel about done out. As
for Charley and I, we had so much to say that sleep was out of the
question, and, after retiring to our room, we sat for a long time at
the open window, enjoying the beautiful moonlight which fell upon the
familiar scenes of Elmwood, and talking of all that had befallen us
during the past year, till Aunt Lucinda called at our door saying, in a
tone which Charley thought decidedly cross, "Do you shut that window
this minnit, boys, and go to bed; here it is nearly midnight, and not a
wink of sleep has there been in this house. How do you expect we shall
all feel to-morrow morning I should like to know? and besides you will
take the awfulest cold that ever was heard of, if you sit there by the
open window, in this night air." To please my aunt I closed the window,
and Charley and I retired, and if we talked longer our conversation was
carried on in a whisper, so fearful were we of again disturbing Aunt
Lucinda. I doubt very much if there was that night a happier family in
Elmwood than the one which rested beneath the roof of our little brown
cottage.

CHAPTER XVII.

Happy day