h the exception
of Odalite, who was still in bed, and little Elva, who had volunteered to
stay with her.

"Oh, you are here, Mrs. Anglesea? I did not know. I had just sent a
servant to call you to breakfast. I hope you slept well?" said the
hostess, pleasantly.

"Splendid! Never turned in my bed all night. And how are you? And how is
the young gal this morning?" inquired the visitor.

"We are all well, thank you. Will you take this seat, nearest the fire?"

"Oh, anywheres convenient. I don't care where I sit."

The other members of the family party greeted the visitor, and then seated
themselves at the table.

The visitor was voluble, as usual, praising everything she tasted, and
eating heartily of every dish.

When they all arose from the table, she shook the crumbs off her lap on
the floor, turned to her hostess, and said:

"Now, old 'oman, if you've got any sewing to do, here's the hands that can
do it. I ain't one to sit down and eat the bread of idleness, I tell you.
So, if you have got any stockings to darn, or shirts to patch, or anything
else to be done in the way of making or mending, just give it to me, and
I'll earn my keep, I tell you."

Mrs. Force was so taken by surprise at this speech that she had to pause
before replying:

"I thank you very much, but I should not like to trouble you."

"Trouble! Why, you precious ninny, it would be the greatest of pleasure to
me. Ain't I making myself at home here? Same as one of you? Go along with
you! Get me something to do!"

"Many thanks, but I fear I cannot find anything to-day."

"I'll find something, mamma," Wynnette exclaimed, coming to the rescue.
Turning to Mrs. Anglesea, she said:

"Dear ma'am, wouldn't you like to come into the schoolroom with Miss Meeke
and me and help us to tie up parcels for Christmas presents to the colored
people?"

"Of course I will, if you want me to. But, Lord, that's no work!"

"Oh, yes, it is. There are more than twenty parcels, little and big. And
all the stores are in large bundles, and we have got to divide them
fairly, and tie them up, and write the names on them. It will take us all
the morning."

"All right; I will go 'long of you, and help with the dividing and tying
up. I don't know about the names. I ain't very good at writing," said the
guest, allowing herself to be carried off by Wynnette.

"How in the name of the Inscrutable could Anglesea ever have been tempted
to marry such a woman? Was he drunk,