nd they decided that a family council should be
held that evening at Mrs. Ellis's, when the whole arrangements should be
definitely settled.

A note was accordingly despatched by Esther to her mother--that she,
accompanied by Emily and the children, would come to them early in the
afternoon, and that the gentlemen would join them in the evening at
tea-time. Caddy was, of course, completely upset by the intelligence; for,
notwithstanding that she and the maid-of-all-work lived in an almost
perpetual state of house-cleaning, nothing appeared to her to be in order,
and worse than all, there was nothing to eat.

"Nothing to eat!" exclaimed Mrs. Ellis. "Why, my dear child, there are all
manner of preserves, plenty of fresh peaches to cut and sugar down, and a
large pound-cake in the house, and any quantity of bread can be purchased
at the baker's."

"Bread--plain bread!" rejoined Caddy, indignantly, quite astonished at her
mother's modest idea of a tea--and a company-tea at that. "Do you think,
mother, I'd set Mr. Walters down to plain bread, when we always have hot
rolls and short-cake at their house? It is not to be thought of for a
moment: they must have some kind of hot cake, be the consequences what they
may."

Caddy bustled herself about, and hurried up the maid-of-all-work in an
astonishing manner, and before the company arrived had everything prepared,
and looked as trim and neat herself as if she had never touched a
rolling-pin, and did not know what an oven was used for.

Behold them all assembled. Mrs. Ellis at the head of the table with a
grandchild on each side of her, and her cap-strings pinned upon the side
next to baby. Esther sits opposite her husband, who is grown a little grey,
but otherwise is not in the least altered; next to her is her father,
almost buried in a large easy-chair, where he sits shaking his head from
time to time, and smiling vacantly at the children; then come Emily and
Charlie at the foot, and at his other hand Caddy and Kinch--Kinch the
invincible--Kinch the dirty--Kinch the mischievous, now metamorphosed into
a full-blown dandy, with faultless linen, elegant vest, and fashionably-cut
coat. Oh, Kinch, what a change--from the most shabby and careless of all
boys to a consummate exquisite, with heavy gold watch and eye-glass, and
who has been known to dress regularly twice a day!

There was a mighty pouring out of tea at Mrs. Ellis's end of the table,
and baby of course had to be s