were,
married they was to live with you?"

Captain Barber nodded acquiescence.

"Elizabeth would never live in a house with that woman, or any other
woman, as housekeeper in it," said the mother.

"Well, she won't have to," said the old man; "when they marry and
Elizabeth comes here, I sha'n't want a housekeeper--I shall get rid of
her."

Mrs. Banks shifted in her chair, and gazed thoughtfully down the garden.
"Of course my idea was for them to wait till I was gone," she said at
length.

"Just so," replied the other, "and more's the pity."

"But Elizabeth's getting on and I don't seem to go," continued the old
lady, as though mildly surprised at Providence for its unaccountable
delay; "and there's Fred, he ain't getting younger."

Captain Barber puffed at his pipe. "None of us are," he said profoundly.

"And Fred might get tired of waiting," said Mrs. Banks, ruminating.

"He'd better let me hear him," said the uncle, fiercely; "leastways, o'
course, he's tired o' waiting in a sense. He'd like to be married."

"There's young Gibson," said Mrs. Banks in a thrilling whisper.

"What about him?" enquired Barber, surprised at her manner.

"Comes round after Elizabeth," said Mrs. Banks.

"No!" said Captain Barber, blankly.

Mrs. Banks pursed up her lips and nodded darkly.

"Pretends to come and see me," said Mrs. Banks; "always coming in
bringing something new for my legs. The worst of it is he ain't always
careful what he brings. He brought some new-fangled stuff in a bottle
last week, and the agonies I suffered after rubbing it in wouldn't be
believed."

"It's like his impudence," said the Captain.

"I've been thinking," said Mrs. Banks, nodding her head with some
animation, "of giving Fred a little surprise. What do you think he'd do
if I said they might marry this autumn?"

"Jump out of his skin with joy," said Captain Barber, with conviction.
"Mrs. Banks, the pleasure you've given me this day is more than I can
say."

"And they'll live with you just the same?" said Mrs. Banks.

"Certainly," said the Captain.

"They'll only be a few doors off then," said Mrs. Banks, "and it'll be
nice for you to have a woman in the house to look after you."

Captain. Barber nodded softly. "It's what I've been wanting for years,"
he said, heartily.

"And that huss--husskeeper," said Mrs. Banks, correcting herself--"will
go?"

"O' course," said Captain Barber. "I sha'n't want no housekeeper with my
nevy's wif