with joy.

"When Stephen heard the news, as he came skulking in to tell his aunt
he could find Bernard nowhere, he walked himself off with Meekin, and
did not return till night; but he need not have done so, for Bernard
never uttered a complaint against him or anybody else, though he spoke
continually of the very great kindness of Mr. Evans.

"The happiness of Lucilla that evening was complete. Bernard had hardly
spoken to her before she found how changed he was.

"Mr. Low was equally thankful; and Mrs. Low and nurse, though they did
not understand the cause of the change so clearly, yet felt that their
darling was a new and improved creature. Mr. Low, having it now in his
power, did much to assist Mr. Evans in many ways; he felt all his
kindnesses; he helped to furnish his new rooms, and raised his salary
as a curate.

"Miss Grizzy and Stephen left him almost immediately. Miss Grizzy went
to keep the house of a cross old uncle, and Stephen went to his
parents. Mr. Evans took nurse for a housekeeper, and whether she
managed well or ill for him people do not agree; but this is certain,
that all the boys, especially the little ones, liked her so much that
Mr. Evans soon found even his larger house too small for his pupils.

"The last we heard of Mr. Low's family was that Bernard and Lucilla had
furnished the grotto so beautifully that every person in the
neighbourhood came to see it; and that this brother and sister were the
delight of their parents, and the comforters of every poor old person
or orphan child in the parish."

[Illustration: Bernard rushed to meet Lucilla]

The Birthday Feast

[Illustration: She only seemed anxious that Lucy and Emily should look
well]

"Well," said Henry Fairchild, "it is just as I knew it would be; mine
is the prettiest story, and it is the longest, and that is something."

"No, no!" replied Emily; "if a story is stupid, its being long only
makes it worse."

"But it is not stupid," says Henry, "as it comes in at the end so
nicely, and in so much bustle. I do love a story that ends in a great
bustle."

"Well," said Emily, "my story finishes with as great a bustle as yours;
and we _must_ say that Lucy has chosen two very nice books; so, Lucy,
we thank you with all our hearts."

We have been so busy over the stories which Lucy brought, that we have
taken no notice of the note and parcel which came from Miss Darwell.

The note was to invite the Misses Fairchild and