a note came from Miss Darwell, to
say that they were all going to the sea, for which she was sorry,
because she wanted to see them all again.

Lucy answered the note, and said that she and Emily were also very,
very sorry; and this they truly were. Several weeks then passed, and
nothing particular happened, till a letter came from their grandmamma,
saying that her grand-daughter was very ill, and much desired to see
her uncle. "Indeed," added the old lady, "I feel that I shall be
required to give up my Ellen also; but God does all things well."

The letter came at breakfast-time, and Mr. Fairchild resolved to set
out as soon as he possibly could get ready. There was a great bustle
for the next hour, and then Mr. Fairchild took leave of his family, and
was driven by John to the town--he was to go on from thence by the
coach.

The children stood to see them off, and then walked back into the
house. Their mother told them to take their needlework and sit down in
the parlour; and she gave Henry a book to read whilst she was busy in
another part of the house. It was a very hot day, the window was open,
and all was still--even the children did not speak for some time; at
last Lucy said:

"I hope poor cousin Ellen will not die. What will grandmamma do if she
dies?"

"If she did not live so far off," said Emily, "perhaps we might comfort
her."

"I never remember seeing her but twice," said Lucy, "and you never saw
her, Henry."

They went on talking about their grandmother till Mrs. Fairchild came
in and sat down with them, and they still went on with the subject,
asking her many questions, especially wherefore their grandmother had
come so seldom to see them, and why they had not been asked to see her.
From one thing to another they went on till they heard a much more
regular account of the history of their family than they had ever heard
before.

"When I first knew your father's family, my dears," said Mrs.
Fairchild, "your grandmother was living in Reading with two sons: the
elder brother soon afterwards went to the East Indies, where he married
and had several children. Your father was intended to have been a
clergyman, but before he could be ordained he was attacked with an
illness, which finished with such a weakness in the chest, that he knew
he could never read the Service without danger. We had enough to live
on, and we settled here, and here you were all born."

"Yes," said Lucy, "and we love this dear pl