LONGFELLOW

'Sister, sister! who is it? Going to be married! Oh, do tell us!'
cried Ella Warden--as she now was called--capering round her elder
sister, who stood beneath a gas-burner, in a well-furnished bed-room,
reading a letter, its enclosure clasped within a very trembling hand.

'Mary May, dear Mary,' answered Averil, still half absently.

'And who?'

'Mr. Cheviot,' said Averil, thoroughly rousing herself, and, with a
quick movement, concealing the enclosure in her bosom. 'I remember
him; he was very good, when--'

And there she paused; while Ella chattered on: 'Oh, sister, if you were
but at home, you would be a bridesmaid now, and perhaps we should.
Little Miss Rivers was Mrs. Ernescliffe's bridesmaid. Don't you
remember, Minna, how we saw her in her little cashmere cloak?'

'Oh, don't, Ella!' escaped from Minna, like a cry of pain, as she leant
back in a rocking-chair, and recollected who had held her up in his
arms to watch Blanche May's wedding procession.

'And how soon will she be married, sister, and where will she live?'
asked the much-excited Ella.

'She will be married in Whitsun week, and as he is headmaster, they
will live in Dr. Hoxton's house. Dear, good Mary, how glad I am that
she is so full of happiness--her letter quite brims over with it! I
wonder if I may work anything to send her.'

'I should like to send her some very beautiful thing indeed,' cried
Ella, with emphasis, and eyes dilating at some visionary magnificence.

'Ah, I have nothing to send her but my love! And I may send _her_ that
still,' said Minna, looking up wistfully at Averil, who bent down and
kissed her.

'And Ave won't let me send mine to Mr. Tom, though I'm sure I do love
him the best of them all,' said Ella.

'That wasn't--' half whispered Minna, but turned her head away, with a
sigh of oppression and look of resignation, sad in so young a child,
though, indeed, the infantine form was fast shooting into tall, lank
girlhood. Ella went on: 'I shall send him the objects for his
microscope, when I get into the country; for I promised, so sister
can't prevent me.'

'Oh, the country!--when shall we go there?' sighed Minna.

'Your head aches to-night, my dear,' said Averil, looking anxiously at
her listless attitude, half-opened eyes, and the deep hollows above her
collar-bones.

'It always does after the gas is lighted,' said the child, patiently,
'it is always so hot