doubt, but Matilda did not care for them; all
the while the most valuable thing she was learning was the lesson of
power over herself. Well if that were all. But there were some things
also down in the bottom of Matilda's heart which it was not good to
learn; and she knew it; but she did not know very well how to help it.

Several weeks had gone by in this manner, and now June was about over.
Matilda had not gone to Lilac Lane again, nor seen Norton, nor made any
of her purchases for Mrs. Eldridge. She had almost given all that up.
She wondered that she saw nothing of Norton; but if he had ever come to
the house she had not heard of it. Matilda was not allowed to go out in
the evening now any more. No more Band meetings, or prayer meetings, or
church service in the evening for her. And in the morning of Sunday
Mrs. Candy was very apt to carry her off to her own church, which
Matilda disliked beyond all expression. But she went as quietly as if
she had liked it.

Things were in this state, when one evening Maria came up to bed and
burst out as soon as she had got into the room,--

"Think of it! They are going to New York to-morrow."

Matilda was bewildered, and asked who was going to New York.

"_They_. Aunt Erminia and Clarissa. To be gone all day! Hurrah! We'll
have just what we like for dinner, and I'll let the kitchen fire go
out."

"Are they going down to New York to-morrow?" said Matilda, standing and
looking at her sister.

"By the early train. Don't you hear me tell you?"

"I thought it was too good news to be true," said Matilda, drawing a
long breath.

"It is, almost; but they are going. They are going to do shopping.
That's what it's for. And I say, Matilda, won't we have a great dinner
to get!"

"They will want dinner after they get home."

"No, they won't. They will take dinner somehow down there. Why they
will not be home, Tilly, till nine o'clock. They can't. The train don't
get up till a quarter-past eight, that train they are going to take;
and they will have to be an hour pretty near riding up from the
station. Hurrah! hurrah!"

"Hush! don't make so much noise. They will hear you."

"No, they won't. They have come up to bed. We are to have breakfast at
six o'clock. We shall have all the longer day."

"Then I hope Aunt Candy will not have time to give me my bath."

"No, she won't; she told me to tell you. You are to be ever so early,
and help me to get the breakfast. I shall not know w