egin his breakfast. This was done almost mechanically by
Aunt Mary, her mind was already so full of projects, which, however,
must be explained some time hence.

'Now the first thing we do, dear Clara, after breakfast,' said the kind
aunt, 'must be to go to Camden Terrace; I hope your uncle will not have
gone out, as I have a message for him from Mr. Maitland.'

'Oh then, do let Freddy and me go at once,' entreated Clara; 'we can be
so quick, and we can tell Uncle Ellis that you are coming immediately,
so that you need not hurry yourself, dear aunt.'

'Not a bad proposition, my little girl,' said her aunt; 'and Freddy, is
he ready to go?'

'Oh yes, I am quite ready, and we can run all the way, and we can tell
mamma that Aunt Irene is coming to see her; won't she be pleased? and so
will Mabel and Julia. Oh, I am so glad, and Fred gave a remarkable
caper, which not only threw himself down, but _overthrew_ the gravity of
both aunt and cousin, who laughed heartily at the grotesque way in which
he exhibited his joy.

'We won't say anything about Aunt Irene's letter till you come,'
whispered Clara to her aunt, but that lady said:

'Depend upon it, dear Clara, your mamma has got a letter, as well as
myself, so this will be no news to her, though the Maitlands'
communications will, and of this you need not say anything.'

Mr. Ellis was just preparing to leave home when Clara and Fred made
their appearance.

'Why, you are early visitors this morning,' said that gentleman,
kissing, and shaking hands with the fresh, healthy looking messengers,
and adding; 'has the postman's news made you run off in such a hurry?'

'Yes, it is the postman's news, uncle, that sent us here so soon,' said
Clara, 'because Aunt Mary wants to see, and talk with you, before you go
out; she will be here in less than half an hour, if you will kindly
wait.'

'That I will do with pleasure, my little girl, and you and Fred can go
and find out mamma, and Mabel, and Julia, and Gertrude, and Willie, for
I can hear them all making a noise; this news about Aunt Irene has
caused a great commotion in the house,' said Mr. Ellis.

Away ran Clara and Freddy, to find, as papa had said, a glad and rather
noisy company in mamma's room. The invalid herself seeming evidently
better for this piece of joyous excitement.

We may well believe that the noise was not lessened in the room by the
advent of Clara and Freddy; the latter having, since his departure from