-Emily and all. I
take it, it's the new wife's idea. Mr. Graham wanted me to go, but
I would as soon be hung as venture on the sea again, and I told him
so. So now he has written for you to go with Emily; and if you are
not afraid of sea-sickness, I hope you won't refuse, for it would
be dreadful for her to have a stranger, and you know she always
needs somebody on account of her blindness. I do not think she has
the least wish to go; but she would not ask to be left behind, for
fear her father should think she did not like the new wife.

"As soon as they sail--the last of April--I shall come back to the
house in D----, and see to things there while they are away. I
write a postscript to you from Emily, and we shall be very
impatient to hear your answer; and I hope you will not refuse to go
with Emily.

"Yours very truly,

"SARAH H. ELLIS."

The postscript contained the following:--

"I need not tell my darling Gertrude how much I have missed her,
and longed to have her with me again; how I have thought of her by
night and day, and prayed God to strengthen and fit her for many
trials and labours. The letter written soon after Mr. Cooper's
death is the last that has reached me, and I do not know whether
Mrs. Sullivan is still living. Write to me at once, my dear child,
if you cannot come to us. Father will tell you of our plans, and
ask you to accompany us to Europe. My heart will be light if I can
take my dear Gerty with me; I trust to you, my love, to decide
aright. You have heard of father's marriage. It is a great change
for us all, but will, I trust, result in happiness. Mrs. Graham
has two nieces, who are with us at the hotel. They are to be of
our party to go abroad, and are, I understand, very beautiful
girls, especially Bella Clinton, whom you saw in Boston some years
ago. Mrs. Ellis is very tired of writing, and I must close with
assuring my dearest Gertrude of the devoted affection of

"EMILY GRAHAM."

It was with great curiosity that Gertrude unfolded Mr. Graham's epistle.
She thought it would be awkward for him to address her, and wondered
much whether he would maintain his authoritative tone, or condescend to
apologise. Had she known him better, she would have been assured that
nothing would ever induce him to do the latter, for he was one of