ke the pitcher," said Gertrude; "I am going downstairs, and
will send Jane up with the water."

"Thank you," said Belle, rather feebly; while Kitty exclaimed, "No, no,
Gertrude; I'll go myself."

But it was too late; Gertrude had gone.

Gertrude found Mrs. Ellis full of troubles and perplexities. "Only
think," said the astonished housekeeper, "of their coming, five of them,
without the least warning in the world; and here I've nothing in the
house fit for tea; not a bit of rich cake, not a scrap of cold ham. And
of course they're hungry after their long journey, and will want
something nice."

"Oh, if they are very hungry, Mrs. Ellis, they can eat dried beef and
fresh biscuit and plain cake; and if you will give me the keys I will
get out the preserves and the best silver, and see that the table is set
properly."

Nothing was a trouble to Gertrude that night. Everything that she
touched went right. Jane caught her spirit and became astonishingly
active; and when the really bountiful table was spread, and Mrs. Ellis,
after glancing around and seeing that all was as it should be, looked
into the beaming eyes and observed the glowing cheek and sunny smile of
the happy girl, she exclaimed, in her ignorance, "Good gracious,
Gertrude, anybody would think you were over-joyed to see all these folks
back again!"

It wanted but a few moments to tea-time, and Gertrude was selecting
fresh napkins from a drawer in the china-closet, when Kitty Ray peeped
in at the door and finally entered, leading by the hand a little girl
neatly dressed in black. Her face was at first full of smiles; but the
moment she attempted to speak she burst into tears, and throwing her
arms round Gertrude's neck, whispered in her ear, "Oh, Gertrude, I'm so
happy! I came to tell you!"

"Happy?" replied Gertrude; "then you mustn't cry."

Upon this Kitty laughed, and then cried again, and then laughed once
more, and in the interval explained to Gertrude that she was
engaged--had been engaged a week to the best man in the world--and that
the child she held by the hand was his orphan niece, and just like a
daughter to him. "And only think," continued she, "it's all owing to
you."

"To me?" said the astonished Gertrude.

"Yes; because I was so vain and silly, you know, and liked folks that
were not worth liking, and didn't care much for anybody's comfort but my
own; and, if you hadn't taught me to be something better than that, and
set me a good examp