ntend, of course, in time, to be your housekeeper; but,
having spent all my life in a boarding school, I know very little about
domestic affairs, and I require a great deal of instruction; so I really
do think that there is no one needs Mrs. Rocke's assistance more than we
do, and if she will do us the favor to come we cannot do better than to
engage her."

"To be sure; to be sure! Lord bless my soul! to think it should never
have entered my stupid old head until it was put there by Clare! Here I
was searching blindly all over the country for a situation for Mrs.
Rocke, and wanting her all the time more than any one else! That's the
way, Traverse; that's the way with us all, my boy! While we are looking
away off yonder for the solution of our difficulties, the remedy is all
the time lying just under our noses!"

"But so close to our eyes, father, that we cannot see it," said Clara.

"Just so, Clare; just so. You are always ahead of me in ideas. Now,
Traverse, when you go home this evening you shall take a note to your
mother setting forth our wishes--mine and Clara's; if she accedes to
them she will make us very happy."

With a great deal of manly strength of mind, Traverse had all his
mother's tenderness of heart. It was with difficulty that he could keep
back his tears or control his voice while he answered:

"I remember reading, sir, that the young queen of England, when she came
to her throne, wished to provide handsomely for an orphan companion of
her childhood; and, seeing that no office in her household suited the
young person, she created one for her benefit. Sir, I believe you have
made one for my mother."

"Not at all; not at all! If she doesn't come to look after our
housekeeping, old Moggy will be greasing our griddles with tallow candle
ends next! If you don't believe me; ask Clara, ask Clara!"

Not "believe" him! If the doctor had affirmed that the moon was made of
moldy cheese, Traverse would have deemed it his duty to stoutly maintain
that astronomical theory. He felt hurt that the doctor should use such a
phrase.

"Yes, indeed, we really do need her, Traverse," said the doctor's
daughter.

"Traverse!" It had made him proud to hear her call him for the first
time in his life, "Mr. Rocke!" but it made him deeply happy to hear her
call him "Traverse." It had such a sisterly sound coming from this sweet
creature. How he wished that she really were his sister! But, then, the
idea of that fair, gol