yringa bush at the corner and sniffing the savory odors which came from
the kitchen, where Katy, the cook, was evidently making nice things for
tea.

Ben worked as if for a wager till four; then stood over Pat while he
curried Lita till her coat shone like satin, then drove her gently down
to the coach-house, where he had the satisfaction of harnessing her "all
his own self".

"Shall I go round to the great gate and wait for you there, miss?" he
asked, when all was ready, looking up at the porch, where the young lady
stood watching him as she put on her gloves.

"No, Ben, the great gate is not to be opened till next October. I shall
go in and out by the lodge, and leave the avenue to grass and
dandelions, meantime," answered Miss Celia, as she stepped in and took
the reins, with a sudden smile.

But she did not start, even when Ben had shaken out the new duster and
laid it neatly over her knees.

"Isn't it all right now?" asked the boy, anxiously.

"Not quite; I need one thing more. Can't you guess what it is?" and
Miss Celia watched his anxious face as his eyes wandered from the tips
of Lita's ears to the hind-wheel of the phaeton, trying to discover what
had been omitted.

"No, miss, I don't see--" he began, much mortified to think he had
forgotten any thing.

"Wouldn't a little groom up behind improve the appearance of my
turnout?" she said, with a look which left no doubt in his mind that he
was to be the happy boy to occupy that proud perch.

He grew red with pleasure, but stammered, as he hesitated, looking down
at his bare feet and blue shirt,--

"I ain't fit, miss; and I haven't got any other clothes."

Miss Celia only smiled again more kindly than before, and answered, in a
tone which he understood better than her words,--"A great man said his
coat-of-arms was a pair of shirt-sleeves, and a sweet poet sang about a
barefooted boy; so I need not be too proud to ride with one. Up with
you, Ben, my man, and let us be off, or we shall be late for our party."

With one bound the new groom was in his place, sitting very erect, with
his legs stiff, arms folded, and nose in the air, as he had seen real
grooms sit behind their masters in fine dog-carts or carriages. Mrs.
Moss nodded as they drove past the lodge, and Ben touched his torn
hat-brim in the most dignified manner, though he could not suppress a
broad grin of delight, which deepened into a chuckle when Lita went off
at a brisk trot along the smo