as a new branch of comparative
anatomy), found out from the Clevelands that Mr. Esdaile meant to
retire, and happened to mention it the last time that Flora came to see
me. It was like firing a train. You would have wondered to see how it
excited her, who usually shows her feelings so little. She has been so
much occupied with it, and so anxious that George should be ready to
take the field at once, that papa was afraid of its hurting her, and
Ethel comes home declaring that the election is more to her than her
baby."

"Ethel is apt to be a little hard on Flora. They are too unlike to
understand each other."

"Ethel is to be godmother though, and Flora means to ask Mr. Ogilvie to
come and stand."

"I think he will be gone abroad, or I should have asked him to fulfil
his old promise of coming to us."

"I believe he must be lodged here, if he should come. Flora will have
her house full, for Lady Leonora is coming. The baby is to be called
after her."

"Indeed!" exclaimed Norman.

"Yes; I thought it unnecessary, as she is not George's aunt, but Flora
is grateful to her for much kindness, and she is coming to see Meta. I
am afraid papa is a little hurt, that any name but one should have been
chosen."

"Has Meta been comfortable?"

"Dear little thing! Every one says how beautifully she has behaved. She
brought all her housekeeping books to Flora at once, and only begged to
be made helpful in whatever way might be most convenient. She explained,
what we never knew before, how she had the young maids in to read with
her, and asked leave to go on. Very few could have been set aside so
simply and sweetly in their own house."

"Flora was sensible of it, I hope."

"Oh, yes. She took the management of course, but Meta is charmed with
her having the girls in from the village, in turn, to help in the
scullery. They have begun family prayers too, and George makes the
stablemen go to church--a matter which had been past Meta, as you may
guess, though she had been a wonderful little manager, and Flora owned
herself quite astonished."

"I wonder only at her being astonished."

"Meta owned to Ethel that what had been worst of all to her was the
heart sinking, at finding herself able to choose her occupations, with
no one to accommodate them to. But she would not give way--she set up
more work for herself at the school, and has been talking of giving
singing lessons at Cocksmoor; and she forced herself to read, though it