g himself one morning, a handsome carriage stopped before their
house, and from it descended a fat and benevolent-looking old lady, who
knocked at the door and rattled the latch as if she had been in the daily
habit of visiting there, and felt quite sure of a hearty welcome. She was
let in by Esther, and, on sitting down, asked if Mrs. Ellis was at home.
Whilst Esther was gone to summon her mother, the lady looked round the
room, and espying Charlie, said, "Oh, there you are--I'm glad to see you; I
hope you are improving."

"Yes, ma'am," politely replied Charlie, wondering all the time who their
visitor could be.

"You don't seem to remember me--you ought to do so; children seldom forget
any one who makes them a pleasant promise."

As she spoke, a glimmer of recollection shot across Charlie's mind, and he
exclaimed, "You are the lady who came to visit the school."

"Yes; and I promised you a book for your aptness, and," continued she,
taking from her reticule a splendidly-bound copy of "Robinson Crusoe,"
"here it is."

Mrs. Ellis, as soon as she was informed that a stranger lady was below,
left Caddy to superintend alone the whitewashing of Charlie's sick-room,
and having hastily donned another gown and a more tasty cap, descended to
see who the visitor could be.

"You must excuse my not rising," said Mrs. Bird, for that was the lady's
name; "it is rather a difficulty for me to get up and down often--so,"
continued she, with a smile, "you must excuse my seeming rudeness."

Mrs. Ellis answered, that any apology was entirely unnecessary, and begged
she would keep her seat. "I've come," said Mrs. Bird, "to pay your little
man a visit. I was so much pleased with the manner in which he recited his
exercises on the day of examination, that I promised him a book, and on
going to the school to present it, I heard of his unfortunate accident. He
looks very much changed--he has had a very severe time, I presume?"

"Yes, a very severe one. We had almost given him over, but it pleased God
to restore him," replied Mrs. Ellis, in a thankful tone. "He is very weak
yet," she continued, "and it will be a long time before he is entirely
recovered."

"Who is your physician?" asked Mrs. Bird.

"Doctor Burdett," was the reply; "he has been our physician for years, and
is a very kind friend of our family."

"And of mine, too," rejoined Mrs. Bird; "he visits my house every summer.
What does he think of the arm?" she asked.

"He