, and I don't get mine
until they have done," said Charlie.

"Until they have done; how happens that?" asked Mrs. Bird.

"I think they don't like to eat with me, because I'm coloured," was
Charlie's hesitating reply.

"That is too much," exclaimed Mrs. Bird; "if it were not so very
ridiculous, I should be angry. It remains for me, then," continued she, "to
set them an example. I've not eaten my breakfast yet--come, sit down with
me, and we'll have it together."

Charlie followed Mrs. Bird into the breakfast-room, and took the seat
pointed out by her. Eliza, when she entered with the tea-urn, opened her
eyes wide with astonishment at the singular spectacle she beheld. Her
mistress sitting down to breakfast _vis-a-vis_ to a little coloured boy!
Depositing the urn upon the table, she hastened back to the kitchen to
report upon the startling events that were occurring in the breakfast-room.

"Well, I never," said she; "that beats anything I ever did see; why, Mrs.
Bird must have turned abolitionist. Charlie is actually sitting at the same
table with her, eating his breakfast as natural and unconcerned as if he
was as white as snow! Wonders never will cease. You see I'm right though. I
said that child wasn't brought here for a servant--we've done it for
ourselves now--only think how mad she'll be when she finds he was made to
wait for his meals until we have done. I'm glad I wasn't the one who
refused to eat with him."

"I guess she has been giving Alfred a blowing up," said Betsy, "for setting
him at boot cleaning; for he looked like a thunder-cloud when he came down
stairs, and was muttering something about a consarned pet-nigger--he looked
anything but pleased."

Whilst the lower powers were discussing what they were pleased to regard as
an evidence of some mental derangement on the part of Mrs. Bird, that lady
was questioning Charlie respecting his studies, and inquired if he would
like to go to school in Warmouth.

"After a while, I think I should," he replied; "but for a week I'd like to
be free to run about the fields and go fishing, and do lots of things. This
is such a pretty place; and now that you have come I shall have nice
times--I know I shall."

"You seem to have great confidence in my ability to make you happy. How do
you know that I am as kind as you seem to suppose?" asked Mrs. Bird, with a
smile.

"I know you are," answered Charlie, confidently; "you speak so pleasantly
to me. And do you know,