inquire into the possibility of obtaining his services immediately, as they
were going to have a series of dinner parties, and it was thought that he
could be rendered quite useful.

"And must I go, mother?" he asked.

"Yes, my son; I've told Robberts that you shall come up in the morning,"
replied Mrs. Ellis. Then turning to Robberts, she inquired, "How is Aunt
Rachel?"

At this question, the liveried gentleman from Mrs. Thomas's shook his head
dismally, and answered: "Don't ask me, woman; don't ask me, if you please.
That old sinner gets worse and worse every day she lives. These dinners
we're 'spectin to have has just set her wild--she is mad as fury 'bout
'em--and she snaps me up just as if I was to blame. That is an awful old
woman, now mind I tell you."

As Mr. Robberts concluded, he took his hat and departed, giving Charlie the
cheering intelligence that he should expect him early next morning.

Charlie quite lost his appetite for supper in consequence of his
approaching trials, and, laying aside his books with a sigh of regret, sat
listlessly regarding his sisters; enlivened now and then by some cheerful
remark from Caddy, such as:--

"You'll have to keep your feet cleaner up there than you do at home, or
you'll have aunt Rach in your wool half a dozen times a day. And you
mustn't throw your cap and coat down where you please, on the chairs or
tables--she'll bring you out of all that in a short time. I expect you'll
have two or three bastings before you have been there a week, for she don't