Hildegarde's Home

mer with a quick, military stride, the latter shambling, as

rheumatic camel. Well!" (as poor Jack straightened his awkward length and tried to govern his prancing legs). "So Mrs. Grahame is a connection, after all; and a very charming woman, too. And how did you find the young lady, sir? Did

nd good-tempered voice. "I couldn't see her face very well. I can't talk to girls!" he added. "I don't kno

young, and your father's astonishing and supernatural wrong-headedness, you have had no bringing up whatever, my poor fellow! Talk of your going to college next year! why, you don't know how to make a bow. I present you to two cha

about, uncle, thank you. Can't I just keep quiet while I am her

e, and I request you'll not do it to me. You are my brother's son, sir, and I shall make it my business to teach you to walk, and to talk, an

" cried the lad. "I can't stand that!" and one felt i

ever been my good fortune to meet. Are you aware, sir, that your father is my brother? that I first made the acquaintance of R

sn't make any difference. Nobody body must say an

angel and infant, Raymond Ferrers is, and always has been. But the combination does not qualify him for bringing up children. Probatum

and gloomy, with only one light twinkling feebly in a lower window. When they had entered, and were standing in the pleasant library, book-lined from floor to ceiling, Colonel

be cut into inch pieces and served up on toast if it would do my brother Raymond any good; but you are right all the same. If an

in his eye. "It's lucky for me that I don't have to knock you down,

that walking-stick! Harry Monmouth! I'll give you a lesson, now. On guard! So! defend yourself! Ha! humph!" The last exclamation was one of disgust, for at the Colonel's fi

instruct a person who has not been taught to hold himself together. You are a milksop, my poor fellow! a sad milksop! but we are g

supper, thank you, u

se!" cried the Colonel. "You d

, with huge, spreading antlers. On the sideboard itself were some beautiful pieces of old silver, shining with the peculiar blue lustre that comes from long rubbing, and from that alone. A tray stood on the

eadle's best make. Down with it, I insist!" In the matter of the plum cake, little insis

Ten minutes' exercise with the Indian clubs-you have them in your room?-and then to bed. Hand me the 'Worthies of England,' will you? Bookcase on the right of the door, third shelf from the bottom, fif

e had already found out that his uncle had nothing to say to him or any one else after the frugal nine o'clock supper, and his own t

ake, Biddy?

, hearty voice. "Come in, Ma

whole gamut of colour up and down and round and round. But brighter than all else in the gay little room was the gay little woman who sat by the round table (which answered every purpose of a mirror), piecing a rainbow-coloured quilt

k, sitting down on the floor, with his long legs c

cheerful, that I do. Will you have a drop of shrub, Master Jack? there's so

d, "And so you have been to call on the ladies at Braeside

sently. "Do you mind if I p

erb yellow Angora cat which lay curled

's old, and his temper not what it was. Poor old Sunsh

f music, Biddy-that I am practising, called the 'Cat's Fugue,' and

say to the young lady, Master Jack?" she added, as she placed a scarlet block against a purple one. "I'm glad

e about my father, Biddy. I don't believe he liked g-company

. "An angel with his head in his pocke

. "Of course he is; a combination of angel and-why

e housekeeper. "He was in a dream, like, all the tim

u!" mutte

nothing else in the world. And then Mr. Tom-dear! dear! would put his head down and run and butt him right in the stomach, and down they would go together and roll over and over; great big lads, like you

his running a

siness; and Mr. Raymond gave him his gold piece to take him, and all! But when the old Squire-that's your grandfather, dear!-when he came in and found that little black-eyed fellow dressed in his son's clothes, and crying with fright, and not a word of English-well, he was neither to hold nor to bind, as the saying is. Luckily Mrs. Ferrers-that's your grandmother, dear! she came in before the child was frightened into a fit, though very near it; and she spoke the language, and with her quiet ways she got the chi

Giuseppe?"

being black. But he won't hear to its being shortened. And now it is getting to be night-cap time, Master Jack," said the good woman, beginning to

. "I'm sleepy to-night, anyhow; I may go straight to bed. Good-

I seem to see your dear father, coming in with his curls a-shaking, calling his Bid

night,

. He sat down by the open window and looked out. Below lay the garden, all black and silver in the intense white light. The smell of the roses came up to him, exquisitely sweet. He leaned his head against the w

re, the long, delicate hands, the features carved as if in ivory, the blue, near-sighted eyes peering anxiously at the work in his hands,-all these were as actually present to the boy as if he could put out his o

oo, was taken off; and then, holding the black box in his arms, as if it were a particularly delicate baby, he left the room, and softly made his way to the stairs which led to the attic. There was a door at the foot of the stairs, which he opened noiselessly, and then he stopped to listen. All was still. He must have been sitting for some time at the window, for the light in the hal