“I never saw such a mysterious old oracle as you are! Getting out more plate, more napkins, and steeping gelatin with so much solemnity, as though we never did have company in our lives before, then preserving such a dark cloud of silence on the subject! Kate! who is coming here to-day—tell me, and don’t be foolish about it?” cried Minnie. “Sister is enveloped in mystery and wont let me know.” “Kate does not know herself,” said Lisa, smiling; “but may be she can guess.” “This is Rose’s birth-day,” said Kate, after a pause, “and—” “And I forgot it!” exclaimed Minnie, as she burst into a flood of tears. “The first one she ever passed away from home!” “And the last, I trust,” said Kate, tenderly. “Poor, dear Rose! I wonder where she is now!” “Enjoying herself very much, I suppose,” said Lisa, crushing a lump of sugar into her bowl of eggs, “and wishing we were all with her. She would be surprised at the idea of your crying about her, I dare say.” Minnie made a step forward, and threw down a cup that was too delicate for such rough usage. “There!” said her sister, “you have your day’s work before you. I never saw such a careless girl.” “Never mind,” said Minnie, collecting the fragments, and smiling through her tears, “this will do to place among The broken teacups, Wisely kept for show, that _you_ keep on the shelf there. I’ll cement it for you.” “Thank you! I wish you could mend some of your bad habits as easily as you promise to patch broken china. It would keep you busy for life.” “Alas, poor Minnie!” said the girl, “how unjust the world is! What can I do?” “Go and see that Sampson puts the dining-room in extra trim, and fill the finger-bowls,” said Lisa. “Dear sister! I am not Dalilah, and cannot manage the strong hero of antiquity,” said Minnie, with affected humility. “But I will crown the bowls with orange leaves, and perform any other lowly task with much pleasure.” And she left the room singing a light song, that ever and anon fell sweetly on the ears of that united household as they paused to catch the tones of the young, rich voice. “Mr. Selby and his nephew dine with us,” said Lisa, as she and Kate compounded their dessert together, “and as the latter is about to sail for Europe, papa has promised him letters for Uncle Bliss and Rose.” “Indeed!” said Kate. “That will be very pleasant for them to see any one that can give such direct news of us. Do you remember to have seen young Mr. Selby, Lisa?” “When he was a little boy, I saw him once at his uncle’s, but he has been at college for years past. He is now on a farewell visit, and will not return for some time, of course. I hope he will be like old Mr. Selby, for he is one of the kindest and most agreeable men I ever knew.” “Yes, he is universally beloved. Paul esteems him highly, and often goes to him for advice.” And Kate thought Paul’s opinion sufficient to determine the importance of the universe.