Mr. Howard looked at her anxiously; “Leila, my dear child, you distress me; if you allow yourself to get into this way of anticipating imaginary evils, you will enervate your mind, and unfit yourself to bear as you ought to do the real trials of life; remember who says, ‘Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.’ Now listen to me; I can see that Matilda has made you aware that you are to have a governess, and all the morning you have probably been working yourself up with the idea of suffering from what I trust may prove the greatest blessing to you. I cannot now devote my mornings to you as I did in the island; I must frequently be absent, and you are now of an age to require superior instruction to that of your faithful and affectionate nurse; but you will still be my little friend; in the evenings you will sing and read to me as you used to do, and we shall always dine together.” Leila’s face brightened. “O, what a comfort!” she exclaimed: then added, “but I don’t know that I shall be quite comfortable. My governess won’t like dining by herself; she will be melancholy.” “Now, dear child, you are again running on before the point, though I am glad that now it is that you are anxious for your governess’ comfort: but she is not to be exclusively your governess, Leila, and she is not to reside at Woodlands. Your aunt has most kindly proposed that you should spend the mornings with your cousins, and be educated with them. We are to breakfast together early as we used to do; when fine, you are to walk there immediately after breakfast, or be sent in the carriage when the weather is bad; and by five o’clock you are to be home to dine with your papa. I give you a general invitation to dinner, Miss Leila Howard, and pray give me a favourable answer.” “Papa, papa, how delightful you are to me,” Leila exclaimed; “all my fears, all my sorrows; where are they? You are like the sun to me, papa; the sun chasing away the clouds, and now there is nothing but the blue sky and my beautiful governess.” Mr. Howard smiled; “And who told you she was to be beautiful?” he inquired. “Nobody, papa; but I think she will be, and I am sure I shall like her so much.” “I hope indeed that you will like her, my love; for if your aunt succeeds in the application she is about to make, your governess is likely to prove a very estimable person; but I don’t suppose she ever was beautiful, and she can’t be very young now.” Leila’s countenance fell. “As old as the hills, I reckon,” she ejaculated, in a very low voice. But her papa caught the words: “‘As old as the hills, I _reckon_,’” he repeated; “Leila, from whom have you caught up that phrase?” “From Peggy Dobie,” she replied. “From Peggy Dobie; but, my love, have I not told you that I do not wish you to acquire Peggy Dobie’s mode of expressing yourself? I shall regret my promise of allowing Peggy to remove to Woodlands, if you are to adopt her phrases, and try to imitate her mode of speaking.”