It was nearly the middle of October, when Ada finally left us for Mobile, accompanied by Mr. Delafield, who, in bidding us good-bye, said we need not be surprised if he did not return in several weeks. I consider it to be my misfortune that my face generally betrays all I feel, and with his physiognomic powers he could not fail to see the effect which his words produced upon me, for well I knew how lonely Cedar Grove would be without him; and when after he was gone, little Jessie climbed into my lap, and laying her head upon my shoulder wished “Uncle Dick never would go away,” I mentally responded to the wish. The whole household seemed more or less affected; Mrs. Lansing was cross; Lina careless; Halbert fretful; and Jessie unhappy—while I began to be haunted with my old project of returning home; and I should, perhaps, have proposed it to Mrs. Lansing, had it not been that, at the close of the fifth day, we were greatly surprised at Mr. Delafield’s unexpected return. He didn’t like Mobile, he said, and would much rather be at home. Numerous were the questions asked by Mrs. Lansing concerning Ada and the pain in her side, which last, Mr. Delafield said, had left her entirely, owing, he believed, to the timely application of the blister. He was deceived, I thought, and I must confess to a slight feeling of gratification at an occurrence which thoroughly convinced him of his mistake. One night, a few days after his return, old Hagar, his head cook, came over to Cedar Grove, groaning with rheumatism, which she termed “a misery in her back.” Lina, to whom her complaints were made, listened a while, and then opening an old paper-box which stood under the table, drew forth a _plaster_, which she said she “had done found in Miss Ada’s room, on t’other side the fire-board, oncet when she was clarin’ the fire-place.” As Ada was gone she thought there was no harm in appropriating it to herself, which she accordingly did, laying it carefully away until it should be needed. The recital of Hagar’s aches and pains reminded her of it, so she urged it upon the old negress, assuring her it must be good, or white folks would never use it! With many thanks Hagar hobbled home, applied her plaster, and went to bed! But, alas! for the expected relief, which came only in burning sensations and stinging pains, eliciting many a groan from the poor old lady, who heroically bore it until morning, when she found herself unable to perform her accustomed duties. For a long time Mr. Delafield waited for his breakfast, which was at last served up by Hagar’s daughter, who gave such a deplorable account of her mother’s condition that the moment breakfast was over he went himself to the cabin, where he found the old lady moaning over her blistered back, which she said, “was a heap harder to bar than the rheumatics.”