Breakfast was over. The traveling carriage of Mount Calm was packed and at the door to convey the newly-married couple to the stage office at Huttontown, whence they were to start for the West. The family party, consisting of Mrs. Garnet, Dr. and Mrs. Hardcastle, and the bride and groom, were grouped for a last leave-taking in the passage, when Miss Joe suddenly appeared among them, in her poke bonnet and brown shawl, with a bandbox in one hand and a basket in the other, and followed by a negro man, bending under the weight of a great trunk. When the little party stared with surprise, she exclaimed: “Well, now, you needn’t look so queer, all of you, cause I couldn’t help of it! I’ve been a-struggling and a-struggling with my feelings, and I couldn’t help of it! I’m gwine long o’ Hugh and Nettie. They’re like my own children, ’cause I took care of them when they were little! And I’m gwine long o’ them. Besides, long as they’re poor, they’ll want somebody to help them work. It aint much I can do now, seeing I’m nigh on to seventy years old. But, leastways, I can mend their clothes, and darn the children’s stockings, and mind the baby, and so on.” There was no time for much argument now; but to all that Mrs. Garnet and the Hardcastles could say to prevail on her to remain at Mount Calm the old lady turned a deaf ear. She was set to go with Hugh and Nettie, because they were like her own children, and because they were poor. “But they are not poor,” said Mrs. Garnet; “and, oh! that reminds me—I have the deed of gift yet,” continued the lady, producing the deed from her pocket, and placing it in the hands of Dr. Hutton. “What is this, madam?” he asked, examining the parchment. “It is merely a dower with your bride,” said the lady. “It is a deed of conveyance, Hugh, investing me with properties to the amount of one-tenth the great Mount Calm estate. Can I take it?” “No, dearest—no, you cannot!” replied Dr. Hutton, pressing her hand; then, turning to the lady, he said: “Mrs. Garnet, we sincerely thank you. This generosity is so like yourself that we are not surprised at it, while we must gratefully decline it.” As no arguments could move Hugh Hutton from his resolution, the effort was at last abandoned. The carriage, into which Miss Joe was packed, drew up nearer to the door. Garnet embraced her friends successively. Hugh Hutton shook hands with them in turn, and handed his bride into the carriage. The steps were put up, the door closed, and the carriage rolled away. * * * * *