in cold weather. You will have to borrow Kate's thick flannel gown. You
should have my quilted silk one, but in such a great thickness of
material one's arms do not feel quite free to help an invalid, or shake
up a bed."

"Here it is, Ella," rejoined Kate; "and I have brought you my thick
bedroom slippers, too. They are not so elegant as your Turkish ones, but
they are much warmer. Be sure you keep them by the side of your bed, so
that you can slip them on directly if you are called up suddenly. You
know you take cold so easily, and it would be so awkward if you had one
of your bad throats at Hapsleigh."

Mrs. Hastings felt very anxious about her daughter, called upon so
suddenly to take up such important and unexpected duties, and gave her a
great deal of loving counsel.

"You will have to manage to get up earlier, dear child," she said. "You
know Aunt Mary's servants are always rather inclined to go their own
way, and they may perhaps try to take advantage of her illness to keep
irregular hours and slight their work; and you must remember that you
will be responsible for good order in the house, and that is impossible
unless all the household are regular and punctual in beginning their
day's work at the proper time. I will let you have my little clock, and
you can set the alarum at whatever time you wish to get up."

"Yes; I really am going to turn over a new leaf about that; but you
know, mother, I shall feel more obliged to get up now when I am
responsible for things going right. Oh, dear! what a dreadful thought! I
am sure I shall never manage. Why, I can't cook, and I can't keep
accounts, and I have no idea how many pounds of meat people want for