in tremor, confusion, and tears. It was true, she herself had shed a tear
or so, but then her troubles had been accumulating for several days; and
she had not felt confused yet.

When Miss Belinda went down-stairs to superintend Mary Anne in the
tea-making, and left her guest alone, that young person glanced about her
with a rather dubious expression.

"It is a queer, nice little place," she said. "But I don't wonder that pa
emigrated, if they always get into such a flurry about little things. I
might have been a ghost."

Then she proceeded to unlock the big trunk, and attire herself.

Down-stairs, Miss Belinda was wavering between the kitchen and the
parlor, in a kindly flutter.

"Toast some muffins, Mary Anne, and bring in the cold roast fowl," she
said. "And I will put out some strawberry-jam, and some of the preserved
ginger. Dear me! Just to think how fond of preserved ginger poor Martin
was, and how little of it he was allowed to eat! There really seems a
special Providence in my having such a nice stock of it in the house when
his daughter comes home."

In the course of half an hour every thing was in readiness; and then Mary
Anne, who had been sent up-stairs to announce the fact, came down in a
most remarkable state of delighted agitation, suppressed ecstasy and
amazement exclaiming aloud in every feature.

"She's dressed, mum," she announced, "an' 'll be down immediate," and