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t loved； the most trusted from childhood。 After the first eager moments of greeting are over； and the first hurried questions have been answered； he looks about him。 Has not the dear old cottage shrunk to a very nut…shell？ He opens the door of the school…room； there are its two benches； and its humble official desk； as of old； he looks into the little parlour； and smiles to think of the respect he felt in his childish days for Miss Patsey's drawing…room： many a gilded gallery； many a brilliant saloon has he since entered as a sight…seer； with a more careless step。 He goes out on the porch； is it possible that is the garden？why it is no larger than a table…cloth！he should have thought the beds he had so often weeded could not be so small： and the door…yard； one can shake hands across it！ And there is Wyllys…Roof； half hid by treeshe used to admire it as a most venerable pile； in reality it is only a plain； respectable country…house： as the home of the Wyllyses； however； it must always be an honoured spot to him。 Colonnade Manor toohe laughs！ There are some buildings that seem； at first sight； to excite to irresistible merriment； they belong to what may he called the 〃ridiculous order〃 of architecture； and consist generally of caricatures on noble Greek models； Mr。 Taylor's elegant mansion had； undeniably； a claim to a conspicuous place among the number。 Charlie looks with a painter's eye at the country； the scenery is of the simplest kind； yet beautiful； as inanimate nature； sinless nature； must ever be under all her varieties： he casts a glance upward at the sky； bright and blue as that of Italy； how often has he studied the heavens from that very spot！ The trees are rich in their summer verdure； the meadows are fragrant with clover； and through Mr。 Wyllys's woods there is a glimpse of the broad river； gilded by the evening sun。 It is a pleasing scene； a happy moment； it is the first landscape he ever painted； and it is home。
Then Charlie returns to his mother； he sits by her side； she takes his hand in her withered fingers； she rests her feeble sight on his bright face； while Miss Patsey is preparing all the dainties in the house for supper。
〃Well； little one； what is your name？〃 said Charlie； as the black child passed him with a load of good things。
〃Judy； sir；〃 said the little girl； with a curtsey； and a half…frightened look at Charlie's face； for the young artist had chosen to return with moustaches； whether he thought it professional or becoming； we cannot say。
〃We shall be good friends I hope； Judy； if you mind my sister better than you ever did anybody else in your life； perhaps I shall find some sugar…plums for you；〃 said Charlie； pleased to see a black face again。
Mrs。 Hubbard remarked that； upon the whole； Judy was a pretty good girl； and the child grinned； until two deep dimples were to be seen in her shining dark cheeks； and the dozen little non…descript braids which projected from her head in different directions； seemed to stand on end with delight。
〃And so Mr。 Wyllys and the ladies are not at home。 I wish I had known of their being in New…York； I might at least have seen them for a moment； yesterday。〃
〃I wonder Mrs。 Hilson did not mention their being in town。〃
〃Julianna never knows what she is talking about。 But I am glad to hear good accounts of them all。〃
〃Yes； Miss Wyllys has come home from the West…Indies； much better。〃
〃Is it really true that Miss Elinor is going to be married shortly？〃
〃Well； I can't say whether the story is true or not。 She seems to have many admirers now she has become an heiress。〃
〃But I don't understand how she comes to be such a fortune。〃
｛〃a fortune〃 = short for a woman of fortune； an heiress｝
〃I don't understand it myself； Mr。 Clapp can tell you all about it。 You know most people are a great deal richer now than they were a few years ago。 I heard some one say the other day； that my old pupil's property in Longbridge； is worth three times as much now； as it was a short time since。〃
〃Is it possible Longbridge has improved so much？〃
〃And then your old play…fellow has had two legacies from relations of her mother's； everybody in the neighbourhood is talking of her good…luck； and saying what a fortune she will turn out。 I only hope she will be happy； and not be thrown away upon some one unworthy of her； like her poor cousin； for it seems young Mr。 Taylor is very dissipated。〃
Charlie probably sympathized with this remark； though he made no reply。
〃Mr。 and Mrs。 Tallman Taylor are in New…York now； I hear； just come from New…Orleans。 The family from Wyllys…Roof have gone over to see them；〃 added Miss Patsey。
〃Yes； so I understand。 They will be here before long； I suppose。〃
〃Not immediately； for they are all going to Saratoga together。 Dr。 Van Horne thought Miss Wyllys had better pass two or three weeks at the Springs。〃
〃That is fortunate for meI shall see them the sooner； for I must be at Lake George before the first of July。 I have an order for three views of the Lake； which I have promised to send to England early in the fall。〃
Here Charlie entered into some details of his affairs； very interesting to his mother and sister； and they seemed to be in a very satisfactory condition； according to his own modest views。 After a while the conversation again returned to their Longbridge friends。
〃Did you know that Mr。 Hazlehurst is coming home too； this summer？〃 asked Miss Patsey。
〃Yes； he wrote me word he hoped we should meet before long。 How did that affair with Mrs。 Creighton turn out？〃
〃We did bear they were engaged； but it could not have been true； for the lady has been in Philadelphia； and he in Brazil； for some time； you know。 I used to ask about such matters once in a while； on purpose to write you word。 But I had no great opportunity of hearing much about Mr。 Hazlehurst； for after that unhappy business at Wyllys…Roof； there was； of course； a great coolness； for some time I never heard his name mentioned there； and Mr。 Wyllys seldom speaks of him now。〃
〃Are they not reconciled； then？〃
〃Not entirely； I am afraid； but you know they have not met for three years。〃
〃I shall hardly know myself at Wyllys…Roof； without seeing Mr。 Hazlehurst and Miss Graham there。〃
〃You will find a great change in that respect。 Mrs。 Taylor has not been here since her marriage； Miss Van Alstyne seems to have taken her place； she is a very pleasant young lady。 When the family is at home now； there seems often to be some strange gentleman with them。〃
〃Fortune…hunters； I suppose；〃 said Charlie； with some indignation。 〃Well； the course of true love never has； and never will run quite as it ought； I suppose。 And how do all the Longbridge people come on？How is Uncle Josie？〃
〃Very well； indeed； just as good as ever to us。 You must go to see him to…morrow。〃
〃Certainly；and what is Uncle Dozie about？〃
〃At work in the vegetable…garden； as usual。 He sent me a fine basket of salad； and radishes； and onions； this morning。〃
〃Clapp has got into a new house I see。〃
〃Yes； he is in very good business； I believe； you saw Catherine； you say？〃
〃Yes； for a minute only。 I ran in to kiss Kate and the children； while they were harnessing a horse for me at the tavern。 Kate looks very well herself。 The children didn't remember much of Uncle Charlie； but they are pretty； healthy little things； nevertheless。〃
The grandmother assented to the commendation of her daughter's family； she thought them remarkably fine children。 〃Catherine was a very fortunate woman；〃 she said； 〃Mr。 Clapp was a very superior man； so very clever that he must do well； and the children were all healthythey had gone through the measles wonderfully； that spring。〃
Charlie had not quite as elevated an opinion of his brother…in…law as the females of the family； he allowed his mother's remark to pass unnoticed； however。
〃And so Mr。 Taylor has given up Colonnade Manor；〃 he continued。
〃Yes； he has just sold it to Mr。 de Vaux； a friend of Mr。 Wyllys；〃 replied Miss Patsey。
〃Why did he sell it； pray？〃
〃Well； the young ladies liked better to live about at hotels and boarding…houses in the summer； I believe； they thought it was too dull at Longbridge。 Mr。 Taylor didn't care much for the place： you know there are some people； who； as soon as they have built a house； and got everything in nice order； want to sell； it seems as if they did not care to be comfortable； but I suppose it is only because they are so fond of change。〃
We may as well observe； by way of parenthesis； that this fancy of getting rid of a place as soon as it is in fine order； would probably never occur to any man but an American； and an American of the particular variety to which Mr。 Taylor belonged。
〃I don't wonder at his wanting to get rid of the house； but the situation and the neighbourhood might have satisfied him； I think；〃 said Charlie； as he accepted Miss Patsey's invitation to eat the nice supper she had prepared for him。
As he took his seat at the table； Mrs。 Hubbard observed； that he probably had not seen such short…cake as Patsey made； in Rometo which Charlie assented warmly。 He had wished one evening； in Florence； he said； for some of his sister's short…cake； and a good cup of tea of he