She held the letters open in her hand, having already given them a cursory examination lest there should be some little confidence intended for none but "mother's" eye.
"Papa," she said, looking up half tearfully, half smilingly at him as he stood at her side, "the deed is indeed done, and another claims my first-born darling as his own." "You have not lost her, Elsie dearest, but have gained a son; and I trust we shall have them both with us ere long," he responded, bending down to touch his lips to the brow still as smooth and fair as in the days of her girlhood.
"Poor dear Elsie! how she must have missed and longed for you, dearest mamma!" Violet sighed, kneeling close to her mother's chair and putting her arms around her.
"What is it?
all about Elsie's wedding ?" asked Herbert.

"Please let us hear it, mamma.

The telegram told nothing but the hour when it was to be, and I was so surprised, for I never understood that that was what she went away for." "Nor I," said Harold; "though I suppose it was very stupid in us not to understand." "Who did get married with my sister Elsie, mamma ?" asked little Walter.
"Mr.Leland, my son." "But I thought he was most dead," remarked Rosie in surprise.
"He has been very ill," her mother said, "but is improving fast, though not yet able to sit up." Rosie, opening her eyes wide in astonishment, was beginning another question when Harold stopped her.
"Wait, Rosie, don't you see mamma is going to read the letters?
They will tell us all about it, I presume." "I shall read Edward's first, it gives a very minute account of what they have done since he wrote us last, just after their arrival in Rome," the mother said.

"He is a good boy to take the trouble to tell us everything in detail; is he not, papa ?" "Yes," Mr.Dinsmore assented, seating himself by her side and taking Rosie upon one knee, Walter on the other; "and so good a mother richly deserves good, thoughtful sons and daughters, ever ready to do all in their power to promote her happiness, or afford her pleasure.

Does she not, children ?" "Yes, grandpa, indeed she does!" they replied in chorus.
Her sweet soft eyes glistened with happy tears as she sent a loving glance round the little circle; then all becoming perfectly quiet and attentive, she began to read.
Edward's first item of news was that the marriage had just taken place; the next that Lester's health was steadily improving.