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went straight up stairs, and related his whole history to uncle David, who gave him a very serious exhortation against the foolish and sinful vice of gambling. To keep him in mind of his silly adventure that day, Harry was also desired, during the whole evening, to wear his coat turned inside out, a very frequent punishment administered by Major Graham for small offences, and which was generally felt to be a terrible disgrace.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE UNEXPECTED EVENT.

His shout may ring upon the hill,
His voice be echoed in the hall,
His merry laugh like music trill,
I scarcely notice such things now.

WILLIS.

SOME weeks after Frank had left home, while lady Harriet and Major Graham were absent at Holiday House, Harry and Laura felt surprised to observe, that Mrs. Crabtree suddenly became very grave and silent, her voice seemed to have lost half its loudness,--her countenance looked rather pale, and they both escaped being scolded on several occasions, when Harry himself could not but think he deserved it. Once or twice he ventured to do things that at other times he dared not have attempted, "merely as an experiment," he said, "like that man in the menagerie, who put his head into the lion's mouth, without feeling quite sure whether it would be bit off the next moment or not;" but though Mrs. Crabtree evidently saw all that passed, she turned away with a look of sadness, and said not a word.

What could be the matter? Harry almost wished she would fly into a good passion and scold him, it became so extraordinary and unnatural to see Mrs. Crabtree sitting all day in a corner of the room, sewing in silence, and scarcely looking up from her work; but still the wonder grew, for

she seemed to become worse and worse every day. Harry dressed up the cat in an old cap and frock of Laura's,—he terrified old Jowler by putting him into the shower-bath,and let off a few crackers at the nursery window, but it seemed as if he might have fired a cannon without being scolded by Mrs. Crabtree, who merely turned her head round for a minute, and then silently resumed her work. Laura even fancied that Mrs. Crabtree was once in tears, but that seemed quite impossible, so she thought no more about it, till one morning, when they had begun to despair of ever hearing more about the business, and were whispering together in a corner of the room, observing that she looked duller than ever, they were surprised to hear Mrs. Crabtree calling them both to come near her. She looked very pale, and was beginning to say something, when her voice suddenly became so husky and indistinct, that she seemed unable to proceed; therefore, motioning with her hand for them to go away, she began sewing very rapidly, as she had done before, breaking her threads, and pricking her fingers, at every stitch.

Laura and Harry silently looked at each other with some apprehension, and the nursery now became so perfectly still, that a feather falling on the ground would have been heard. This had continued for some time, when at last Laura upon tiptoe stole quietly up to where Mrs. Crabtree was sitting, and said to her, in a very kind and anxious voice, "I am afraid you are not well, Mrs. Crabtree ! Grandmama will send for a doctor when she comes home. her?"

Shall I ask

"You are very kind, Miss Laura!-never mind me! Your grandmama knows what is the matter. It will be all one a hundred years hence," answered Mrs. Crabtree, in a low husky voice. "This is a thing you will be very glad to hear !—you must prepare to be told some good news!" added she, forcing a laugh, but such a laugh as

Harry and Laura never heard before, for it sounded so much more like sorrow than joy. They waited in great suspense to hear what would follow, but Mrs. Crabtree, after struggling to speak again with composure, suddenly started off her seat, and hurried rapidly out of the room. She appeared no more in the nursery that day, but next morning when they were at breakfast, she entered the room with her face very much covered up in her bonnet, and evidently tried to speak in her usual loud bustling voice, though somehow it still sounded perfectly different from common. "Well, children! Lady Harriet was so kind as to promise that my secret should be kept till I pleased, and that no one should mention it to you but myself. I am going away!"

"You!" exclaimed Harry, looking earnestly in Mrs. Crabtree's face. "Are you going away?"

"Yes, Master Harry,—I leave this house to-day! Now, don't pretend to look sorry! I know you are not! I can't bear children to tell stories. Who would ever be sorry for a cross old woman like me?"

"But perhaps I am sorry! Are you in real earnest going away?" asked Harry again, with renewed astonishment. "On no! it is only a joke!"

"Do I look as if this were a joke?" asked Mrs. Crabtree, turning round her face, which was bathed with tears. "No, no! I am come to bid you both a long farewell. A fine mess you will get into now! All your things going to rack and ruin, with nobody fit to look after them!"

"But, Mrs. Crabtree! we do not like you to go away,' said Laura, kindly. "Why are you leaving us all on a sudden? it is very odd! I never was so surprised in my life!"

"Your papa's orders are come. He wrote me a line some weeks ago, to say that I have been too severe. Perhaps that is all true. I meant it well, and we are poor

S

creatures, who can only act for the best. However, it can't be helped now! There's no use in lamenting over spilt cream. You'll be the better behaved afterwards. If ever you think of me again, children, let it be as kindly as possible. Many and many a time I shall remember you both. I never cared for any young people but yourselves, and I shall never take charge of any others. Master Frank was the best boy in the world, and you would both have been as good under my care,—but it is no matter now!"

"But it does matter a very great deal," cried Harry, eagerly. "You must stay here, Mrs. Crabtree, as long as you live, and a great deal longer! I shall write a letter to papa all about it. We were very troublesome, and it was our own faults if we were punished. Never mind, Mrs. Crabtree, but take off your bonnet and sit down! I am going to do some dreadful mischief to-night, so you will be wanted to keep me in order."

Mrs. Crabtree laid her hand upon Harry's head in silence, and there was something so solemn and serious in her manner, that he saw it would be useless to remonstrate any more. She then held out her hand to Laura, endeavouring to smile as she did so, but it was a vain attempt, for her lip quivered, and she turned away, saying, "Who would ever believe I should make such a fool of myself! Farewell to you both! and let nobody speak ill of me after I am gone, if you can help it!"

Without looking round, Mrs. Crabtree hurried out of the nursery and closed the door, leaving Harry and Laura per. fectly bewildered with astonishment at this sudden event, which seemed more like a dream than a reality. They both felt exceedingly melancholy, hardly able to believe that she had formerly been at all cross, while they stood at the window with tears in their eyes, watching the departure of her well-known blue chest, on a wheel-barrow, and taking a

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