"where are you

bursting into the room, going? take me with you."

"You can't go, child, you are not dress

ed."

"I think," said Charles, as he flung himself out of the room, "to complete the absurdity of the affair, you had better wait till Clara too is dressed, and then you will be in excellent time for the afternoon's service."

"Ellinor, Catherine, do you mean to go to church to-day?" cried the Baronet, "I won't wait another instant."

"Did you ever hear such a riot?" said Ellinor; "a pretty Sunday morning, truly."

"Do, my dear cousin, let me persuade you to go down; it is wrong needlessly to irritate Sir Thomas."

Thus admonished, Ellinor went down stairs, and in a few moments Catherine had the pleasure of seeing her leave the house, accompanied by Sir Thomas, Lady Lennox, and Charles.

Catherine next attempted to hasten the movements of Mrs Lennox; but this lady was so long of deciding which of her gay Cheltenham dresses would most astonish the natives, that it was past twelve o'clock before her dashing equipage rattled down the street, and stopped at the door of the church. But, to Catherine's delight, who was shocked at the idea of disturbing the service by their entrée, the door was closed -not a pew-opener was to be seen-and Mrs Lennox, in high indignation at being thus compelled "to waste her sweetness on the desert air," returned in extreme displeasure to Hope Street.

"Oh," said Ellinor, as soon as she returned, "you can't think how much I rejoiced at the discomfiture of our amiable friend. I heard the carriage drive up about twelve o'clock, and then move off in a few minutes; I was so busy picturing to myself her rage and mortification, that I did not hear one word in ten of the sermon."

"You censured lately," replied Catherine," Mrs Lennox's motives for going to church-are you sure that you employed your own thoughts any better than she would have done?"

"Come now, don't be so precise; let us go down to the sands, and see if there are any people worth looking at."

To the sands they went, but they had walked only a short time when the church bell began to sound.

"Do you mean to go back to church ?" asked Catherine.

"Not I, truly; I hope you don't intend to go? A walk will do you more good than fifty sermons."

"I propose to have both," replied Catherine; "first to church, and then a walk before going home to dinner."

"You are a puritanical, disagreeable creature; your sermons seem to teach you only how to disappoint and plague your friends."

66

Perhaps," said Catherine, as she turn

ed to leave her, "they may teach me to bear with them."

CHAPTER XV.

Delicious is the subtile concert of the slender reed in relating secrets; and love, and musk cannot remain long concealed.

Tales of a Parrot.

WHEN Ellinor was left alone, she began to debate with herself whether to prolong her walk or go home. "I wonder," she said, mentally, "if any of these wretches will be down to-day; they ought, I think, were it only to inquire for Mrs Lennox, though my own private opinion is, they don't care three straws about her; indeed I don't know who does. But I may as well take another turn, in case they should appear. How provoking should they be all sitting in Hope Street. I can't think that either, for I know both papa and Charles are out,