As far as was in their power, her uncle and aunt soothed her in her grief.  But the only real comfort at such a time, is that from Heaven, and Ellen knew not that.  How could she have reposed had she felt the protection of the Everlasting Arms!

But time, though it does not always heal, must assuage the intensity of grief; the first year passed after William’s death, and Ellen felt a wish for other scenes than those where she had been accustomed to see him.  She had now little to which she could look forward.

Her chief amusement was in retiring to the library, and reading old romances, with which its upper shelves were filled; this, under other circumstances, her aunt would have forbidden, but it was a relief to see Ellen interested in any thing, and she appeared not to observe her thus employing herself.

So Ellen gradually returned to the old ways; she studied a little, and assisted her industrious aunt in her numerous occupations.  As of old, her aunt saw her restlessness of disposition, and Ellen felt rebellious and irritable.  With what an unexpected delight, then, did she receive from her aunt’s hands, the letters from Mrs. Weston, inviting her to come at once to Exeter, and then to accompany them to Washington.  She, without any difficulty, obtained the necessary permission, and joyfully wrote to Mrs. Weston, how gladly she would accept the kind invitation.

CHAPTER XIX.

There was an ancient enmity between Jupiter and Bacchus.  While the former was always quiet when Phillis came to see his mistress during her life, Bacchus never went near him without his displaying symptoms of the greatest irritation; his back was invariably raised, and his claws spread out ready for an attack on the slightest provocation.  Phillis found it impossible to induce the cat to remain away from Aunt Peggy’s house; he would stand on the door-step, and make the most appalling noises, fly into the windows, scratch against the panes, and if any children approached him to try and coax him away, he would fly at them, sending them off in a disabled condition.  Phillis was obliged to go backward and forward putting him into the house and letting him out again.  This was a good deal of trouble, and his savage mood continuing, the servants were unwilling to pass him, declaring he was a good deal worse than Aunt Peggy had ever been.  Finally, a superstitious feeling got among them, that he was connected in some way with his dead mistress, and a thousand absurd stories were raised in consequence.  Mr. Weston told Bacchus that he was so fierce that he might do some real mischief, so that he had better be caught and drowned.  The catching was a matter of some moment, but Phillis seduced him into a bag by putting a piece of meat inside and then dexterously catching up the bag and drawing the string.  It was impossible to hold him in, so Bacchus fastened the bag to the wheelbarrow, and after a good deal of