"But it seems to me, sister," he added, after a moment's pause, " that you show a great deal of courage in undertaking the charge of three such children, in making the tour of Europe. should think your own two children would be charge enough for you."

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I

"That is just it," said Mrs. Morelle. They are too much of a charge, and so I want Grimkie to go with us to help me take care of them."

Mr. Jay made no farther objection, and so it was arranged that Grimkie should go.

Mr. Jay made it a condition, however, that Grimkie should have all the charge of the baggage and of the accounts during the tour, so as to learn to do such business properly.

Grimkie was, of course, greatly pleased when he heard of the plan which had thus been formed for him, and it was determined that the very next Saturday the whole party should go to New York and take passage in the Cunard line of steamers. It was necessary for Grimkie to go, for this was a part of the business which he was bound to attend to, according to the arrangement. Grimkie wished that Mrs. Morelle should go, in order that she might choose the staterooms which the party were to occupy, and Florence and John must go for the pleasure of being of the party.

"Besides," said Florence, "we want to go on board the ship and see the staterooms."

"Ah! but we are not going on board the ship," replied Grimkie: "we are only going to the office."

"Then how is mother going to choose the staterooms that we are to have," said Florence, "if she does not see them."

"She will see a plan of them," said Grimkie. "They have plans of all the ships at the office, with the plans and shapes of all the staterooms laid down upon them."

"Ho!" said John, in a tone of disappointment; "I don't care any thing about seeing a plan. Nevertheless," he added, after a moment's pause, "I should like to go."

So it was agreed that they should all go together.

It was necessary to go immediately, too; for the berths and staterooms in the Atlantic steamers are usually engaged long beforehand. Mrs. Morelle asked Grimkie to inquire which was the best steamer in the Cunard line; for as the precise time of their sailing was not material, they could go a little sooner or later, for the sake of having one of the best ships.

Grimkie accordingly inquired, and he learned that the Persia was the largest of the ships,

though in other respects they were all nearly equally good. Mrs. Morelle accordingly determined to take passage in the Persia, provided she found that that ship was going at any time near the first of June.

Accordingly, on the first Saturday morning after it was concluded that Grimkie should go, the whole party-set out together to go to New York to engage the passages. They went down by the railroad, and arrived at the Chambersstreet station about ten o'clock.

"This is just right," said Grimkie. office opens at ten, I suppose."

“The

So Grimkie selected a nice looking carriage from among those that were standing at the station, and after assisting his aunt and his cousins to enter it, and also getting in himself, he directed the coachman to drive to the office of the Cunard Company. The office was situated at the foot of Broadway, opposite the lower end of the Bowling Green.

They all descended from the carriage, and went up the steps which led to the office. On entering it they found a large room, in the front part of which was a counter with a desk at one end of it, and on the counter were lying one or two immense books containing plans. The books were about a yard long, and perhaps two feet

wide, and each leaf contained a plan. plan. The leaves were very stiff, as if the plans had been pasted upon sheets of pasteboard, in order that they might be turned over easily, and also to protect them from injury by constant handling.

In the back part of the room were other desks, where several clerks were engaged in writing.

Grimkie accosted the clerk who stood at the desk near the counter, saying,

"We came, sir, to engage passages in one of your ships."

The clerk bowed politely to Mrs. Morelle, and after some conversation in respect to the time when she wished to sail, and the steamer which she preferred, he looked into his books, and found that the Persia would be coming to America, instead of going to Europe, about the first of June; also that the ship which would sail from New York nearest to that time, namely, on the 23d of May, was full. All the staterooms were engaged. There were, however, some excellent staterooms at liberty in the Boston steamer, which sailed on the following week, namely, the 30th of May.

And here, perhaps, it is necessary to explain that there are two branches to the Cunard line of steamers, one of which connects Liverpool with Boston, and the other with New York. A

ship of each line sails alternately from Boston. and New York-one week from Boston, and the next from New York.

As soon as Grimkie heard that there were good staterooms disengaged in the Boston steamer of the 30th of May, his eye brightened up at once, and he proposed that they should go that

way.

"But that will make us an extra journey from here to Boston," said Mrs. Morelle.

"Yes, Auntie," said Grimkie, "that is just the thing. We shall have the journey to Boston into the bargain, and without paying anything for it, for the price is less from Boston, and a good deal more than enough less to pay the expenses of going."

"Yes, mother," said Florence, "let us go that way."

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'Besides," said Grimkie, "the Boston steamers touch at Halifax, into the bargain."

"Is that so?" said Mrs. Morelle, turning to the clerk.

"Yes, madam," said the clerk, smiling; "but I think the passengers do not usually consider the touching at Halifax any special advantage in favor of the Bost on line."

"Why? Does not the ship stop long enough for them to go on shore ?" asked Mrs. Morelle.