the pocket of the
worthy woman, and went to her at once; and the others distributed
themselves according to their several likings.

"Well," said Peggy, "I've often thought to ask you before, Mrs.
Hogarth, but how are you going to educate your lassies? What are you
going to do with them? and you favour lassies in both families--two to
one in each of them."

"Very much as we were educated ourselves," said Jane; "with more care
taken for the cultivation of their natural tastes, but the groundwork
will be the same."

"That education has certainly turned out admirable wives," said Francis.

"Speak for yourself, Frank," said Brandon; "but my wife spoils me, and
everybody in the house. There is a sad want of vinegar in her
composition. She cannot scold her servants--the mildest approach to it
that she ever makes is by saying, 'Mr. Brandon does not like such a
thing,' or that 'Mr. Brandon would be displeased if they do not attend
to such another.' The idea of making a bugbear of me is very ingenious,
but I fear not very efficacious, for I know they see through it. As for
me, a penitent recollection of a conversation in an English railway
carriage has stopped her mouth for ever, and she never gives me a hard
word, however I may deserve it; and for the children, the less we say
of them the better."

"But, Walter, I can keep my servants, and they really do very well; and
the children are good enough, and so are you; so there is no need to
scold."

"That is where the dangerous part of this subtle flattery lies; it is
so perfectly sincere. But I suppose we get along pretty well,
considering, as Mrs. Grant would say; and I really think her household
would be more comfortable if she took a leaf out of my wife's book. Her
servants will not stay three months with her, and she has three of the
most spoiled, exacting children I ever saw--far worse than their
cousins at Wiriwilta were in their worst days. The Phillipses had
spirit, but the Grants have none, except perhaps the spirit of
discontent. I think we might do worse, Peggy, than educate our girls to
resemble their mothers."

"But," said Jane, "we must make some provision for them also, if we
can. I suppose that I could have got on as well as you, Francis, if I
had been a man."

"Yes, there is nothing I have done that you could not have done as
well. I have as much perseverance as you, but not so much energy. It is
likely you would have made a better figure in the world t