ptance. Arthur was to be out of town, but Will was to go in his
place. They went, and enjoyed it well; indeed, it was very enjoyable.

Mrs Gridley was a serious person, said her friends, and some, who had
no claim to the title said the same--the tone and manner making all the
difference in the sense of the declaration. She would not for much,
have been guilty of giving dancing or card parties in her own house,
though by some mysterious process of reasoning, she had convinced
herself that she could quite innocently make one of such parties in the
houses of other people. So there was only music and conversation, and a
simple game or two for the very young people. Graeme and Rosie, and
Will too, enjoyed it well. Harry professed to have been bored.

Out of these parties sprang others. Graeme hardly knew how it happened,
but the number of their acquaintances greatly increased about this time.
Perhaps it was partly owing to the new partnership entered into by
Arthur, with the long-established firm of Black & Company. They
certainly owed to this, the sight of several fine carriages at their
door, and of several pretty cards in their receiver. Invitations came
thick and fast, until an entire change came over their manner of life.
Regular reading was interfered with or neglected. Household matters
must have fallen into confusion, if Nelly had not proved herself equal
to all emergencies. The long quiet evening at home became the
exception. They went out, or some one came in, or there was a lecture
or concert, or when the sleighing became good a drive by moonlight.
There were skating parties, and snow-shoeing parties, enough to tire the
strongest; and there was no leisure, no quiet time.

Graeme was not long in becoming dissatisfied with this changed,
unsettled life. The novelty soon wore off for her, and she became
painfully conscious of the attendant evils. Sadly disinclined herself
to engage in any serious occupation, she could not but see that with her
sister it was even worse. Rose enjoyed all these gay doings much more,
and in a way quite different from her; and the succeeding lassitude and
depression were proportionably greater. Indeed, lassitude and
depression were quite too gentle terms to apply to the child's
sensations, and her disinclination to occupation sometimes manifested
itself in an unmistakable approach to peevishness, unless, indeed, the
party of the evening was to be followed by the excursion