ously towards the end of them. The very
gardener at the Rowlands' seemed to bestir himself with unusual alacrity
to put the garden into spring trim; and the cook and housemaid might be
seen over the hedge, walking arm-in-arm on the gravel-walks, smelling at
the mezereon, and admiring Miss Anna's border of yellow crocuses, as the
gardener said, as much as if they had been fine plants out of a
conservatory. The birds themselves seemed to begin their twittering in
the trees, and the cows their lowing in the meadow, from the hour that
Mrs Rowland went away. In other words, there were many whom that event
left free and at ease to observe the harmonies of nature, who were
usually compelled to observe only the lady, and the discords of her
household.

It was only the second day after the departure of the family that
Margaret took her seat in the offered corner of Maria's parlour. She
laid down her book, and took up her work, when the question arose, which
has probably interested all intelligent school-girls for many a year--
What made so many Athenians,--so many, that there must have been some
wise and good men among them,--treat such a person as Socrates in the
way they did? Margaret was quite occupied in admiring the sort of
Socratic method, with which Maria drew out from the minds of her pupils
some of the difficult philosophy of Opinion, and the liberality with
which she allowed for the distress of heathen moralists at having the
sanction of Custom broken up. Margaret was thus quite occupied with the
delight of seeing a great subject skilfully let down into young minds,
and the others were no less busy with the subject itself, when Mary
started, and said it made her jump to see Sydney bring Fairy close up to
the window. Fanny imperiously bade her mind what she was about, and let
Sydney alone: but yet, in a minute or two, Fanny's own eyes were
detected wandering into the yard where Sydney still remained. "He is
getting Fairy shod," she said in a soliloquising tone. Every one
laughed,--the idea of shoeing a fairy was so ridiculous!--and some
witticisms, about Bottom the Weaver, and his ass's head, were sported.
It was evident that Socrates had no more chance this day, and Maria
changed the subject.

"Sydney looks very much as if he wanted to come in," observed Mary.

Sydney did particularly wish to come in; but he saw that cousin Margaret
was there: and he had felt an unconquerable awe of cousin Margaret ever
sin