rs. James returned to her study, her
watch told her that _half_ her portion had gone. Quietly resuming her
work, she was endeavoring to mend her broken train of thought, when
heavier steps were heard in the hall, and the fastened door was once
more besieged. Now, Mr. James must be admitted.

"Mary," said he, "cannot you come and sew a string on for me? I do
believe there is not a bosom in my drawer in order, and I am in a great
hurry. I ought to have been down town an hour ago."

The schedule was thrown aside, the workbasket taken, and Mrs. James
followed him. She soon sewed on the tape, but then a button needed
fastening--and at last a rip in his glove, was to be mended. As Mrs.
James stitched away on the glove, a smile lurked in the corners of her
mouth, which her husband observed.

"What are you laughing at?" asked he.

"To think how famously your plan works."

"I declare!" said he, "is this your study hour? I am sorry, but what can
a man do? He cannot go down town without a shirt bosom!"

"Certainly not," said his wife, quietly.

When her liege lord was fairly equipped and off, Mrs. James returned to
her room. A half an hour yet remained to her, and of this she
determined to make the most. But scarcely had she resumed her pen, when
there was another disturbance in the entry. Amy had returned from
walking out with the baby, and she entered the nursery with him, that
she might get him to sleep. Now it happened that the only room in the
house which Mrs. James could have to herself with a fire, was the one
adjoining the nursery. She had become so accustomed to the ordinary
noise of the children, that it did not disturb her; but the very
extraordinary noise which master Charley sometimes felt called upon to
make, when he was fairly on his back in the cradle, did disturb the
unity of her thoughts. The words which she was reading rose and fell
with the screams and lulls of the child, and she felt obliged to close
her book, until the storm was over. When quiet was restored in the
cradle, the children came in from sliding, crying with cold fingers--and
just as she was going to them, the dinner-bell rang.

"How did your new plan work this morning?" inquired Mr. James.

"Famously," was the reply, "I read about seventy pages of German, and as
many more in French."

"I am sure _I_ did not hinder you long."

"No--yours was only one of a dozen interruptions."

"O, well! you must not get discouraged. Nothing succeeds