ung Jonathan--a cousin of the little Bulls, and a noisy,
overgrown lad--was making a tremendous uproar across the yard, with a
new plaything. Occasionally, when his noise reached the ears of Mr.
Bull, the good gentleman moved impatiently in his chair, and muttered
"Con--found that boy in the stripes, I wish he wouldn't make such a fool
of himself!"

"He'll quarrel with his new toy soon, I know," observed the discreet
Mrs. Bull, "and then he'll begin to knock it about. But we mustn't
expect to find old heads on young shoulders."

"That can't be, ma," said Master C. J. London, who was a sleek,
shining-faced boy.

"And why, then, did you expect to find an old head on Young England's
shoulders?" retorted Mrs. Bull, turning quickly on him.

"I didn't expect to find an old head on Young England's shoulders!"
cried Master C. J. London, putting his left-hand knuckles to his right
eye.

"You didn't expect it, you naughty boy?" said Mrs. Bull.

"No!" whimpered Master C. J. London, "I am sure I never did. Oh, oh,
oh!"

"Don't go on in that way, don't!" said Mrs. Bull, "but behave better in
future. What did you mean by playing with Young England at all?"

"I didn't mean any harm!" cried Master C. J. London, applying, in his
increased distress, the knuckles of his right hand to his right eye, and
the knuckles of his left hand to his left eye.

"I dare say you didn't!" returned Mrs. Bull. "Hadn't you had warning
enough, about playing with candles and candlesticks? How often had you
been told that your poor father's house, long before you were born, was
in danger of being reduced to ashes by candles and candlesticks? And
when Young England and his companions began to put their shirts on, over
their clothes, and to play all sorts of fantastic tricks in them, why
didn't you come and tell your poor father and me, like a dutiful C. J.
London?"

"Because the Rubric--" Master C. J. London was beginning, when Mrs. Bull
took him up short.

"Don't talk to me about the Rubric, or you'll make it worse!" said Mrs.
Bull, shaking her head at him. "Just exactly what the Rubric meant then,
it means now; and just exactly what it didn't mean then, it don't mean
now. You are taught to act, according to the spirit, not the letter; and
you know what its spirit must be, or _you_ wouldn't be. No, C. J.
London!" said Mrs. Bull, emphatically. "If there were any candles or
candlesticks in the spirit of your lesson-book, Master Wiseman would
have