rtions. Then Augusta put aside her
sewing, and standing among her children, cut them beef and bread, and
poured into the christening cups of each child its measure of milk;
while they talked gaily to her of their lessons and their play. One
little girl showed her the medal on her breast, and received a smile
and pat on her curly head for the honor; and a little lad of ten years
old shyly exhibited a tear in his jacket, which he had got in a fight
about his skates. The mother heard what he had to say, and looked
gravely at him. "Did you whip Gustav Bok for changing your skates?"
she asked. "Not to-day, mother; but I will whip him to-morrow." "After
that I will mend your coat," she answered. "You must, of course,
punish him, Adrian." The little dialogue was a matter only for Adrian
and his mother, the other children took no part in it. The whole scene
was one of unconscious beauty, and Adriana thought she had never
beheld anything fairer than Augusta among her children, with the loaf
of bread or the pitcher of milk in her hands. So confidently were the
little faces lifted to her; while her countenance--large, fair, and
benignant--looked a blessing into each.

Suddenly, as Adriana watched her, she remembered her cousin's message,
and gave it. Augusta listened to the proposed plan of the new society
with patience, but without a shadow of interest; and when Adriana
ceased speaking, she waved her hands slightly, and answered:

"You see for yourself. I have my children, and my house, and my good
John Van Nostrand to look after. With my cleaning, and my baking, and
my sewing, and my cooking, these hands are full. Shall I neglect one
duty, which is my own duty, to do another duty I know not who for? No.
I will not do that. It is very well for Miss Van Hoosen, who has no
duties such as I have, to look after the poor Dutch women and
children, and the stranger Dutch who come here and who have no
friends. I say it is right for Miss Van Hoosen, and for you also,
Adriana, if you are not going to marry yourself to some good man. What
for do you not marry yourself?"

"Good men are now scarce, Augusta."

"It is now, as it ever was, and always will be; good and bad men, and
good and bad women, and as many good as bad. In our family, it is so,
is it not? Theodore got himself a very good wife, and I have got
myself a very good husband."

"But what of Gertrude?"

"Gertrude does very well. She does not see more faults than she can
hel