n the house, I can't leave.'

'Has anybody been beating you?'

'Beating! Do I look like a person who gets beatings? No, it is a
madness,' said Joey, putting his hand upon his chest. 'The case is, I am
in love.'

'O Joey, a boy no bigger than you are!' said Picotee reprovingly. Her
personal interest in the passion, however, provoked her to inquire, in
the next breath, 'Who is it? Do tell, Joey.'

'No bigger than I! What hev bigness to do with it? That's just like
your old-fashioned notions. Bigness is no more wanted in courting
nowadays than in soldiering or smoking or any other duty of man. Husbands
is rare; and a promising courter who means business will fetch his price
in these times, big or small, I assure ye. I might have been engaged a
dozen times over as far as the bigness goes. You should see what a
miserable little fellow my rival is afore you talk like that. Now you
know I've got a rival, perhaps you'll own there must be something in it.'

'Yes, that seems like the real thing. But who is the young woman?'

'Well, I don't mind telling you, Picotee. It is Mrs. Doncastle's new
maid. I called to see father last night, and had supper there; and you
should have seen how lovely she were--eating sparrowgrass sideways, as if
she were born to it. But, of course, there's a rival--there always is--I
might have known that, and I will crush him!'

'But Mrs. Doncastle's new maid--if that was she I caught a glimpse of the
other day--is ever so much older than you--a dozen years.'

'What's that to a man in love? Pooh--I wish you would leave me, Picotee;
I wants to be alone.'

A short time after this Picotee was in the company of Ethelberta, and she
took occasion to mention Joey's attachment. Ethelberta grew exceedingly
angry directly she heard of it.

'What a fearful nuisance that boy is becoming,' she said. 'Does father
know anything of this?'

'I think not,' said Picotee. 'O no, he cannot; he would not allow any
such thing to go on; she is so much older than Joey.'

'I should think he wouldn't allow it! The fact is I must be more strict
about this growing friendliness between you all and the Doncastle
servants. There shall be absolutely no intimacy or visiting of any sort.
When father wants to see any of you he must come here, unless there is a
most serious reason for your calling upon him. Some disclosure or
reference to me otherwise than as your mistress, will certainly be made
else, and