s the difference between ideality and the want of it.

The Daytons are a large, easy-natured, joyous race, hospitable, kindly,
and friendly.

Nothing about their establishment is much above mediocrity. The grounds
are tolerably kept, the table is tolerably fair, the servants moderately
good, and the family character and attainments of the same average
level.

Mrs. Dayton is a decent housekeeper, and so her bread be not sour, her
butter not frowy, the food abundant, and the table-cloth and dishes
clean, she troubles her head little with the niceties and refinements of
the _menage_.

She accepts her children as they come from the hand of Nature, simply
opening her eyes to discern what they _are_, never raising the query
what she would have had them,--forming no very high expectations
concerning them, and well content with whatever develops.

A visitor in the family can easily see a thousand defects in the conduct
of affairs, in the management of the children, and in this, that, and
the other portion of the household arrangements; but he can see and
feel, also, a perfect comfortableness in the domestic atmosphere that
almost atones for any defects. He can see that in a thousand respects
things might be better done, if the family were not perfectly content to
have them as they are, and that each individual member might make higher
attainments in various directions, were there not such entire
satisfaction with what is already attained.

Trying each other by very moderate standards and measurements, there is
great mutual complacency. The oldest boy does not get an appointment in
college,--they never expected he would; but he was a respectable
scholar, and they receive him with acclamations such as another family
would bestow on a valedictorian. The daughters do not profess, as we are
told, to draw like artists, but some very moderate performances in the
line of the fine arts are dwelt on with much innocent pleasure. They
thrum a few tunes on the piano, and the whole family listen and approve.
All unite in singing in a somewhat discordant and uncultured manner a
few psalm-tunes or songs, and take more comfort in them than many
amateurs do in their well-drilled performances.

So goes the world with the Daytons; and when you visit them, if you
often feel that you could ask more and suggest much improvement, yet you
cannot help enjoying the quiet satisfaction which breathes around you.

Now right across the way from the