is sweet and happy." Katherine's father, overjoyed to see this
reformation in his daughter, said, "Now, fair befall thee, son
Petruchio! you have won the wager, and I will add another twenty
thousand crowns to her dowry, as if she were another daughter, for
she is changed as if she had never been." "Nay," said Petruchio, "I
will win the wager better yet, and shew more signs of her new-built
virtue and obedience." Katherine now entering with the two ladies,
he continued, "See where she comes, and brings your froward wives as
prisoners to her womanly persuasion. Katherine, that cap of yours
does not become you; off with that bauble, and throw it under foot."
Katherine instantly took off her cap, and threw it down. "Lord!" said
Hortensio's wife, "may I never have a cause to sigh till I am brought
to such a silly pass!" And Bianca, she too said, "Fie, what foolish
duty call you this!" On this Bianca's husband said to her, "I wish
your duty were as foolish too! The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca,
has cost me an hundred crowns since dinner-time." "The more fool you,"
said Bianca, "for laying on my duty." "Katherine," said Petruchio,
"I charge you tell these headstrong women what duty they owe their
lords and husbands." And to the wonder of all present, the reformed
shrewish lady spoke as eloquently in praise of the wife-like duty of
obedience, as she had practised it implicitly in a ready submission
to Petruchio's will. And Katherine once more became famous in Padua,
not as heretofore, as Katherine the Shrew, but as Katherine the most
obedient and duteous wife in Padua.

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS

(_By Mary Lamb_)

The states of Syracuse and Ephesus being at variance, there was a
cruel law made at Ephesus, ordaining that if any merchant of Syracuse
was seen in the city of Ephesus, he was to be put to death, unless he
could pay a thousand marks for the ransom of his life.

AEgeon, an old merchant of Syracuse, was discovered in the streets of
Ephesus, and brought before the duke, either to pay this heavy fine,
or to receive sentence of death.

AEgeon had no money to pay the fine, and the duke, before he pronounced
the sentence of death upon him, desired him to relate the history of
his life, and to tell for what cause he had ventured to come to the
city of Ephesus, which it was death for any Syracusan merchant to
enter.

AEgeon said, that he did not fear to die, for sorrow had made him weary
of his life, but that