alls, each of which is devoted
to some special department of art.

It was the plan of our party to go and see the museum on the day after
their visit to Pompeii,--or rather to begin to see it; for it requires a
great deal more than one day even to walk cursorily through the rooms.

On the morning of the day in question, Mrs. Gray said to Mr. George, at
breakfast, that she had a plan to propose.

"What is it?" asked Mr. George.

"I am afraid that you will not think it very polite in me to propose
it," said Mrs. Gray, "but it is this: that when we get into the museum,
we should divide into two parties. Let Rollo go with me and the
children, while you join your friends the students, and accompany them.
Then we can go through the rooms in our way, and you can go in yours."

Mr. George hesitated. For a moment he seemed not to know what to reply
to this proposal.

"The reason is," said Mrs. Gray, "that the objects which you and the
students will have in view in the visit, may very likely be different
from ours. You will want to study the antiquities, and the old Latin and
Greek inscriptions, and the monuments illustrating ancient history; but
we should not understand such things. We shall be interested in the
paintings, and the rings, and jewels, and ornaments found in Pompeii,
and in the household implements and utensils."

"But we shall want to see all those things, too," said Mr. George.

"True," replied Mrs. Gray; "but you will not wish to devote so great a
portion of time to them. You will wish to devote most of your time to
the learned things, and will pass rapidly over the pretty things and the
curious things, while with us it will be just the other way."

"Yes, uncle George," said Rollo, "that will be the best plan. Josie and
I can take care of Mrs. Gray, and you can go where you please."

Mr. George seemed at first quite unwilling to accept this proposal. He
said he would go with Mrs. Gray to any part of the museum that she
pleased, and remain there with her as long as she desired; and that, far
from being any inconvenience to him to do so, it would be a pleasure.
But Mrs. Gray said that it was on her account more than on his, that she
made the proposal.

"Because," said she, "if you are with us I shall be thinking all the
time that perhaps it would be better for you to be somewhere else;
whereas, with Rollo and the children, I can stroll about wherever I
please."

In this view of the case, Mr. George c