pply some corrective that will make them think, and determine never
to do so again. However, I am pretty well satisfied that nothing
will be disturbed."

In less than an hour, Mrs. Elder and her brother went up to see what
the children were about. They found them seated on the floor, with
two or three loose packs of plain cards about them, out of which
they were forming various figures, by laying them together upon the
floor.

"Why, children! How could you take your uncle's cards?" said Mrs.
Elder reprovingly.

"He lets us play with them, mother," replied the oldest boy, turning
to his uncle with an appealing look.

"You haven't touched any thing else?" said Uncle William.

"No, sir, nothing else. We found Mary playing with the cards when we
came up, and we've been playing with them ever since. You don't
care, do you, Uncle William?"

"No; for I've told you, you remember, that you might play with the
cards whenever you wanted to."

"Can't we play with them longer, Uncle William?" asked Mary.

"Yes, my dear, you can play with them as long as you choose."

Mrs. Elder and her brother turned away and went down-stairs.

"I don't know how it is, William, that they behave themselves so
well in your room, and act like so many young Vandals in every other
part of the house."

"It is plain enough, Sarah," replied her brother. "I never scold
them, and never push them aside when they come to me, no matter what
I'm engaged in doing. I never think a little time taken from other
employments thrown away when devoted to children; and, therefore, I
generally hear what they have to say, let them come to me when they
will. Sometimes I am engaged in such a way that I must not be
interrupted, and then I lock my door. I have explained this to them,
and now the children, when they find my door locked, immediately go
away. On admitting them into my room at first, I was very careful to
tell them that such and such things must on no account be touched,
and explain the reason why; at the same time I gave them free
permission to play with other things that could sustain no serious
injury. Only once or twice has any of them ventured to trespass on
forbidden ground. But, instead of scolding, or even administering a
reprimand, I forbade the one who had done wrong coming to my room
for a certain time. In no case have I had to repeat the
interdiction. If I can thus govern them in my room, I am sure you
can do it in the whole house, if you