dam, which floods a whole region. There was not a family who had not
some trouble with the inundation, even where, like Rose and Letitia
Ferguson, they swept it out merrily, and thought no more of it.

"It was all very pretty and pleasant, and I'm glad it went off so
well," said Rose Ferguson the next day; "but I have not the smallest
desire to repeat any thing of the kind. We who live in the country,
and have such a world of beautiful things around us every day, and so
many charming engagements in riding, walking, and rambling, and so
much to do, cannot afford to go into this sort of thing: we really
have not time for it."

"That pretty creature," said Mrs. Ferguson, speaking of Lillie, "is
really a charming object. I hope she will settle down now to domestic
life. She will soon find better things to care for, I trust: a baby
would be her best teacher. I am sure I hope she will have one."

"A baby is mamma's infallible recipe for strengthening the character,"
said Rose, laughing.

"Well, as the saying is, they bring love with them," said Mrs.
Ferguson; "and love always brings wisdom."

CHAPTER XVII.

_AFTER THE BATTLE_.

"Well, Grace, the Follingsbees are gone at last, I am thankful to
say," said John, as he stretched himself out on the sofa in Grace's
parlor with a sigh of relief. "If ever I am caught in such a scrape
again, I shall know it."

"Yes, it is all well over," said Grace.

"Over! I wish you would look at the bills. Why, Gracie! I had not the
least idea, when I gave Lillie leave to get what she chose, what it
would come to, with those people at her elbow, to put things into her
head. I could not interfere, you know, after the thing was started;
and I thought I would not spoil Lillie's pleasure, especially as I had
to stand firm in not allowing wine. It was well I did; for if wine had
been given, and taken with the reckless freedom that all the rest was,
it might have ended in a general riot."

"As some of the great fashionable parties do, where young women get
merry with champagne, and young men get drunk," said Grace.

"Well," said John, "I don't exactly like the whole turn of the way
things have been going at our house lately. I don't like the influence
of it on others. It is not in the line of the life I want to lead, and
that we have all been trying to lead."

"Well," said Gracie, "things will be settled now quietly, I hope."

"I say," said John, "could not we start our little rea