rty, that I can't think of getting up at seven o'clock.

MRS. M. But you must get up, my love. Besides, we want plenty of time
to-day, so's we can be ready; for we are going to have company to
dinner.

ISABELLA. Who is coming, mamma?

MRS. M. Mr. Morris, my dear.

ISABELLA. Oh, I am so glad!

MRS. M. Yes, you're going to be married to-morrow, my dear; we will
invite all our relations and friends, and you must have a white satin
wedding dress; you certainly must.

ISABELLA. How nice! S'pose we go out and buy it now.

MRS. M. We can't go to-day; it's our _eceptin_ (reception) day, you
know.

MR. M. Well, I 'spect I must go down town. Good-by, my dears. I shall
certainly ask Mr. Morris to dinner. He's a very nice young man for a
small dinner party.

So the children made Mr. Montague kiss his wife and daughter; which they
did by bumping his china nose against their cheeks, until it nearly made
a dent in the wax; and then pranced him down the front steps, and put
him in his corner again.

Then Minnie's doll came in. She took up Mr. Morris, a composition doll,
in a Seventh Regiment uniform, who had been bought at a fair, and began
moving him across the floor until he was opposite the door. Then she
commenced talking.

MR. MORRIS. Why, I declare! here is Mr. Montague's house. I think I
will go in and make a call.

And he ran up the steps, and pretended to ring the bell; but as it was
only a handle, Lina rang the dinner bell instead.

MR. MORRIS. It's very funny they don't answer the bell!
(Ting-a-ling-ling.) Come! make haste, I want to get in.

Here Minnie took up Toby, the black boy, carried him to the front door,
and kindly opened it for him.

TOBY. Laws, massa! is dat you? I was jus' tastin' de jolly, to be sure
it was good for dinner! so I couldn't come no sooner.

MR. MORRIS. Is Miss Isabella Belmont Montague at home?

TOBY. Yes, massa, de ladies is to hum; walk in de parlor.

So Mr. Morris came in (with Minnie's hand behind him), and sat down on
the sofa. It was rather small for him, and he covered it up so much that
there wasn't a bit of room for Miss Isabella, when she came down. Maggie
had dressed her meanwhile in her green silk skirt, which had real little
three-cornered pockets, with an embroidered pocket handkerchief sticking
out of one, and her white tucked waist.

Up jumped Mr. Morris, and made her such an elegant bow, that his cap,
which he was obliged to keep on all the time, in consequ