o play when one's
heart is heavy. Daisy could not go on so. She could not bear it. Without
waiting till June could undress her, she slipped away, the moment the
curtain was drawn, and ran across the hall to the dressing room. People
were coming and going everywhere; and Daisy went out upon the piazza.
There, in a dark spot, she kneeled down and prayed; that this terrible
spirit of pleasing herself might be put away from her. She had but a
minute; she knew she must be back again immediately; but she knew too it
takes but a minute for ever so little a prayer to go all the way to
heaven; and the answer does not take any longer to come, if it pleases
God. Daisy was very much in earnest, and quite well knew all that. She
went back to the library feeling humbled and ashamed, but quiet. The
library was all in commotion.

Nora was begging that Esther might be put off till the last. Mrs.
Sandford and Preston objected. They chose that it should come next.

"Here is Priscilla," said Hamilton Rush,--"I beg pardon! it is
Cinderella's wicked sister--I don't know what _her_ name was. Let us
have your vote, my angel; I will address you in your prospective
character; will you put on your wings at once? Or shall we get done with
the terrestrial first? What do you say?--I hope you are going to make
Miss Stanfield the queen, Mrs. Sandford; she has done one part so well
that I should like to see her in another."

"Why, you are going to be Ahasuerus yourself!" said the lady.

"Am I?" said Hamilton; who it must be noticed had not met for the
practisings as often as the other people, being held not to need them.
"Then I must respectfully be allowed to choose my own queen. I vote for
Miss Theresa."

"It is a capital idea," said Preston.

"I think so too," said Mrs. Sandford. "Theresa, my dear, I wonder we did
not think before of something so much to our advantage; but these
children seemed to have got the picture into their own hands. You will
do it far better. Come! let me robe you."

"I would rather be Vashti," murmured Theresa. "I don't like submissive
characters. Mrs. Sandford, Vashti is far more in my line. Go off, boys,
and get ready! What a pity we didn't think of having Vashti, Mrs.
Sandford."

However, Theresa made no objection to be dressed for Esther.

"Who will be your supporters? Ella is too short. Jane and Nora?--Where
is Nora!"

Nora was in the furthest corner of the room, seated in gloom.

"Nora!--"

"I am not go