she did not dream that he was amused.

"Well, I think if we had these exhibitions often the children would grow
to be just too pert for anything. I have my views about play-acting, and
as my niece is a pupil here, I'm just a little anxious about how this
school is run. Have you any small sisters here?" she asked.

His eyes were dancing.

"I've no small sisters," he said, "and as my little daughter is but
nine months old, I've not yet sent her to school."

"Your daughter? Well, I declare! Why, I thought you were an overgrown
boy!" she said, bluntly.

"Alas! That's what my wife frequently calls me," he said, and from his
manner one might have thought that he deeply regretted the fact.

"If your wife is here, young man, I should think she'd see you talking
to that pretty girl beside you," said the little woman, sharply.

"Oh, she rather likes it," he said, with a soft laugh, "you see that
pretty girl is my wife." Aunt Matilda stared.

"Wouldn't you like to meet her?" he asked; "this is such a very informal
gathering that I might venture to present her, if only I knew your
name."

"I'm Arabella Corryville's aunt," she said, without realizing that that
was not telling her name.

"Vera," he said, "allow me to present you to Arabella's aunt; madam,
this is my wife!"

The ladies bowed, and the younger woman spoke very cordially, then the
curtain went up and every eye turned toward the stage.

It was in the last act that Arabella entered from the right, and all
were surprised when in a clear voice, and with appropriate gestures, she
spoke her lines, making quite as good an impression as any of her
schoolmates.

During the early part of the dialogue Arabella had not been on the
little stage, and her doting aunt felt injured, because she believed
that the other children had been given the most important parts. She had
expressed her disapproval of "play-acting" to Uncle Harry.

Now all was different; Arabella had appeared, had spoken well, and the
applause which she received completely changed Aunt Matilda's mind.

"Granted our wishes,
Happy hearts have we;
True to our fairy queen
Ever we'll be,"

sang the children, and then once more the red curtain hid the tiny
stage.

"On second thoughts, I guess play-acting is rather a fine thing if it's
well done," Aunt Matilda said, "an' I guess my Arabella did 'bout as
well as any of 'em. I shouldn't wonder if she could be a great actress
if she chose. Not