and perhaps to go to
the Almshouse, if it were not for her help."

"I am glad to see that she makes herself so useful; is she any relation
to you?"

"None at all. I will tell you her story, if you will hear it, some time
when we are alone: it is rather a long one."

The young people left Mrs. Wyndham still conversing with Mrs. Norton,
and returned homeward. After tea, various games amused the fleeting
hours, and among them "Proverbs" was played as follows: While one is
absent from the circle, all fix upon some well-known old saw or proverb;
the absentee then returns and asks a question of every individual, to
which an answer must be returned, embracing some one word of the
sentence, care being taken not to emphasize it. The first proverb was
this: "When the cat's away, the mice will play." Cornelia had been out
of the room.

"Cousin Mary, didn't you enjoy the clear-up to-day?"

"Yes, _when_ it clears after a storm, one always does."

"Charlie, are you tired from your long walk this morning?"

"O no, _the_ day was so fine, _the_ walk so pleasant, and _the_ company
so agreeable, that I did not feel _the_ fatigue."

"Ellen, didn't you pity poor Mrs. Norton?"

"Yes, and I pitied her _cats_, they looked so thin."

"Cats! I thought she had only one. Cats? Hum! Tom, don't you hope we'll
have a story to-night?"

"Yes, I enjoy it vastly, and will take care not to be _away_ when it's
told."

"Gertrude, don't you think _the mice will play_ to-night?"

"Yes--but from whom did you take the idea? Who let that cat out of the
bag?"

"Ellen, to be sure, with her plural number for Mrs. Norton's cat, which
does not look starved at all--so go into the hall, Miss Ellen, while we
think of a proverb."

"Let's have 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,'" said Amy, "I
thought of that to-day at Mrs. Norton's."

"Very well, that will do. Come in, Ellen; Cornelia will bring in the
first two words, as they are small."

"Cornelia, have you finished your crochet purse?"

"_It is_ almost done."

"Amy, are you not almost roasted in that hot corner of the chimney?"

"It would be _more_ pleasant further from the fire."

"George, you are so fond of skating, don't you hope to enjoy the sport
to-morrow?"

"Yes indeed--I think we'll have a _blessed_ cold night, and then we'll
have skating."

"John, how many miles did you walk to-day?"

"_Two_," said John.

"That's not fair! That's not fair!" cried some of the younger