meets Greek, then comes the tug of war.'"

"That's from Shakspeare, I know," answered Tom.

"'Tis from Troilus and Cressida, I imagine--that is a Greek play."

"Then find it, my boy," said Mrs. Wyndham, handing him Mrs. Cowden
Clarke's elaborate volume.

"It is not in the whole book," replied Tom, after a diligent search,
laying down the volume, with a face as blank as the leaves at the end.
"If it is not in Shakspeare, I give up."

"'How poor are they, that have not patience!'" cried Cornelia. "Can you
tell us where that piece of wisdom may be found?"

"Yes--in Shakspeare--the same author who writes 'This was the most
unkindest cut of all!'"

"I thought of that passage concerning the Greek, which seems to have
baffled you all," rejoined Mrs. Wyndham, "because I was once a whole
year on the watch to discover it. It happened to be quoted at a little
literary gathering, and none of us could tell the author, although it
was 'familiar in our mouths as household words.' We agreed to search for
it, but it was full a year before I found it, in looking over the
play--quite a celebrated one--entitled 'The Rival Queens,' by poor Nat.
Lee, commonly called the 'crazy poet.' Alexander the Great is the hero."

"We know so many quotations at second-hand," said Mrs. Wyndham, "that I
like this game: it will set us to hunting up the original passages, and
seeing their connections. If people would act upon this principle, of
going to head-quarters, with regard to history--and in private life
too--how many mistakes might be saved."

"And now, just to keep us from becoming too wise," Cornelia chimed in,
"I propose that we act charades. A group of us will arrange the plot in
the library, and when we open the door, the rest of you must guess from
our actions what word we intend to depict. We'll choose one of several
syllables, so that there will be repeated opportunities given you to
sharpen your wits. And if you should conjecture the whole word before we
are through, please not to spoil sport by telling it."

"We are all obedience," was the reply: and Cornelia, Charlie, and
George, after a whispered consultation, and a foraging expedition into
the housekeeper's room, shut themselves up in the library. Soon the door
was thrown open, and the three were seen gravely seated at a small
table, sipping imaginary tea, while Cornelia, as hostess, was anxious to
fill her part by replenishing their cups. "Tea," "tea," sounded from
every pa