s a spirited little machine, though old-fashioned.

Miss Arkwright and her dolly, accompanied, as we have hinted, by
her Nurse Jane and baby, whose violent temper had condemned his
perambulator, and compelled his attendant to carry him--so she
said--were beforehand at the place and hour named. For security
against possible disappointment a fiction was resorted to that dolly
wouldn't cry if her mamma talked seriously to her, and it was pointed
out that Mr. Fenwick was coming, and Mrs. Fenwick was coming, and Miss
Nightingale was coming, and Dr. Vereker was coming--advantage being
taken of an infant's love of vain repetitions. But all these four
events turned on dolly being good and not crying, and the reflex
action of this stipulation produced goodness in dolly's mamma, with
the effect that she didn't roar, as, it seemed, she might otherwise
have done.

Miss Gwendolen was, however, _that_ impatient that no dramatic
subterfuge, however skilfully engineered, could be relied upon to
last. Fortunately, a young lady she recognised, and a gentleman
whom she did not personally know, but had seen on the beach, became
interested in baby, who took no notice of them, and hiccupped. But,
then, his eyes were too beady to have any human expression; perhaps
it was more this than a contempt for vapid compliment that made him
seem unsympathetic. The young lady, however, congratulated him on his
_personnel_ and on the variety of his attainments; and this interested
Miss Gwendolen, who continued not to roar, and presently volunteered
a statement on her own account.

"My mummar zis a-comin', and Miss Ninedale zis a-comin', and Miss
Ninedale's mummar zis a-comin', and...." But Nurse Jane interposed,
on the ground that the lady knew already who was coming. She had no
reason for supposing this; but a general atmosphere of omniscience
among grown-up classes is morally desirable. It was, however, limited
to Clause 1. Miss Gwenny went on to the consideration of Clause 2
without taking a division.

"To see dolly danvalised for a penny. My mummar says--see--sall--div
me a penny...."

"To galvanise dolly? How nice that will be!--Isn't she a dear little
thing, Paggy?--And we're just in time to see it. Now, that _is_ nice!"
Observe Laetitia's family name for her husband, born of Cattley's.

"Isn't that them coming, Tish?" Yes, it is. They are conscientiously
negotiating the turnstile at the pier-entrance, where one gets a
ticket that lets you