te farewell, lost her small balance, and came
rolling down-stairs after me. No serious harm was done, but it took
nearly an hour before I succeeded in soothing and comforting her
sufficiently to be able to leave her, with two brown-paper patches on
her head and elbow, in the care of the nurse.

When I arrived late, discouraged and with a headache, at the picnic
grounds, I found the assembled company sitting vapidly about among
mosquitoes and beetles, already looking bored to death, and I soon
perceived that it was expected of me to provide amusement and
entertainment for the crowd. I tried to rally, therefore, and proposed a
few games, which went off in a spiritless manner enough, and apparently
in consequence I began to be assailed with questions and remarks of a
reproachful character.

"Don't you feel well to-day?" "Has anything happened?" "You don't seem
as lively as usual!" No one took the slightest notice of my
explanations, until at last, goaded into desperation by one evil-minded
old woman, who asked me if it were true that my husband was involved in
the failure of Smith, Jones & Co., I launched out and became wildly and
disgracefully silly. Nothing seemed too foolish, too senseless to say if
it only answered the great purpose of keeping off the attack of personal
questions.

Thus the wretched day wore on, until at last it was time to go home, and
the first feeling approaching content was stealing into my weary bosom
as I gathered up my basket and shawls, when it was rudely dashed by the
following conversation, conducted by two ladies to whom I had been
introduced that day. They were standing at a little distance from the
rest of the company and from me, and evidently thought themselves far
enough away to talk quite loud, so that these words were plainly borne
to my ears:

"I hate to see people try to make themselves so conspicuous, don't you?"

"Yes, indeed; and to try to be funny when they haven't any fun in them."

"I can't imagine what Maria was thinking about to call her witty!"

"I know it. I should think such people had better keep quiet when they
haven't anything to say. I'm glad it's time to go home. Picnics are such
stupid things!"

What more was said I do not know, for I left the spot as quickly as
possible, making an inward resolution to avoid all picnics in the
future till I should arrive at my second childhood.

I cannot refrain from giving one other little instance of my sufferings
from