d some
ideas, if you chose to advance them. Where do you stand on this card
question?"

"We never play cards at home," Eurie said, quickly, "and we never go
where we know they are to be played."

Flossy turned upon her the most surprised eyes. Dr. Mitchell's family
was the most decidedly unconventional and free and easy of any
represented there. Flossy had supposed that they, of all others, would
make cards a daily pastime.

"Why not?" she asked, briefly and earnestly, as one eager to learn.

"It is on Nell's account," Eurie said, still speaking very gravely.
"Nell has but one fault, and that is card-playing; he is just
passionately fond of it; he is tempted everywhere. Father says
Grandfather Mitchell was just so, and Nell inherits the taste. It is a
great temptation to him, and we do not like to foster it at home."

"But home card-playing is so different; that isn't gambling." This from
Flossy, questioningly.

"Nell learned to play at home," Eurie said, quickly. "That is, he
learned at Grandfather Mitchell's when he was a little boy. We have no
means of knowing whether he would have been led into gambling but for
that early education. I know that Robbie shall never learn if we can
help it; we never mean to allow him to go where any sort of cards are
played, so long as we have him under control."

All this was utterly new to Flossy.

"Then, if your little Robbie should come, with other children, to see
me, and I should teach them a game of cards to amuse them, I might be
doing you a positive injury," she said, thoughtfully.

"I certainly should so consider it," Eurie said, with quickness and with
feeling. "Girls, I speak vehemently on this subject always; having one
serious lesson at home makes people think."

"It is a question whether we have any right to indulge in an amusement
that has the power to lead people astray," Ruth said, grave and
thoughtful, "especially when it is impossible to tell what boy may he
growing up under that influence to whom it will become a snare."

Marion added:

"Flossy, do you begin to see?"

"I see in every direction," Flossy said. "There is no telling when we
may be doing harm. But, now, let me be personal; I play with father a
great deal; he is an old man, and he has no special temptation,
certainly. I have heard him say he never played for anything of more
value than a pin in his life. What harm can there possibly be in my
spending an evening with him in such an amusem