, with
his hand in that of Agnes, he roamed about the woods and groves which
surrounded their home, gathering wild flowers, and watching with delight
the nimble squirrel and the brilliant wild birds, as they hopped from
limb to limb. The children were always happy together; Lewie was more
yielding and less passionate when with his gentle sister than at other
times; and it was only when again in the presence of his mother that
his wilful, fretful manner returned, and he was again capricious and
hard to please.

Thus, while he was still almost in his infancy, his mother began to reap
the fruit of her sowing; for, while to others he could be gentle and
pleasant, with her he was always fretful and capricious. Already her
wishes had no weight with him, if they ran counter to his own, and
commands she never ventured to lay upon him; already the little twig was
taking its own bent.

The birth-days were all rigidly kept in Mr. Wharton's family, and some
little pleasant entertainment provided on every such occasion. Thus,
while Mr. and Mrs. Wharton failed not to make every proper and serious
use of these way-marks on the journey of life, they loved to show their
children how pleasant to themselves was the remembrance of the day when
one more little bright face had come to cheer and brighten their earthly
pilgrimage. Miss Effie was the important character in commemoration of
whose "first appearance on any stage" a pleasant party had collected in
Mr. Wharton's parlor, one evening in May. Mrs. Elwyn and her children
were spending a few days at Brook Farm; and the family of Dr. Rodney,
and a few other little folks from the village, were invited, on Effie's
birth-day, to pass the afternoon and evening.

Great had been the preparations, for they were, for the first time, to
have an exhibition of the "tableaux vivants" in the evening. Mr. Wharton
had constructed a large frame, which, covered with gilt paper, and
having a black lace spread over it, made the illusion more perfect. Many
pretty scenes had been selected by cousin Emily, who was mistress of
ceremonies; and that no child's feelings might be hurt, a character was
assigned for each one, in one or other of the pictures. A temporary
curtain was hung across the room, which was to be drawn whenever the
pictures were ready for exhibition.

Agnes had been as busy as anybody in bringing down from a certain closet
devoted to that purpose old finery, and other things which belonged