deposited in the hall of their glum old aunt's large and
lonely house, the very size and emptiness of which had tended not a
little to increase the poor lady's vapours. However, they were
naturally graceful and well-bred, so that, in spite of the patronising
empire assumed over them by the vulgar and half-educated Miss Sprong--
which Cyril especially was very much inclined to resent--the first day
or two passed by with tolerable equanimity.

But this dull routine soon proved unendurable to the two lively boys.
They found it impossible to sit still the whole evening, looking over
sacred prints; and this was the only amusement which Miss Sprong
suggested to Lady Vinsear for them. Of late the dowager had taken what
she considered to be a religious turn; but unhappily the supposed
religion was as different from real piety as light from darkness, and
consisted mainly in making herself and all around her miserable by a
semi-ascetic puritanism of observances, and a style of conversation fit
to drive her little nephews into a lunatic asylum.

Though they both felt a species of terror at their ungracious aunt, and
the ever-detonating Miss Sprong, the long-pent spirit of fun at times
grew too strong in them, and they would call down sharp rebukes by
romping in the drawing-room, so as to disturb the two ladies while they
read to each other, for hours together, the charming treatises of their
favourite moderate divine.

The boys were seated on two stools, in the silence of despair, and at
last Cyril, who had been twirling his thumbs for half an hour, and
listening to a dissertation on Armageddon, gave a yawn so portentous and
prolonged that Frank suddenly exploded in a little burst of laughter,
which was at once checked, when Miss Sprong observed--

"I think it would be profitable if your ladyship,"--Miss Sprong never
omitted the title--"would set your nephews some of Watts' hymns to
learn."

The nephews protested with one voice and much rebellion, but at last
their irate aunt quenched the unseemly levity, and they were fairly set
to work at Dr Watts--Frank getting for his share "The little busy bee."
But instead of learning it, they got together, and Cyril began drawing
pictures of cruet-stands and other impieties, whereby Frank was kept in
fits of laughter, and when called up to say his hymn, knew nothing at
all about it. Cyril sat by him, and when Frank had exhausted his stock
of acquirements by saying, in a tone of dis