before the
flood and since, not famous for the grace of prudence; for all which
reasons, almost every mamma hesitates about her daughters' going--thinks
it a very great pity the thing has been started.

"I really don't like this thing," says Mrs. G.; "it's not a kind of
thing that I approve of, and if Mrs. X. was not going to let her
daughters go, I should set myself against it. How Mrs. X., who is so
very nice in her notions, can sanction such a thing, I cannot see. I am
really surprised at Mrs. X."

All this time, poor unconscious Mrs. X. is in a similar tribulation.

"This is a very disagreeable affair to me," she says. "I really have
almost a mind to say that my girls shall not go; but Mrs. G.'s daughters
are going, and Mrs. C.'s, and Mrs. W.'s, and of course it would be idle
for me to oppose it. I should not like to cast any reflections on a
course sanctioned by ladies of such prudence and discretion."

In the same manner Mrs. A., B., and C., and the good matrons through the
alphabet generally, with doleful lamentations, each one consents to the
thing that she allows not, and the affair proceeds swimmingly to the
great satisfaction of the juveniles.

Now and then, it is true, some individual sort of body, who might be
designated by the angular and decided letters K or L, says to her son or
daughter, "No. I don't approve of the thing," and is deaf to the
oft-urged, "Mrs. A., B., and C. do so."

"I have nothing to do with Mrs. A., B., and C.'s arrangements," says
this impracticable Mrs. K. or L. "I only know what is best for my
children, and they shall not go."

Again: Mrs. G. is going to give a party; and, now, shall she give wine,
or not? Mrs. G. has heard an abundance of temperance speeches and
appeals, heard the duties of ladies in the matter of sanctioning
temperance movements aptly set forth, but "none of these things move her
half so much as another consideration." She has heard that Mrs. D.
introduced wine into her last _soiree_. Mrs. D's husband has been a
leading orator of the temperance society, and Mrs. D. is no less a
leading member in the circles of fashion. Now, Mrs. G.'s soul is in
great perplexity. If she only could be sure that the report about Mrs.
D. is authentic, why, then, of course the thing is settled; regret it as
much as she may, she cannot get through her party without the wine; and
so at last come the party and the wine. Mrs. D., who was incorrectly
stated to have had the article