house and the children; of making that visit to her mother
which is always in order with the newly-made wife--all these, and other
devices not so practicable, came before Mrs. Burton's mind's eye for
comparison, but they all and together took sudden wing when Mr. Burton
awoke and complained of a raging toothache. Truly pitiful and
sympathetic as Mrs. Burton was, she exhibited remarkable resignation in
the face of the thought that her husband would probably need to remain
in his room all day, and that it would be absolutely necessary to keep
the children out of his sight and hearing. Then he could find nothing to
criticise; she might fail as frequently as she probably would, but he
would know only of her successes.

A light knock was heard at Mrs. Burton's door, and then, without waiting
for invitation, there came in two fresh, rosy faces, two heads of
disarranged hair, and two long white nightgowns, and the occupant of the
longer gown exclaimed:

"Say, Uncle Harry, do you know it's Sunday? What are you going to do
about it? We always have lots done for us Sundays, 'cause it's the only
day papa's home."

"Yes, I--think I've heard--something of the kind--before," mumbled Mr.
Burton, with difficulty, between the fingers which covered his aching
incisor.

"Oh--h," exclaimed Toddie, "I b'lieve he' goin' to play bear! Come on,
Budge, we's got to be dogs." And Toddie buried his face in the
bed-covering and succeeded in fastening his teeth in his uncle's calf. A
howl from the sufferer did not frighten off the amateur dog, and he was
finally dislodged only by being clutched by the throat by his victim.

"_That_ izhn't the way to play bear," complained Toddie; "you ought to
keep on a-howlin' an' let me keep on a-bitin', an' then you give me
pennies to stop--that's the way papa does."

"_Can_ you see how Tom Lawrence can be so idiotic?" asked Mrs. Burton.

"I suppose I could," replied the gentleman, "if I hadn't such a
toothache."

"You poor old fellow!" said Mrs. Burton, tenderly. Then she turned to
her nephews, and exclaimed: "Now, boys, listen to me! Uncle Harry is
very sick to-day--he has a dreadful toothache, and every particle of
bother and noise will make it worse. You must both keep away from his
room, and be as quiet as possible wherever you may be in the house. Even
the sound of people talking is very annoying to a person with the
toothache."

"Then you's a baddy woman to stay in here an' keep a-talkin' all t