erved Miss Fisk, nonchalantly, "which is very irrational, since were I
never to employ, in conversing with you, words beyond your comprehension,
you would lose the advantage of being induced to increase your stock of
information by a search for their meaning."

"If that's what you do it for, you may as well give it up at once,"
returned Gertrude, "for I don't care enough about your meaning to take
half that trouble."

"Miss Gertrude, permit me to remark that you are lacking in respect to
your instructress," returned Miss Fisk, reddening.

"Do you mean that it is convenient, because of being so near this house,
Miss Fisk?" asked Eddie respectfully.

"Yes, convenient and safe; on which account both Mrs. Travilla and Mrs.
Ross stipulated that our picnic for to-day should be held there."

"Well, let's go right away," said Gertrude, jumping up and pushing back
her chair.

"Immediately, Miss Ross," corrected the governess. "Right away is
exceedingly inelegant."

"How tiresome!" muttered Gertrude. Then aloud to Violet, as the governess
left the room, "I say, Vi, does your mamma reprove you for saying right
away?"

"I don't remember that I ever said it. Mamma----"

"Said it?" interrupted Gertrude, with a twinkle of fun in her eye, "why
don't you say 'used the expression'? my dear," mimicking Miss Fisk's
tones, "you should never condescend to make use of a sixpenny word, when a
fifty cent one would express your sentiments fully as correctly, or
perchance even more so."

Vi could not help joining in the laugh with which Gertrude concluded,
though feeling rather ashamed of herself, as she seemed to see the grave
look of disapproval mamma would have given her if present.

"Oh, Gertrude," she said, "we oughtn't to----"

"Yes, we ought," returned Gertrude, as they ran out of the room together;
"mamma always laughs when I take off old finikin Fisk. She wouldn't have
me talk like her for the world. Would your mamma wish you to?"

"No, but she never says----"

"Right away? No, of course not; she says 'immediately' or 'at once' or
something that sounds nice. Well, so will I when I'm grown up."

Miss Fisk was on the porch taking an observation of the weather, the
children crowding about her, and clamoring to be allowed to set out
immediately for the grove. The day was fine, and there seemed every
indication that it would continue so.

"Yes," said the governess, "you may request your maids to see that you are
suitably a