other's match,
for she allows herself to be vexed. My mother would wear her out in a
few weeks. Shirley Keeldar manages better.--Mother, you have never hurt
Miss Keeldar's feelings yet. She wears armour under her silk dress that
you cannot penetrate."

Mrs. Yorke often complained that her children were mutinous. It was
strange that with all her strictness, with all her "strong-mindedness,"
she could gain no command over them. A look from their father had more
influence with them than a lecture from her.

Miss Moore--to whom the position of witness to an altercation in which
she took no part was highly displeasing, as being an unimportant
secondary post--now rallying her dignity, prepared to utter a discourse
which was to prove both parties in the wrong, and to make it clear to
each disputant that she had reason to be ashamed of herself, and ought
to submit humbly to the superior sense of the individual then addressing
her. Fortunately for her audience, she had not harangued above ten
minutes when Sarah's entrance with the tea-tray called her attention,
first to the fact of that damsel having a gilt comb in her hair and a
red necklace round her throat, and secondly, and subsequently to a
pointed remonstrance, to the duty of making tea. After the meal Rose
restored her to good-humour by bringing her guitar and asking for a
song, and afterwards engaging her in an intelligent and sharp
cross-examination about guitar-playing and music in general.

Jessie, meantime, directed her assiduities to Caroline. Sitting on a
stool at her feet, she talked to her, first about religion and then
about politics. Jessie was accustomed at home to drink in a great deal
of what her father said on these subjects, and afterwards in company to
retail, with more wit and fluency than consistency or discretion, his
opinions, antipathies, and preferences. She rated Caroline soundly for
being a member of the Established Church, and for having an uncle a
clergyman. She informed her that she lived on the country, and ought to
work for her living honestly, instead of passing a useless life, and
eating the bread of idleness in the shape of tithes. Thence Jessie
passed to a review of the ministry at that time in office, and a
consideration of its deserts. She made familiar mention of the names of
Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Perceval. Each of these personages she adorned
with a character that might have separately suited Moloch and Belial.
She denounced the