of decomposing matter) as the last," said
Master Augustus, firmly.

"Why, what was it?"

"' Paradise Rewisited ' sir," explained nurse.
"' By a Loacle Poet.' Ma'amselle hev took
them to all the four; but they come back quite
cross and sleepy, and seemed as if they couldn't
tell which they was at, last."

"No wonder! Hark ye, children! I am
intending, this day, to revisit Paradise, or what,
at your age, somewhat resembled it to me. I
have promised myself a Christmas Pantomime!"
(A cry of joy.) " Pausing on the way, at a spot
where, I am given to understand, light refreshments,
adapted to juvenile tastes, may be
procured, and enjoyed without fear of after
consequences. Will you come with me?"

Nurse hesitated to answer the appealing
looks.

"If—if ma'amselle should know it——-"

"Ma'amselle shall know it, tomorrow.
Meantime, I take upon myself the responsibility."

And, engaging to restore the other three
children by a reasonable hour, I the fourth child
carried them off in triumph.

Merry as grasshoppers, we made our way
along the most disturbed thoroughfares we
could find: Mattie and I leading: the boys
close at our heels. I noticed with secret
satisfaction that, in passing any pastrycook's—and
we passed not a few—our rear-guard sensibly
relaxed their pace, and even Mattie's little
fingers gave an involuntary pressure. At
length, as we neared a perfect wilderness of
sweets, the prospect became too maddening,
and Master Augustus, dashing to the front,
proposed a halt.

I affected to demur, but Mattie's appealing
look, and the fragrance wafted forth as we
lingered in consultation on the threshold, resolved
the question. We entered. Here, as a veteran,
I deemed some words of caution not
misplaced. I besought my ardent levies not to
tilt blindly at Bath-buns, the major tarts, or
great satisfying things of any kind, but to survey
the ground, and then, tranquilly, advisedly, com-
mence the attack.

The foray lasted so long, that, in common
prudence, I was obliged to sound the recal.
The damage inflicted on the enemy, especially
in the arm of open tarts, was very considerable.
I decline to mention my own achievements
(Generals rarely do), and shall only state
that, when my three charges had made their
computations, there remained unaccounted for
as follows:—One triangular tart, a Shrewsbury
cake, three apricot puffs, one cheese-cake, and
a maid-of-honour, together with some minor
matters, and (I think) a glass of cherry-brandy.
For all of which, notwithstanding the mystery
that hung over their disappearance, I cheerfully
paid.

Fortune had decreed that there was to be no
pause in our delight. A bill suspended in the
shop had forewarned us that there was to be at
one of the larger theatres a morning performance
of the Grand Christmas Pantomime,
commencing at two o'clock. Just time. We should
not want any dinner? Eh?

Master Augustus having requested, in the
name of the party, that the meal in question
might not be mentioned in their hearing for a
week, we set forth.

Capital places! A brilliant house!
Beautiful red glare—so different from the mere
sunshine we had quitted! A crowd of happy
children, from six years old to seventy, settling
themselves in their places for three hours' ceaseless
enjoyment. For our parts, we gave
ourselves up wholly to the scene: Mattie alone
looking a little grave, and casting so many
nervous glances in a certain direction, that I
was induced to inquire the reason.

It seemed that the figure of a lady in a
neighbouring box, whose back was towards us, had
forcibly recalled that of Miss Cavalier.

Could it be herself?

Oli no, no. Mattie considered that was impossible!
Miss Cavalier (I gathered from my little
friend's remarks) was rather Miss Puritan in the
matter of theatres, neither attending them
herself, nor willingly permitting anybody else to do
so. Furthermore, she regarded the half million
of her fellow-Christians who, directly or
indirectly, made their bread by these unhallowed
institutions (not to mention the several millions,
from her sovereign downward, who derived
solace and amusement from them), as in the
most imminent spiritual peril: evincing
altogether views of the most elevated kind, and
charity of that comprehensive nature which is
usually found to characterise such an intelligence.

The rising of the curtain at this juncture
banished all remembrance of the accidental
resemblance, and the possible scolding on the
morrow, it had brought into Mattie's mind.

I am not going into minute detail. Enough
that what succeeded surpassed our most
sanguine anticipations, and even the foreshadowings
of the bill itself, which was not framed
with diffidence. Let me simply record that
the opening scene was even more gloomy
and depressing than usual. It was the abode
of an individual of doubtful sex, Mr. (or
Mrs.) Antiquity, who, in addition to keeping
an old curiosity shop, dabbled slightly in
dramatic literature: his (or her) present distress
arising from the tightness of the fairy market,
with reference to subjects for a pantomime.
Need it be related that, in the moment of
supreme despondency, a square black pitfal
opened, and, after a slight delay, suggestive of
the coming fairy stopping to tie her shoe,
that aërial being stepped upon the stage, and
presented Antiquity with all that was needed, in
the form of a new and enlarged edition of
Jack the Giant Killer. The mere mention of
that familiar name elicited from us a burst of
involuntary applause, and when the scene
changed to the humble but cheerful dwelling
of—how shall I describe him? Jack the elder
—we resettled ourselves, as in preparation for
events of thrilling interest.