free-and-easy tone far more than her former
lofty one. I shall have to encase myself in
my unapproachable armour whenever we
meet, if we are to remain on civil terms, but
I would much rather quarrel with her, and
have done with it; it would be naughty, but
it would save a world of trouble and hypocrisy.

A man came this morning to plan the
conservatory; there is to be a glass door out of
the drawing-room into it, and it is to be
made on the same principle as Mrs. Lake's.
It will be finished when I come home at
Christmas.

It is arranged for Cousin Jane to stay at
Burnbank with Grannie while I am away.
This is very nice; she would have been dull
alone, for, though Mary Burton is a good
attentive girl, she wants some one to read
aloud to her, and to drive or walk out with.
Jane is too bustling and active for me—-too
fussy; but Grannie seems not to mind it, or
else she has a way of making her sit still and
keep quiet. I had to sew at a sun-bonnet
today for peace and quietness' sake; but it is
not a charitable bonnet, for I did it with the
greatest ill-will possible.

July the twenty-seventh.—-Grannie
proposed a few days since, that to celebrate my
going to school (I saw nothing to rejoice
over) we must have a tea-drinking at
Burnbank. I said, if we did, it should be a tea-
drinking for the children, and anybody else
who chose to come without an invitation
might come, but I would not have a solemn
party for talk, compliments, and scandal.

I managed the affair myself. It was beautiful
weather, so the children had tea in the
orchard at three o'clock, and the old women
had tea too. Grannie thought we should
have it all to ourselves, but I knew better.
I told our advertising Post, Miss Briske, that
I should be glad to see any of my friends
who could dispense with formality; that
there would be plenty of strawberries, and
other ripe fruit, and tea, coffee, and cakes, at
five o'clock for them, but that I did not mean
to give anybody anything unless they arrived
in time to help to amuse the children.

I was sure they would come, if it was only
for the novelty, and come they did,—-all the
Curlings, the Prices, Lucy, and Ellen Cooper,
the Lawsons, Mrs. Lake, Mrs. and Miss
Cranworth, Dr. Rayson and his wife, and a
troop of people from the Charltons. John
Burton and little Tom had quite enough to do
to pick fruit all the afternoon, and every one
seemed to enjoy the freedom of walking
about the house and grounds, and talking to
their friends; indeed, my Strawberry Party,
as they called it, gave so much satisfaction
that the Prices are to have one next Saturday.

But I must not forget the children, who
were my chosen guests. They all arrived in
due time, with mug and saucer, and sat down
to regale on the tea and spice-buns we had
provided; vastly they enjoyed them, too, if
we might judge from the consumption that
took place. At one time or another, I have
taught every child in the school; so not to
cause any distinction between past and
present pupils, I made each one a little present,
and they chose them from the trays as they
stand in their classes. My class, we call it
the Encouragement Class, because Thompson
always sent me the dull and backward, or
idle and tiresome children, had the post of
honour, and chose first.

There will be plenty of cut fingers in Burnbank
for some days to come! For the boys
I had provided a number of strong clasp
knives, pencil cases and books; for the girls,
little cases with thimble, scissors, and other
working-tools; and for the small fry, gaily
dressed dolls, squeaking toy sheep, dogs, and
cats, &c. Cousin Jane thought it a frightful
waste of money, and lectured me seriously on
the folly of giving poor folks' children toys,
—-" wanton extravagance," she designated it,
but I am sure it was pleasant to see how
glad they most of them were; it never is
possible to satisfy all.

Knives were in great request amongst the
boys, and when they were all gone, and the
little fellows came up to choose, some few
looked marvellously discontented. Anty
Craggs was very hard to pacify. When I said,
"Now, Anty, it is your turn; what will you
have? " he replied in his native Doric, " I'll
ha' a knoife," though all the knives were
gone. I told him he must try to be pleased
with something else, but still he would only
keep on reiterating, " I'll ha' a knoife," so at
last I proposed the alternative of sixpence,
which, after a little hesitation he
condescended to accept. Another boy, Simmy
Deane, would only be contented with a
Dutch doll dressed in pink glazed calico and
white muslin, and Betty, his sister, chose a
drum.

When all the presents were distributed,
we went upon the green, and the children
ran races and played games. Some of the
fine folk came out to encourage us with
their presence, but the Curlings, and Charltons,
and Prices kept quite to themselves.
Cousin Jane started the racers, and I gave
the prizes. Then we had scrambles for
sweeties and halfpence. In everything Anty
Craggs was conspicuously unsuccessful. His
fat freckled face and red hair were always
panting up at the fag end of each race; and
totally eclipsed,—-flattened on the ground,
most likely—- in the thickest of every
scramble. When beaten in the races, he
vociferated defiantly, "I'll run 'em again,
I'll run 'em again! " and when he rose
empty-handed from the melée over the
sweeties, he still cried out, " Gi'e us another
chance, Miss Eleanor, I'll ha' some yet."

I could not help laughing, and liking the
little fellow who would not give in, though I
know he is the most perverse and naughty
boy in the school.