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THE MANSE AND ITS INMATES. 



By Miss MARGARET PATRICKSON. 



Chapter I. Wishes — Fine Names. 



" I AM sure I wish very much that one of two things would 

 happen,'' said Lily M'Niel, "and I am not very particular which; 

 this house is so horribly dull and stupid !" 



" Passing over your very flattering compliment to your sisters and 

 myself," observed her mother, smiling, " may I ask, my dear, the 

 nature of these two wishes, which hold so equal a rank in your 

 estimation, and which you appear to think would be so equally 

 efficacious in overcoming this horrible dullness that oppresses you, 

 but which, I believe, no one else has discovered ?" 



" Oh ! certainly mamma, and I am sure you will agree with me." 

 Mrs. M'Niel shook her head incredulously. "You will indeed ! I 

 wished, either tliat papa, had not gone to London ; or that he iiad 

 returned. Don't you '?'' 



"I agree with you, Lily, in feeling your'papa's absence, and shall 

 agree with you in sincere rejoicing and thankfulness at his return ; 

 but, as this is only Tuesday and his last letter names Thursday as the 

 earliest period he can fix upon for his arrival at home, I cannot 

 Tcish for a thing 1 know (o a certainly cannot be. Besides I have 

 really so much to do to-morrow, that I cannot afford to annihilate a 

 day. Your other Avish I do not understand." 



" How ! mamma ? I wished that papa had not gone to London '.'* 



"I know you did, my dear; but to wish for a thing implies a 

 possibility of its attainment. Now your papa has been gone a 

 fortnight, and having never yet witnessed time turning back in his 

 course, or a thing which has been done, and is past, undone again; 

 I cannot form my regret at his absence (even joined to all my 

 anxiety for his health on so long a journey, undertaken in such 

 inclement weather), into any feeling resembling a wish." 



" I might have spoken more correctly to be sure, but, then, 

 I could not have spoken so briefly ; and you know, mamma, "brevity's 

 the soul of wit." 



" Indeed, Lily, I know no such thing. But enlighten me as to the 

 zoit of your wishes, for it quite escaped me." 



" On, there was no wit ; I only said that for the sake of — of — of — 



" Rrevity, perhaps !" 



" Oli.'no, no, mamma ! quite the contrary; just to get a little time 

 to think how to eret out of the scrape." 



