42 MISS KATY-DID AND MISS CRICKET. 



&quot;No, one can t. There are those five Misses Hornet, 

 dreadful old maids ! as full of spite as they can live. 

 You may be sure they will every one come, and be look 

 ing about to make spiteful remarks. Put down the Hor 

 nets, though.&quot; 



&quot; How about the Mosquitos ! &quot; said the Colonel. 



&quot;Those horrid Mosquitos, they are dreadfully plebeian! 

 Can t one cut them?&quot; 



&quot;Well, dear Miss Katy,&quot; said the Colonel, &quot;if you ask 

 my candid opinion as a friend, I should say not. There s 

 young Mosquito, who graduated last year, has gone into 

 literature, and&quot; is connected with some of our leading pa 

 pers, and they say he carries the sharpest pen of all the 

 writers. It won t do to offend him.&quot; 



&quot;And so I suppose we must have his old aunts, and all 

 six of his sisters, and all his dreadfully common relations.&quot; 



&quot;It is a pity,&quot; said the Colonel, &quot;but one must pay 

 one s tax to society.&quot; 



Just at this moment the conference was interrupted by 

 a visitor, Miss Keziah Cricket, who came in with her work- 

 bag on her arm to ask a subscription for a poor family of 

 Ants who had just had their house hoed up in clearing the 

 garden-walks. 



&quot;How stupid of them,&quot; said Katy, &quot;not to know better 

 than to put their house in the garden-walk ; that s just 

 like those Ants!&quot; 



