UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 105 



This was a terrific task, and occupied me 

 great part of the morning. At last, when it was 

 finished, I came to the hall to refresh myself 

 with my cousins at a new play, called La Grace, 

 or the Flying Circle, which we have lately im- 

 ported, and the description of which will probably 

 divert Marianne more than any learned disser- 

 tation of mine on the " Tears of old May-day." 



Two people stand at opposite ends of the 

 room, as in playing shuttlecock ; each hold two 

 nicely turned sticks, one end of which is pointed ; 

 and by a dextrous movement of these pointers, 

 a light, elastic hoop, about eight inches dia- 

 meter, is sent flying forward towards the person 

 opposite, who catches it on her pointers, and 

 immediately lets it fly back again. When played 

 with two hoops it is still prettier, and requires 

 much more expertness than shuttlecock. 



Mary and I had played at it successfully for 

 some time, when we were interrupted by poor 

 little Grace, who, looking very sad, ran into the 

 hall, put her pencil-case into Mary's hand and 

 vanished, brushing away a large tear from her 

 cheek. 



Mary followed her, and afterwards told me that 

 she had given Grace a silver pencil-case some 

 months since, on condition that she never would 

 again scribble in books ; a habit which she had 

 unaccountably acquired. Grace delighted to 

 have her long-wished for pencil-case, agreed to 



