286 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



with her aunt, persuaded her to take it back again 

 until the " proper day," saying that the purpose 

 for which she wanted it no longer existed. 



"Well, my dear, as you please," was the only 

 remark from her aunt, so that there was no need of 

 any farther explanation. 



With a lightened heart Fanny returned home ; 

 and now to confess to her mother what she had 

 done was all that was left to do, in order to clear 

 her mind of all painful feelings. This she con- 

 trived to do in the course of that busy day ; and 

 her mother, while she regretted that the indul- 

 gence of a foolish desire had led her to the com- 

 mission of this more than foolish act, rejoiced 

 with her that she had been able so completely 

 "to undo it," as Fanny said ; and, kindly kissing 

 her, she advised her never again to fancy that her 

 happiness depended on copying the luxuries and 

 indulgences of others, which her own station in 

 life did not easily secure to her. 



Fanny was even still more contented with her- 

 self when her young friends, the Campbells, 

 arrived that afternoon, and she noticed directly 

 that even Alice and Jessie had not thought it 

 right to wear their sashes on this occasion ; but, 

 bringing with them their aprons, had come, they 

 said, determined to make themselves useful. 



And so they did ; and a fine bustling afternoon 

 had the whole party ! Happily the day was par- 

 ticularly fine and warm, so that the tea-drinking 

 out of doors was put into execution. A large 

 table, covered with a white cloth, was set out 

 upon the lawn ; benches from the children's own 

 school-room were borrowed, and every chair and 

 stool brought into requisition from the house. Then 

 what a mustering of cups and saucers and spoons ! 

 Fanny and Alice were appointed tea-makers, 

 whilst the rest were to be waiters and servers. 

 Then came the cutting up of cakes, and bread- 

 and-butter, in which operations nurse was a most 

 kind and zealous assistant ; and lastly, as they 

 called it, the " ornamental part." It was agreed 

 by all that there could not be too many flowers. 

 Every vase, glass, and bowl were brought into 

 use for the occasion ; and, besides the flowers 

 that their own garden afforded, Malcolm fetched 

 from home a large basket of still choicer ones 

 — especially some late-blooming roses, that it was 

 quite a treat to see at this time of the year. 

 Nothing could look gayer than that table with its 

 numerous nosegays, the mellow autumn sun shining 

 on one half, and the other shaded by a wide-spread- 

 ing tulip-tree. 



Then the museum in the summer-house became 

 the object of attention. In the middle of it, on a 

 table covered with green cloth, were laid all 

 Herbert's trays of shells from his cabinet, nicely 

 arranged ; and, in addition to these, a case full of 

 insects and butterflies belonging to Willie. Their 

 model of an Indian canoe made a great show, and 

 the Chinese tumblers were expected to attract 

 particular attention. On another table in the 

 window was placed Malcolm's microscope, the 

 exhibition of which he superintended ; and various 

 curiosities were hunted up from about the house, 

 such as bits of spar, an ostrich's egg, calabashes, 

 and feather-flowers, &c. On the whole, it was by 

 no means a contemptible museum, even to those 

 who had seen larger and grander ones ; and to the 



spectators for whom it was intended, probably 

 everything would be strange and new. 



By the time all these preparations were ready, 

 their father arrived from town, bringing with 

 him a large box, which with great care was lifted 

 from the chaise. What could it contain ? Her- 

 bert and Malcolm were soon taken into the secret, 

 and enlisted as assistants to their father ; and the 

 little girls were left to wonder and speculate on the 

 nature of the preparations going on, from which 

 they were excluded. They had not time, however, 

 to get uncomfortably curious, before little Ernes- 

 tine arrived ; who came dressed in her " jolie robe" 

 that Fanny and Margaret had made ; and she 

 had to be introduced for the first time to Alice 

 and Jessie, who had never before seen a little 

 French girl, and whose broken English and fluent 

 French were equally a matter of amusement and 

 surprise. 



At last, and luckily not before everything was 

 ready for their reception, arrived the long train of 

 the National School children with their teacher 

 at their head. Very orderly, and quite in soldier- 

 like formality, they were marched into the garden ; 

 but soon after, at Mrs. Amyott's request, the sig- 

 nal was given for breakng their ranks, and walking 

 and running as they pleased about the garden un- 

 til tea was ready. 



Tea-making and tea-serving for so large a 

 party was no small exertion to the young Amyotts 

 and Campbells, and their own could only be taken 

 by snatches. Fanny's and Alice's wrists ached 

 with the weight of the heavy tea-pots, and the 

 boys grew red and hot with their handing about; 

 but all went on well, and all were at last satisfied ; 

 and by the time the meal was over, the shyness 

 of the children began to wear off. After the 

 tables were cleared away, merry games were 

 played upon the lawn ; and between these, at the 

 suggestion of their teacher, choruses were sung by 

 the children, which sounded harmoniously and 

 joyously in the open air. Then parties of four and 

 five at a time were taken to see the museum ; Her- 

 bert showing and explaining everything, very 

 much to his own satisfaction, if not to the 

 children's comprehension, whilst peeps at all kinds 

 of wonders were taken in Malcolm's microscope. 

 Then came another mustering of the whole party 

 again upon the lawn, and a grand game of 

 " Threading the needle " — the Amyotts, Camp- 

 bells, and little Ernestine forming part of the long- 

 linked "thread." Then a rest, and another 

 school chorus — 



11 In labor and in play 

 We spend the happy day." 



At the close of this, a summons arrived for the 

 party to adjourn to the dining-room, where seats 

 were arranged for the whole party to see a magic- 

 lantern. This was the father's contribution to 

 the entertainment, and a most amusing and inte- 

 resting one it was. Upon the great white sheet 

 stretched over the wall at the end of the room, 

 droll figures and scenes — representations of the 

 Heavenly bodies — and beautiful dissolving views 

 flitted like visions, and peals of laughter and 

 shouts of delight were drawn from the spectators. 

 It was a treat to all ; and formed a charming 

 conclusion to the pleasures of tha evening — for 

 even the happiest one must come to a close. 



