138 
A LITTLE PHILOSOPHY. 
“ "What is the use of casting such a gloom 
over every thing?” 
“ I think it is best to look at things as 
they are,” replied Richard. “ If it is going 
to rain, there is no use in saying that it won’t, 
because it won’t make a bit of difference. 
The clouds won’t change for our plans.” 
“And it would not be very pleasant to 
get a mile or two from home and then be 
caught,” said Sidney. “And you know, 
Annie, the rain always suits somebody, if it 
does not suit us.” 
This was wonderfully philosophical for 
Sidney, who was rather apt to be impatient 
under any disappointment; and, to say the 
truth, this sudden improvement was very 
much owing to his being deeply interested 
in Sir Stamford Raffles. He had just got to 
the invasion of Java, having skipped some 
of the preliminar3 r steps; and he could 
hardly put it down long enough to eat his 
breakfast. Annie smiled rather mischiev¬ 
ously and glanced at the book, one corner 
of which peeped out from under the table- 
cloth. Sidney laughed too. 
“I don’t care,” he said, good-naturedly: 
“ it doesn’t make a great deal of difference 
