tably seated, each with a
beautifully written play bill, with the names of the actors upon it, the
entertainment began.

MASTER EDWARD'S TRIAL;

OR, DO AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY.

A LITTLE PLAY.

CHARACTERS.

MRS. LANGDON. By Anna.

EDWARD, her son, thirteen years of age. By Harry.

MARY BROWN, his nurse. By Clara.

MORRIS, Mary's son, of the same age as Edward. By
Master Augustus Averill, a friend of Harry's.

MR. SHERWOOD, Edward's tutor. By Johnnie.

JANE, his mother's maid. By Minnie.

PATRICK, the waiter. By Willie.

ANDREW, the gardener. By Bennie.

SCENE--_A fine House in the Country. A Parlor opening into the Garden._

SCENE I.--MRS. LANGDON _and_ MR. SHERWOOD.

MR. SHERWOOD. No, madam; I have come to bid you adieu. It is impossible.
I cannot, I will not stay here another day.

[Illustration]

MRS. LANGDON. But, Mr. Sherwood, listen a moment!

MR. S. No! I have made up my mind! I am tired of losing my time and
pains with Edward!

MRS. L. Please have a little patience. Try him once more.

MR. S. He has already abused my patience beyond all bounds. He is
wilful, ungrateful, idle, and stupid; and all the blame will fall on
me, whom you have employed to educate him.

MRS. L. Can you believe that I would blame you, who have been so kind to
my son? Remember, that when my husband died, you promised me to devote
yourself to my fatherless boy. Will you leave your work undone? He has
talents, a good heart--

MR. S. No, madam; you deceive yourself. His heart is bad; his character
unamiable; he is proud, vain, selfish, wicked.

MRS. L. What! wicked!

MR. S. Yes, madam. Does he not treat your servants as if they were
slaves? Does not everybody hate him?

MRS. L. Oh, how severe you are! My dear son is young: he has pride, to
be sure; and that very pride once caused you to say that you would make
a great and good man of him.

MR. S. Yes, I said so; and perhaps I might have succeeded without you--

MRS. L. Without me! Why, what can you mean?

MR. S. Do you wish me to be frank with you?

MRS. L. Certainly. I shall feel obliged to you.

MR. S. Well; it is you who spoil the effect of all my lessons. It is you
who spoil Edward. Excuse me, but I must say it.

MRS. L. I, Mr. Sherwood! I confess I love him above all other earthly
possessions; but that is surely excusable. He is the image of a h