-no! they are _not_ Noah and his wife, Dot, and
if you go on talking I shall shut up. I say they are peasants
peacefully driving cattle. At this moment a rumbling sound startles
everyone in the city"--here Sam rolled some croquet balls up and down
in a box, but the dolls sat as quiet as before, and Dot alone was
startled,--"this was succeeded by a slight shock"--here he shook the
table, which upset some of the buildings belonging to the German
farm.--"Some houses fell."--Dot began to look anxious.--"This shock was
followed by several others"---"Take care," she begged--"of increasing
magnitude."--"Oh, Sam!" Dot shrieked, jumping up, "you're breaking the
china!"--"The largest buildings shook to their foundations."--"Sam!
Sam! the doll's house is falling," Dot cried, making wild efforts to
save it: but Sam held her back with one arm, while with the other he
began to pull at the boards which formed his table.--"Suddenly the
ground split and opened with a fearful yawn"--Dot's shrieks shamed the
impassive dolls, as Sam jerked out the boards by a dexterous movement,
and doll's house, brick buildings, the farm, the Swiss cottages, and
the whole toy-stock of the nursery sank together in ruins. Quite
unabashed by the evident damage, Sam continued--"and in a moment the
whole magnificent city of Lisbon was swallowed up. Dot! Dot! don't be a
muff! What is the matter? It's splendid fun. Things must be broken some
time, and I'm sure it was exactly like the real thing. Dot! why don't
you speak? Dot! my dear Dot! You don't care, do you? I didn't think
you'd mind it so. It was such a splendid earthquake. Oh! try not to go
on like that!"

But Dot's feelings were far beyond her own control, much more that of
Master Sam, at this moment. She was gasping and choking, and when at
last she found breath it was only to throw herself on her face upon the
floor with bitter and uncontrollable sobbing. It was certainly a mild
punishment that condemned Master Sam to the back nursery for the rest
of the day. It had, however, this additional severity, that during the
afternoon Aunt Penelope was expected to arrive.

AUNT PENELOPE.

Aunt Penelope was one of those dear, good souls who, single themselves,
have, as real or adopted relatives, the interests of a dozen families,
instead of one, at heart. There are few people whose youth has not
owned the influence of at least one such friend. It may be a good
habit, the first interest in some life-loved pu