nce of your cousins, Harriet,' said Mrs.
Mortimer, 'the disadvantage of never having any restraint put on
little girl's educations. I myself have seen that they occasionally
are boisterous and overbearing in their manners; but the fault is not
their own. And, if you remember, one day when they were with us,
without their own father and mother, they were as orderly and
well-behaved as possible.--But will you never have finished your
luncheon, Frederick?'

'I was so hungry, mamma,' replied the little boy; 'but I have done
now: and now shall we go out again?'

'Did you call on nurse this morning?' said Mrs. Mortimer.

'No, mamma, I quite forgot her,' replied Frederick; 'but we will go
now shall we, John, while mamma finishes sorting the things?'

'You must never forget her, my dear boy,' replied the tender mother;
'for without her care of you, when your own mother was too weak to
attend to you, you would not have been the stout active boy you now
are.'

'I hope you have a nice gown and petticoat for nurse, mamma?' said
Frederick.

'She has not been forgotten,' replied Mrs. Mortimer; 'and you shall
have the pleasure of carrying the bundle prepared for her yourself.
There it is:--the cotton gown, and stuff petticoat, the shoes,
stockings, and apron, lying together at the corner of the table.'

Frederick, with a little of his mother's assistance, soon made these
separate articles into a bundle; and the two boys set off for Nurse
Winscomb's cottage.

The stroll round the garden did not take place on that day; for the
boys met their father returning from the cottage of the nurse, and he
took them with him to call on a gentleman residing about two miles
distant, and whose family were to be invited, with a few others, to
meet together in the Christmas week. The young people were to be
indulged with a little dance; and although neither John nor Frederick
knew much about dancing, they were pleased at the idea of joining with
those who did, and already began to talk over the little young ladies
of the neighbourhood, and to settle with whom they would, and with
whom they would not dance.

They came home quite tired, and only in time to have their dress
changed before dinner. Harriet and Elizabeth thought they had been
absent a long while, and on their return into the drawing-room, were
ready with their smiling countenances to receive these dear boys.

The next morning after breakfast, Mr. Mortimer employed a few hours in