tience, and she smoothed the thorny road to virtue with the
innocent and kindly little arts that make some people as useful and
beloved as good fairy godmothers were once upon a time.

As they sat at tea that evening papa and mamma were most affable and
lively; but the children's spirits were depressed by a long day of
restraint, and they sat like well-bred mutes, languidly eating their
supper.

'It's the warm weather. They need something bracing. I'll give them a
dose of iron mixture to-morrow,' said mamma.

'I've taken enough now to make a cooking-stove,' groaned Kitty, who
hated being dosed.

'If you'd let me go swimming every night I'd be all right,' added Harry.

'Not another word on that point. I will _not_ let you do it, for you
will get drowned as sure as you try,' said mamma, who was so timid she
had panics the minute her boy was out of sight.

'Aunt Betsey let her boys go, and they never came to grief,' began
Harry.

'Aunt Betsey's ideas and mine differ. Children are not brought up now as
they were in her day,' answered mamma with a superior air.

'I just wish they were. Jolly good times _her_ boys had.'

'Yes, and girls too, playing anything they liked, and not rigged up and
plagued with company,' cried Kitty, with sudden interest.

'What do you mean by that?' asked papa good-naturedly; for somehow his
youth returned to him for a minute, and seemed very pleasant.

The children could not explain very well, but Harry said slowly,--

'If you were to be in our places for a day you'd see what we mean.'

'Wouldn't it be worth your while to try the experiment?' said Aunt
Betsey, with a smile.

Papa and mamma laughed at the idea, but looked sober when aunty added,--

'Why not put yourselves in their places for a day and see how you like
it? I think you would understand the case better than any one could
describe it, and perhaps do both yourselves and the children a lasting
service.'

'Upon my word, that's a droll idea! What do you say to it, mamma?' and
papa looked much amused.

'I am willing to try it if you are, just for the fun of the thing, but I
don't think it will do any good;' and mamma shook her head as if Aunt
Betsey's plan was a wild one.

The children sat quiet, speechless with surprise at this singular
proposal, but as its full richness dawned upon them, they skipped in
their chairs and clapped their hands delightedly.

'How do you propose to carry out this new educational frolic?'