he said was--

'Good-night, dear; don't be troubled: it will be all right to-morrow.'

'I hope so,' and with a hearty kiss, Kitty went thoughtfully downstairs
to meet several little friends whom she had asked to spend the evening
with her.

As the ladies left the room, papa leaned back and prepared to smoke a
cigar, feeling that he needed the comfort of it after this trying day.
But Harry was down upon him at once.

'A very bad habit--can't allow it. Throw that dirty thing away, and go
and get your Latin lesson for to-morrow. The study is quiet, and we want
this room.'

'But I am tired. I can't study at night. Let me off till to-morrow,
please, sir!' begged papa, who had not looked at Latin since he left
school.

'Not a word, sir! I shall listen to no excuses, and shall _not_ let you
neglect your education on any account,' and Harry slapped the table _a
la_ papa in the most impressive manner.

Mr. Fairbairn went away into the dull study and made believe do his
lesson, but he really smoked and meditated.

The young folks had a grand revel, and kept it up till ten o'clock,
while mamma lay awake, longing to go down and see what they were about,
and papa shortly fell asleep, quite exhausted by the society of a Latin
Grammar.

'Idle boy, is this the way you study?' said Harry, audaciously tweaking
him by the ear.

'No, it's the way you do;' and feeling that his day of bondage was over,
papa cast off his allegiance, tucked a child under each arm, and marched
upstairs with them, kicking and screaming. Setting them down at the
nursery door, he said, shaking his finger at them in an awful manner,--

'Wait a bit, you rascals, and see what you will get to-morrow.'

With this dark threat he vanished into his own room, and a minute after
a great burst of laughter set their fears at rest.

'It was a fair bargain, so I'm not afraid,' said Harry stoutly.

'He kissed us good-night though he did glower at us, so I guess it was
only fun,' added Kitty.

'Hasn't it been a funny day?' asked Harry.

'Don't think I quite like it, everything is so turned round,' said
Kitty.

'Guess _they_ didn't like it very well. Hear 'em talking in there;' and
Harry held up his finger, for a steady murmur of conversation had
followed the laughter in papa and mamma's room.

'I wonder if our joke will do any good?' said Kitty thoughtfully.

'Wait and see,' answered Aunt Betsey, popping her night-capped head out
of her room with a nod an