e squire proposed to her that they should
drink the health of her papa and mamma, she was almost reduced to
tears, and yet she liked him for doing it. It was terrible to her to
have them mentioned, knowing as she did that every one who mentioned
them must be aware of their misery,--for the misfortune of her father
had become notorious in the country; but it was almost more terrible
to her that no allusion should be made to them; for then she would be
driven to think that her father was regarded as a man whom the world
could not afford to mention. "Papa and mamma," she just murmured,
raising her glass to her lips. "Grace, dear," said Lily from across
the table, "here's papa and mamma, and the young man at Marlborough
who is carrying everything before him." "Yes; we won't forget the
young man at Marlborough," said the squire. Grace felt this to be
good-natured, because her brother at Marlborough was the one bright
spot in her family,--and she was comforted.

"And we will drink the health of my friend, John Eames," said Lady
Julia.

"John Eames' health," said the squire, in a low voice.

"Johnny's health," said Mrs. Dale; but Mrs. Dale's voice was not very
brisk.

"John's health," said Dr. Crofts and Mrs. Crofts, in a breath.

"Here's the health of Johnny Eames," said Lily; and her voice was the
clearest and the boldest of them all. But she made up her mind that
if Lady Julia could not be induced to spare her for the future, she
and Lady Julia must quarrel. "No one can understand," she said to her
mother that evening, "how dreadful it is,--this being constantly told
before one's family and friends that one ought to marry a certain
young man."

"She didn't say that, my dear."

"I should much prefer that she should, for then I could get up on
my legs and answer her off the reel. Of course everybody there
understood what she meant,--including old John Bates, who stood at
the sideboard and coolly drank the toast himself."

"He always does that to all the family toasts on Christmas Day. Your
uncle likes it."

"That wasn't a family toast, and John Bates had no right to drink
it."

After dinner they all played cards,--a round game,--and the squire
put in the stakes. "Now, Grace," said Lily, "you are the visitor and
you must win, or else Uncle Christopher won't be happy. He always
likes a young lady visitor to win."

"But I never played a game of cards in my life."

"Go and sit next to him and he'll teach you. Unc