m glad you're going, you are always so cross with
us.'

CHAPTER XII.

NIGHT AND MORNING.

And now an entirely new mode of life was presented to Mabel; and Miss
Livesay found, as, indeed, she had expected to find, a fruitful source
of trouble in her newly adopted pupil. Of course, on the first day of
Mabel's arrival at Oak Villa there were no lessons talked about, and the
young ladies next door were not expected to resume their school duties,
until the Monday following Miss Livesay's return home; so there was a
little time afforded for breaking _out_, and breaking _in_. We shall see
how it was employed.

This afternoon had been a very pleasant one; the chickens had been
looked at and greatly admired; flowers, the great favourites both of
aunt and niece, Mabel did not care for, though she liked, as we have
seen, to deck herself in gay colours. In the house they had plenty of
amusement, with books and pretty specimens of work of various kinds from
the ready fingers and artistic taste of Aunt Mary and Clara; indeed,
what had been produced by their skill, industry, and steady
perseverance, was worthy of admiration. To Mabel's astonishment, nine
o'clock struck, and she had not yet finished her pleasant occupation of
examining, when her aunt said:

'Now, my dears, it is your bed-time.'

Clara instantly began to put away books and work, but Mabel exclaimed:

'Oh, aunt! must we go to bed so soon? I never go till ten, at home!'

'Perhaps you never rise at six in the morning?' replied Miss Livesay;
'we do. And I dare say you have heard the old proverb--

'"Early to bed, and early to rise,
Is the way to be healthy, wealthy, and wise."'

'I go to bed when I like, and I get up when I like, at home,' said
Mabel, without noticing the unwelcome quotation.

'_We_ have no _likes_ and _dislikes_ here, my dear Mabel,' said her
aunt. 'We do what we know to be our duty, and you will have to do the
same. Good-night!'

An affectionate kiss accompanied the _good-night_; Mabel saw that it was
a _decided_ one; there was no room for further parley, and the short
time spent by the proud and petulant girl at Oak Villa gave signs of an
authority, to which she must of necessity submit, as from it there could
be no appeal.

'Mabel dear, it is time to get up; don't you hear the bell ringing?'
said Clara, as she jumped out of bed and began to dress. The
sleepy-headed girl turned lazily round, but did not seem to be at all
dis