were had
out for a glorious drive over the frozen snow, but Isabel refused to
join the party, preferring to stay quietly at home. To practise anthem's
with Everard, Grace said. Isabel had no such idea, but for all that they
did sing some anthems with the children, as Everard, who had taken a
very active part in the arrangements for the Sunday School feast, was
not of course one of the sleighing party, and returned some time before
them. The children sang very nicely, doing great credit to Isabel's
teaching, for which she was highly complimented by Everard.

"They ought to be much obliged to you, as they bid fair to surpass both
Grace and Emily," he said.

"Pray don't let Miss Arlington hear you say so, or she will never
forgive me."

"Oh never fear, she would not believe it, but I will be careful, as she
is already dreadfully jealous of you."

"Of me, how can she be, why should she."

"She has cause enough," he replied warmly, "but she should be more
magnanimous."

"I don't think it possible, I cannot imagine she could be so silly."

"It is plain enough to me, that she is."

"I don't see it, I confess."

"'Where ignorance is bliss,' he replied, with one of his usual
penetrating glances. "Yours must be a very happily constituted mind to
be so unconscious of all things disagreeable."

"Not quite so unconscious as you imagine, but I advise you not to fish
into troubled waters."

"Still waters run deep, you mean," he replied.

"Unfathomable," she said, and followed the children to the dining-room,
for they had gone there to see if the decorations were completed.
A right merry party sat down to dinner, sixty in number, all relations
or old friends. Here is Tom's description of the wedding nest day, which
he sent his friend:

DEAR DICK,--We are having jolly times here--rare fun on
Christmas-eve, I assure you. But the best of all was my brother's
wedding; eight bridesmaids, all as beautiful as sunshine. (I was a
best-man, of course.) The bride looked magnificent--(between you
and I, Dick, he has made a very good choice)--the rain and
sunshine style. I can't say I understand that kind of thing, but
on such occasions it tells immensely. (I admire one of the
bridesmaids amazingly, but mum's the word, mind.) But to speak of
the wedding. Governor Arlington is a liberal old fellow. Champagne
like water, and everything to match.

Your's truly, T. M.

Elm Grove was sc