dinary impulse. It is a changed place altogether. I
am sorry that the feast is at hand. It always does an immense deal of
mischief, and is a time of quarrel, drunkenness, and license. I wish
that something could be done to counteract its influence."

"So do I," Mr. Brook said. "Can you advise anything?"

"I cannot," the vicar said; "but I will put on my hat and walk with you
down to the schoolhouse. To Dodgson and his wife is due the real credit
of the change; they are indefatigable, and their influence is very
great. Let us put the question to them."

The schoolmaster had his evening class in; Mrs. Dodgson had ten girls
working and reading in her parlour, as she invited that number of the
neatest and most quiet of her pupils to tea on each evening that her
husband was engaged with his night-school. These evenings were greatly
enjoyed by the girls, and the hope of being included among the list of
invited had done much towards producing a change of manners.

It was a fine evening, and the schoolmaster and his wife joined Mr.
Brook out of doors, and apologizing for the room being full asked them
to sit down in the rose-covered arbour at the end of the garden. The
vicar explained the object of the visit.

"My wife and I have been talking the matter over, Mr. Brook," the
schoolmaster said, "and we deplore these feasts, which are the bane of
the place. They demoralize the village; all sorts of good resolutions
give way under temptation, and then those who have given way are ashamed
to rejoin their better companions. It cannot be put down, I suppose?"

"No," Mr. Brook said. "It is held in a field belonging to "The
Chequers," and even did I succeed in getting it closed--which of course
would be out of the question--they would find some other site for the
booths."

"Would you be prepared to go to some expense to neutralize the bad
effects of this feast, Mr. Brook?"

"Certainly; any expense in reason."

"What I was thinking, sir, is that if upon the afternoon of the feast
you could give a fete in your grounds, beginning with say a
cricket-match, followed by a tea, with conjuring or some such amusement
afterwards--for I do not think that they would care for dancing--winding
up with sandwiches and cakes, and would invite the girls of my wife's
sewing-classes with any other girls they may choose to bring with them,
and the lads of my evening class, with similar permission to bring
friends, we should keep all those who are