had almost reached brook Bother.

"Oh, take this back," gasped the panting Nelly; "it is fine and
tempting, I own, but Duty would not allow me to keep it."

"You don't mean to insult me by returning my gift?" exclaimed Pride, in
a tone of fierce disappointment.

"I must do what is right," said Nelly, though frightened by his
threatening scowl; "take back your cage of Ambition, I dare give it no
place in my home!"

"Then--there, let it go!" thundered Pride; and snatching up the poisoned
cage, he sent it whirling round and round through the air till it fell
splashing into brook Bother! "I only wish that I could send you after
it!" he exclaimed, and gnashing his teeth with disappointment and fury,
Pride rushed away from the spot.

Little Nelly returned up the hill at a much slower pace than that at
which she had descended it. Ere she had gone half-way a bright silver
wing gleamed through the air, and Content alighted on her shoulder.
Perched there, the sweet bird poured forth so loud and joyous a lay that
one might fancy that he knew the danger from which he had so narrowly
escaped, and was aware of the fact which so many, by bitter experience,
have learned, that Content must be poisoned and perish if placed in the
gilded cage of Ambition.

CHAPTER XXIV.

A VISIT TO MR. CHEMISTRY.

With her bird still warbling on her shoulder, Nelly bent her steps to
the cottage of her sister. Matty had cared little for her society of
late, but Duty and Affection had both taught Nelly to keep up all family
ties. She was going to tell Matty of her little adventure, but Nelly
found her too full of her own troubles to care about anything else.

"Such a provoking thing has happened!" exclaimed Matty, who was seated
on a very flimsy chair, which she had purchased from Mr. Fiction. It
gave such a loud crack as she leant back upon it, that Nelly expected to
see it come to pieces beneath the weight of her sister.

"O Matty, I wish that you would buy better furniture from General
Knowledge," cried Nelly; "I do believe that in a few weeks those
wretched chairs will be fit for nothing but firewood!"

"I did buy a pair of screens from General Knowledge," cried Matty; "I
brought them home several weeks ago, as you perhaps may remember."

"Yes, I recollect," replied Nelly; "they were handsome and valuable
screens. One was made of Botany _facts_, all carved over with leaves and
flowers; the other of Biography _facts_, covered with