after, some ladies called to pay their mother a morning visit.
This gave Fanny's tongue such a long rest that the moment they were
gone it seemed irresistibly to resume its wonted functions.

_Fanny_. What a while old Mrs. W. has had that brown satin pelisse!
Really, poor old lady, I am quite tired of seeing her in it!

_Mother_. How is your tongue, Fanny?

_Fanny_. Oh, better, mamma, thank you--almost well.

_Mother_. I am sorry for it: I was in hopes it would have been sore
enough at least to prevent your making impertinent remarks upon
anybody all this day.

_Fanny_. No, but really, mamma, is it not an old rubbishing thing?

_Mother_. I don't know, indeed. It is no business of mine; therefore I
took no notice of it.

A silence ensued after this; but conversation revived when Caroline,
who had stood for some time with her eyes fixed on their opposite
neighbor's window, suddenly exclaimed, "I do believe the Joneses are
going to have company again to-day! The servant has just been lighting
the fire in the drawing-room; and there is Miss Jones now gone up to
dress. I saw her draw down the blinds in her room this instant." "So
she is," said Lucy, looking up: "I never knew such people in my life!
they are always having company."

"I wonder whom they are expecting to-day," said Eliza;
"dinner-company, I suppose."

The proceedings of their neighbors, the Joneses, continued to furnish
matter for various sagacious conjectures and remarks for a
considerable time. At length Caroline exclaimed with the eagerness of
discovery, "Look! look! there's the baker now at the door, with a
whole tray full of tarts and things. Make haste, or he'll be gone in."

_Lucy_. So he is, I declare; it is a dinner-party then. Well, we shall
see presently, I hope, who are coming.

_Caroline_. Oh, no, they never dine till five when they have company.

_Eliza_. And it will be dark then; how tiresome!

_Lucy_. If Miss Jones is not dressed already! She is this instant come
into the drawing-room.

_Caroline_. Stand back, stand back! Don't let her see us all staring.
Ah, there she is,--got on her pink sarcenet body and sleeves to-day.
How pretty that dress is, to be sure!

_Eliza_. And how nicely she has done her hair! Look, Caroline--braided
behind.

_Lucy_. There, she is putting down the sash. That chimney smokes, I
know, with this wind.

_Fanny_. And there is that little figure, Martha Jones, come down now.
Do look--as broad as she