hink one thing at a time is enough. It
is as much as most folks can attend to. Lois, do give me the plates;
and give your invitation."

"Aunt Anne wants us all to come and take tea with her to-night," said
Lois; "and she sent her compliments to Mrs. Barclay, and a message that
she would be very glad to see her with the rest of us."

"I am much obliged, and shall be very happy to go."

"'Tain't a party," said Charity, who was receiving plates and knives
and forks from Lois's hand, and making them elaborately ready for
washing; while Madge went back and forth clearing the table of the
remains of the meal. "It's nothin' but to go and take our tea there
instead of here. We save the trouble of gettin' it ready, and have the
trouble of going; that's our side; and what aunt Anne has for her side
she knows best herself. I guess she's proud of her sweetmeats."

Mrs. Barclay smiled again. "It seems parties are much the same thing,
wherever they are given," she said.

"This ain't a party," repeated Charity. Madge had now brought a tub of
hot water, and the washing up of the breakfast dishes was undertaken by
Lois and Charity with a despatch and neatness and celerity which the
looker-on had never seen equalled.

"Parties do not seem to be Shampuashuh fashion," she remarked. "I have
not heard of any since I have been here."

"No," said Charity. "We have more sense."

"I am not sure that it shows sense," remarked Lois, carrying off a pile
of clean hot plates to the cupboard.

"What's the use of 'em?" said the elder sister.

"Cultivation of friendly feeling," suggested Mrs. Barclay.

"If folks ain't friendly already, the less they see of one another the
better they'll agree," said Charity.

"Miss Charity, I am afraid you do not love your fellow-creatures," said
Mrs. Barclay, much amused.

"As well as they love me, I guess," said Charity.

"Mrs. Armadale," said Mrs. Barclay, appealing to the old lady who sat
in her corner knitting as usual,--"do not these opinions require some
correction?"

"Charity speaks what she thinks," said Mrs. Armadale, scratching behind
her ear with the point of her needle, as she was very apt to do when
called upon.

"But that is not the right way to think, is it?"

"It's the natural way," said the old lady. "It is only the fruit of the
Spirit that is 'love, joy, peace.' 'Tain't natural to love what you
don't like."

"What you don't like! no," said Mrs. Barclay; "that is a pitch of love