some of your play-fellows--well, Miss Bessie?"

"Grandpapa, grandpapa! what shall we do? you must find some pleasure
for us," cried Bessie, clinging round her grandfather's knees, and
looking up very beseechingly in the kind face so far above her.

"Ah, well--we'll see, we'll see--now let me go to breakfast; when that
important business is dispatched, and grandmamma makes her appearance,
we will find something to do."

Fortified with this promise, an excellent breakfast was eaten by the
martyrs to disappointment, and then, after some consultation, it was
decided that the band should be in attendance in the hall, and a
messenger should be sent forthwith to command the attendance of the
school-children at a banquet in the same place, and Lady Vernon was
of opinion that with charades, a magic lantern, bagatelle, tivoli,
and dolls, a very merry morning might be spent. The young people then
dispersed in search of their own peculiar amusements. Some of the young
men went into the billiard-room, and a few chess parties were formed.
Some began to act charades for the edification of such among the elders
as would choose to make an audience. A still larger party adjourned to
the school-room to play at houses with their dolls, and two tables were
soon spread with ground plans of three magnificent establishments for
paper ladies and gentlemen, by three young ladies between the ages of
twelve and eight, assisted by Mr. Frank Digby.

At one o'clock they went to the hall, where the band was playing a merry
air. Here a long table was spread, well covered with a nice plain dinner,
and the school-children came two-and-two into the hall, just after the
visitors had arrived.

When all were seated, the girls at the upper, and the boys at the
lower end, Mr. Mortimer came forward and said grace for them, and
then the viands disappeared with great rapidity. Some of the castle
children, headed by Louis, asked to be allowed to wait on them, and,
the permission being given, they made themselves very busy, though
it must be confessed that they were sometimes sadly in the servants'
way. Sir George Vernon went round the table very majestically, and
now and then spoke a word or two to one of the children--words which
were treasured up in their memories for many a long day, though they
meant little or nothing; but it is so easy to create a pleasant and
grateful feeling.

Many of the spectators, including nearly all the gentlemen, had left
the h