to
days long gone by, and her anticipations of pleasure for the evening
were raised to the highest pitch. But just when all were assembled in
the darkened parlor, the lights all being arranged behind the curtain so
as to fall upon the pictures, Master Lewie, who was up beyond his usual
bed time, and who was hardly old enough to take much interest in what
was going on, declared that he was sleepy, and would go to bed. Neither
Mammy nor Anne were with them at Brook Farm; and as Mrs. Elwyn seemed as
much interested as any one in seeing the tableaux, Agnes knew what the
result would be, if Lewie insisted upon going to bed; so she endeavored
to amuse him and keep him awake till she had seen at least one tableau.

"Oh, Lewie, wait _one_ moment!" said she; "Lewie will see a beautiful
picture."

"Lewie don't want to see pictures; Lewie wants to go to bed. Sister,
come! sing to Lewie."

"In one moment, then, little brother. Let Agnes see one picture. Won't
you let sister see _one_ picture?"

"No; Lewie must go to bed. Mamma, tell sister to come with Lewie."

The result was, of course, in accordance with Master Lewie's wishes, and
Agnes was directed to take him up to bed. "He will very soon be asleep,"
her mother added, "and then you can come down."

This Master Lewie heard, and it put quite a new idea into his head, it
never having occurred to him before that the person who sang him to
sleep left him alone, after her task was accomplished. That was a thing
he was not going to submit to, and he was so determined to watch Agnes,
lest she should slip away from him, that all sleep seemed to have
deserted his eyes, which were wider open, and more bright and wide
awake, than ever.

Agnes laid down beside him, and, patting him gently on the cheek, she
sang in a sleepy sort of way, hoping the tone of her voice would have a
somniferous effect.

"Sing louder!" shouted Master Lewie.

Agnes obeyed, and sang many nursery songs suggested by Master Lewie,
hoping, at the end of each one, that there would be some signs of
drowsiness manifested on the part of the little tyrant; but the moment
it was finished, brightly and quickly he would speak up:

"Sing that over again!--sing another!--sing 'Old Woman!'--sing 'Jack
Horner,'" &c., &c.

And Agnes' heart died within her as question upon question would follow
each other in quick succession, suggested by the lively imagination of
Master Lewie, as to the name and parentage of "the littl