and guidance."

Miss Meeke's little lesson was interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Force,
who gave a cheery good-morning to the young trio, and then said:

"Well, my dears, after all you have the prospect of a very pleasant
afternoon and evening. The sun, you see, has come out brightly. The snow
is frozen as hard as a rock. The moon is full to-night. The sleighing will
be capital both in going and coming, and you will have the moonlight in
coming home."

"There will be eight of us to go, papa," said Wynnette, beginning to count
on her fingers. "There will be you and mamma, two; Le and Odalite, four;
Elva and I, six; and Miss Meeke and Mrs. Anglesea, eight. Can we all go in
one sleigh? It will be so much jollier if we can."

"With a little sociable crowding, which no one will object to on a cold
winter night, we can all go in one sleigh--the largest one, of course, and
with four draught horses, equally of course."

While he spoke Mrs. Anglesea came in, eating a large pippin. She bade a
general good-morning with her mouth full, took the chair which Mr. Force
politely placed for her before the fire, hoisted her stoutly booted feet
on the fender, drew up the edge of her skirt to toast her shins as usual,
and went on eating her apple, remarking that it had cleared off very cold,
and that she always ate an apple before breakfast, when she could get one,
to help her digestion.

Now no one could look at the lady from the gold mines and imagine that
there was, ever had been, or ever could be, anything the matter with her
digestion; but Mr. Force replied that it was no doubt a very healthy
habit.

"You bet!" exclaimed the lady from Wild Cats', "Why, old man, if you was
to eat an apple every day before breakfast, or better still, two or three
of them, it would clarify your liver and take some o' that yellowness
out'n your skin, and give you an appetite, and put some flesh on them bare
bones of your'n. You bet!"

Mr. Force bowed gravely, thanked her, and said he would think of it.

Other members of the family dropped in, as it was now near the breakfast
hour. And the conversation ran on the clear, crisp day, the fine sleighing
opportunities, and the coming dance of the evening. All was pleasant
anticipation. The day was spent in preparations.

It was still an hour to sundown when the whole family, including, of
course, the guest, after an early tea, and being well wrapped up in hooded
cloaks and heavy shawls, entered a ca