erly look and tone that she felt it would
be very easy to love and obey him, since he knew how to mix praise and
blame so pleasantly together.

Another chapter was just finished, when the sound of a carriage warned
them that Aunt Jane was about to depart. Before they could go to meet
her, however, she appeared in the doorway looking like an unusually tall
mummy in her waterproof, with her glasses shining like cat's eyes from
the depths of the hood.

"Just as I thought! petting that child to death and letting her sit up
late reading trash. I do hope you feel the weight of the responsibility
you have taken upon yourself, Alec," she said, with a certain grim sort
of satisfaction at seeing things go wrong.

"I think I have a very realising sense of it, sister Jane," answered
Dr. Alec, with a comical shrug of the shoulders and a glance at Rose's
bright face.

"It is sad to see a great girl wasting these precious hours so. Now, my
boys have studied all day, and Mac is still at his books, I've no doubt,
while you have not had a lesson since you came, I suspect."

"I've had five to-day, ma'am," was Rose's very unexpected answer.

"I'm glad to hear it; and what were they, pray?" Rose looked very demure
as she replied,

"Navigation, geography, grammar, arithmetic, and keeping my temper."

"Queer lessons, I fancy; and what have you learned from this remarkable
mixture, I should like to know?"

A naughty sparkle came into Rose's eyes as she answered, with a droll
look at her uncle,

"I can't tell you all, ma'am, but I have collected some useful
information about China, which you may like, especially the teas. The
best are Lapsing Souchong, Assam Pekoe, rare Ankoe, Flowery Pekoe,
Howqua's mixture, Scented Caper, Padral tea, black Congou, and green
Twankey. Shanghai is on the Woosung River. Hong Kong means 'Island of
Sweet waters.' Singapore is 'Lion's Town.' 'Chops' are the boats they
live in; and they drink tea out of little saucers. Principal productions
are porcelain, tea, cinnamon, shawls, tin, tamarinds and opium. They
have beautiful temples and queer gods; and in Canton is the Dwelling of
the Holy Pigs, fourteen of them, very big, and all blind."

The effect of this remarkable burst was immense, especially the fact
last mentioned. It entirely took the wind out of Aunt Jane's sails; it
was so sudden, so varied and unexpected, that she had not a word to say.
The glasses remained fixed full upon Rose for a moment, an