as the cause of this change. And when the
hostess bowed them out, next day, without a smile, they drove away,
conscious only of deep gratitude that they were saved from leaving their
bones to moulder among the cabbages of Moulins.

'Now we return to civilisation, good clothes, and Christian food,' said
Lavinia, as they surveyed their fine rooms at the Grand Hotel, Lyons.

'Likewise letters and luggage,' added Amanda, as the maid brought in a
bundle of letters, and two porters came bumping up with the trunks.

'Well, I've enjoyed the trip immensely, though nothing very remarkable
has happened,' said Mat, diving into her private ark with satisfaction.

'I should like to wander in the wilderness for years, if I could hear
from my family at intervals,' said Lavinia, briskly breaking open the
plump, travel-worn letters.

'Then you consider our trip a success?' asked Amanda, pausing in the act
of removing the dust from her noble countenance.

'A perfect success! We have done what we planned, had no mishaps, seen
and enjoyed much, quarrelled not at all, laughed a great deal, and been
altogether festive, thanks to you. I shall hang my shawl-strap on the
castle wall as a trophy of the prowess of my Amanda, and the success of
the last Declaration of American Independence,' replied Lavinia.

'I, also,' said Mat, opening her bundle for the one hundreth and last
time.

'You do me proud; I humbly thank you,' and with a superb curtsy the
commander-in-chief modestly retired behind the towel.

IV.

_SWITZERLAND._

'My children, listen to the words of wisdom ere it is too late,' began
Lavinia, as the three sat about in dressing-gowns after a busy day in
Geneva.

'We listen, go on, Granny,' replied the irreverent girls.

'If we stay here a week longer, we are ruined. Firstly, this Metropole
is an expensive hotel; also noisy and full of fashionable people, whom I
hate. Secondly, the allurements of the jewellers' shops are too much for
us, and we had better flee before we spend all our money. Thirdly, if
war does break out along the Rhine, as rumour now predicts, Geneva will
be crammed with people whose plans, like ours, are upset; therefore we
had better skip across the lake, and secure a comfortable place for
ourselves at Vevey or Montreaux, for we shall probably have to winter
there.'

'Hear, hear! we will do it, and if Italy doesn't get over her revolution
in time for us to go to Rome, we must content ourselves