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"But for all that Ridgeley is a lonely, desolate place toto her niece and crony, Mrs

William Sutton "A house without children is worse than a last

year's bird's nest It is a riddle to me how Clara Aylett contrives

to occupy her time"

"She should have sos upon her

hands," replied Mrs Williah the toe of one she had just picked up froreat

basket set between the two upon the porch-floor

"The Lord isn't very apt to make mothers out of that sort of

material," said the elder lady "Nor fathers out of Winston Ayletts

They are so wrapped up in their self-consequence as to have no

thought for others"

"Yet they say Mr Aylett regrets that he has no heir It is a great

pity Mabel lost her only child as she did The faeneration It is such a noble estate, too!"

"Large fa the Ayletts," responded

Aunt Rachel "But I did hope my dear Mabel would be an exception to

the rest in this respect She would adopt a little girl, but her

husband will not consent Those Dorrances are a cold-hearted race

He, too, is heaping up riches, without knoho shall gather

the heel of Tommy Sutton's sock

with precision and celerity, and she ruminated silently upon the

vicissitudes and failures of mortal life until she was interrupted