IT T was a chilly day, and I wondered that the house was so quiet, as my little brother and sisters were in-doors. I have heard it said, that as long as children at play are making a noise, you may let them alone, but if they become perfectly quiet, you may suspect that they are in mischief.

My mother, who was not well, was asleep on the sofa. I stole softly out of the room, and made a progress through the house look ing for them, but they were not in their usual haunts. Sophy, I found upon inquiry, was pasting the labels on to some new books for papa, but the little ones were not forthcoming, till I bethought me of their favourite window in my room, where I discovered them nestling together on the window-seat, with a shawl drawn over them both, and their round faces peeping out.

They were deep in conversation, and as I advanced, I heard Charlie say

"I am sure they did, Hatty, and what a good thing that would be!"

"Oh, you mean the Exhibition of Mediæval Art. Yes, I remember that."

"Well, we were thinking-but you know, Charlie, she will only laugh at us if we tell her"

"No, I promise I will not laugh-come, let me hear?"

"Why, we were thinking what a good thing it would have been if we had lived in the Middle Ages."

"Really!"

"Yes! you can't think what beautiful things they had then. You did not see the exhibition?"

"No, that was a pity; but we have better things now."

"Better! Oh, the beautiful silver chalices and flagons that they had to drink out of, and we have nothing but common cups and saucers. So Charlie and I were pretending that these are the Middle Ages, and we were thinking how the house would look, if we had plenty of middle-age furniture to fill it with."

"Very well, then we will say without any pretence that I am a modern young lady. I am come to see that the Middle Ages do not steal any of my property; and for everything ancient that you bring into the house, I shall take something modern out of it. You may choose first, Harriet."

"Then I should like some of those curious

I