"I don't think you will be able to accomplish that, for depend upon it Mrs Lennox will think she has the best right to the attendance of her husband. But I'll tell you how I think we may manage it; I will go with Sir Thomas and Lady Lennox, and you can go with Charles and his wife."

"Go with Charles and his wife! I would sooner be shot. I hate her, and Charles is never agreeable when in her company; and then they quarrel so constantly and contradict each other so abominably, that really it is vastly disagreeable to a third person, and also vastly impertinent. Married people should reserve their battles for their private hours. I am determined I shan't go with them."

"With papa and mamma! that's just as bad as going with Mrs Lennox. In fact, I hardly know which is worst. No, no, I don't think I can consent to that. Besides,

should they happen to differ upon any point, which you may almost swear will be the case, I have not the knack of warding off disagreeable subjects; they must have you to keep the peace."

"There are but two ways of it, Ellinor, so choose which you like best—I will go with either party."

"I fancy you think with me, that they are both so bad, it matters little to which you give the preference."

"Ellinor, how can you speak so?"

"How can I speak so? you should rather ask, why they make me speak so. But do you know if it is settled whether or not Clara is to be of the party? Charles made strong opposition to it in the morning; but I will take any bet, that upon this occasion, as on all others, the lady will carry the point."

"I really do not know, but I think there would be no great harm in taking her; there is nothing I enjoy so much as going with children for the first time to the theatre. I

do like to hear their remarks, and to see

them happy."

"You have strange ideas of enjoyment, but there's no accounting for taste; for my part, I would confine the whole infant tribe to the nursery, until they had reached the age of ten or eleven at least; and even then I would only allow them to appear for an hour or two during the day-back they should go to their nursery to have good breeding and quietness whipped into them."

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"I am thankful," said Catherine, laughing, "that I am not your child. But hush, I think I heard the carriages coming round." Impossible, it cannot be so late. But I won't be long, now that my hair is dressed; but remember, Catherine, you and I are to sit in the back part of the box; we shall, by way of doing her all sort of honour, put Mrs Lennox with the ancients in front."

"You are a sad girl, Ellinor; but it is needless to argue with you, you are quite incorrigible."

The important business of the toilette

being at length concluded, they descended, and had been but a few minutes in the drawing-room, when the carriages were announced, and soon after Mrs Lennox entered, accompanied by Clara, who was dressed for the theatre. Charles no sooner saw by Clara's dress that she was to accompany them, than he exclaimed, "Surely, Mrs Lennox, you don't mean to take that child to the theatre? 'tis most preposterous, and I expressly told you so to-day."

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People will differ," said Mrs Lennox, in a careless tone. "Miss Dundas, may I trouble you for a cup of tea?"

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Mamma, you won't leave me at home," said Clara, clinging to her gown, “I will be very good if you will let me go with you.'

“Yes, yes, you may go, child, but don't be troublesome; and go to Jenkinson, and desire her to give you one of my double silk handkerchiefs to wrap round your throat -you don't feel it sore now, love?"

No, no, mamma, it is quite well," said Clara, as she flew out of the room.

“And has Clara," said Charles, angrily, "got a sore throat, and yet you, her mother, persist in exposing her to the night air?Anne, how can you be so foolish ?"

"You heard her say," said Mrs Lennox, "that her throat was quite well, and I beg, Mr Lennox, you will allow me to manage my own child as I think best."

Charles, seeing that all opposition was vain, wisely allowed the subject to drop; but he was so highly incensed, he determined not to go in the same carriage, and having handed Lady Lennox to the barouche, in he jumped after her, leaving the rest of the party to go in any way they liked.

"Charles," said Lady Lennox, amazed at this unusual want of politeness, 66 are you not going in your own carriage with Mrs Lennox? Or is she coming with us?"

"I don't care how the devil she goes," said he, carelessly, "but I am going with you."

At this moment, Ellinor, who saw Charles