run away, but their mamma desired them to sit still they all obeyed her but one little girl, who left her seat and ran to the door. The wasp followed her a little way, and then returned to the table, alighted upon her plate, and cut off a piece of meat about the size of a sweet pea, with which it flew away."

<< I wish one would come and take a piece of my meat, some day, mamma; how I should like to see it.”

"I fear, my dear, if one was to come near your plate, you would be for running away, like the little girl I have been telling you about."

<< I think I should not, if you were sitting by me, mamma. I should like to see them take some wood or paint off the window, too. Did you ever see them getting it, mamma?"

O, do tell me all about it, mamma.'

"The first time I particularly noticed the wasps so employed, was a few summers ago. One morning, as I was sitting reading, I repeatedly heard a noise, which seemed to me like that of a mouse gnawing the wainscot. I

looked round the room several times without finding any thing; at last I traced the sound to the window; and was surprised to see a wasp on the outside, pealing the dried paint off the window-frame. When it had got a piece as large as it could carry, it flew away with it, and in a few minutes either the same wasp returned, or another came, and took another piece.

"I watched them some time, and saw several wasps very busy there; some carried away pieces of paint, and others little bits or fibres of wood, which they tore off with their teeth."

<< How curious it must have been, mamma. I should like to have seen them with you. I will watch for some coming upon this window."

"The lattice-work round the arbour, in the garden, is a more likely place to see them, Caroline; this window has been painted too lately."

"What difference does that make, mamma?"

"Until the paint has been blistered and cracked by the heat of the sun, they cannot so easily get hold of it with their teeth; nor can

they get at the wood underneath till the paint is rubbed off."

" Then I will watch in the arbour; perhaps I may see a wasp there. But have not you got any thing more to tell me about them, first, mamma ?"

"Not at present, my love. I think I have told you enough for one time. Run away and play with your sister; I hear she is awake now."

"Thank you, mamma, for what you have told me; pray give me one kiss before I gogood bye, mamma.”

"Good bye, my love."

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CONVERSATION VI.

It was now near the end of April. The seeds which Caroline had sown, were most of them come up, and she had the pleasure of cutting a sallad for her papa, out of her own little garden. The first bud, too, which had opened upon her rose-tree, she had gathered and given to her mamma; and she was anxiously watching the progress of the remaining buds, and anticipating the pleasure of seeing them bloom upon her tree.

One morning, when she was at play by herself in the garden, she heard her mamma's voice inquiring for her. Here am I, mamma," answered she; "do you want me?" And she

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ran eagerly to look for her. Yes, Caroline,"

answered her mamma: "I want to talk with you a little."

« O, I am glad of that, mamma; what shall we talk about?"

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Why, Caroline, first I want to tell you, that you are going to have a visitor for a few weeks.

I received a letter from an old friend of mine this morning, in which she tells me that she is coming through this place, on her way to London, and will leave her little girl with me till she returns."

"How old is this little girl, mamma, and what is her name?"

<< She is between seven and eight years old, and her name is Sarah."

"Is she a nice little girl, mamma?"

"I do not know, Caroline; I have not seen her since she was three years old."

"Was she a nice little girl then, mamma ?”

"I cannot say that she was, my love. When I knew her, she was a very selfish, petted little girl; and what is worse still, she was very deceitful, and told a great many stories. But as that was above four years ago, she may be very much improved now."