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"Oh but you do, though," said the goodnatured lad. "This is not the way to fold a shirt or lay a jacket,-come now, like a good fellow, let me fold them; it will be a pleasure.”

"I do not want to give you, or anybody pleasure, I am sure," grumbled Hector, keeping his face to the wall, for he was too proud to let his tears be seen. Rhody paused in his active exertions to arrange Hector's trunk, and looked vexed; but he saw how his chest was heaving with suppressed emotion, and resumed his occupation, talking gaily all the time.

"There's a smart waistcoat! I remember, Hector, the last time you wore that waistcoat; you took pains in scripture answers, and routed us all out of our places: and here are embroidered braces! my! but they are gay! and such a heap of silk handkerchiefs! and white ones, too! and silk socks! and shiny shoes! and,-well! I never saw so many white kid gloves together in my life! now I think that is all.-Why there is the post-chaise at the door, and the old servant who came to see you; he is come for you now. Good bye; there's a good fellow! What! you wont say good bye? Well, I'll say it. Good bye, Hector; good bye my boy-trotting off! What a lucky fellow you are! Now the trunk is locked; there's the key."

"Give it to my servant," growled Hector, in his usual haughty tone, with his face still turned to the wall. "Give it to your servant!" muttered Rhody, and he clenched his hand at this ungrateful return for his goodnature; “I've a great mind," he thought, "to give it to himself; the impertinent cub!" Almost before the idea was formed, it was checked; Hector, fairly conquered at last by such patient kindness, threw his arms round Rhody's neck, and burst into a flood of tears;

I

neither boys spoke, but Hector felt he had a friend, and Rhody that he had done right; and that evening, in a sort of school conclave, that was discussing the merits, or rather demerits, of the proud and selfish subject of my story, Rhody stood forth his champion.

"It's all very well for us," he said, "who have been properly brought up,-watched by papas, who not being of very great consequence in the state, were able to stay at home and attend to us; watched by mammas with tender care, and yet, if the truth must be told, with sufficient strength of mind and body to keep us in healthful subjection; our tempers alternately teased and pleased by juvenile brothers and sisters, whom we are forced to give way to, by the double motive of love and interest; first, you know, we love them; and, if we did not, we should have no peace unless we yielded. It's all very well for us to be the dear, delightful, amiable fellows we But think how poor Hector has been brought up; you have heard Lycet's stories of his home, dozens of times, and my only astonishment is that he is as good as he is, and I'd lay ten to-but I forgot, the Doctor will not suffer us to bet-only—I 'll—I 'll eat my hand! if Hector Howard is not as fine a fellow as"As yourself," shouted some of the lads.

are.

"No! no!" said orator Rhody, "but as yourselves."

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When Hector got home, his papa met him with a cheerful countenance; wished him joy, and took him immediately to his mother's room, His mamma kissed him as tenderly as ever, and then he was told to kiss his "lovely little brother and sister."

"I declare," said the nurse (not his nurse, however),

"Miss Caroline has her brother's nose, and Master Leopold

his eyes.

Hector thought them hideous both, and turned away his head. "I cant kiss babies," he said.

"Well, my dear," observed his father, "you'll get used to them in time; they quite enliven the house.

"Where is Nurse?" inquired Hector.

"Gone back to her native county, my dear," answered Mr. Howard; "I could not suffer her to spoil all my children, you know; but do not cry, Hector, she is provided for and happy, for, much as she spoilt you, I am sure she only meant to do what was right."

Hector went to the stable to see his pony; but, to his great disappointment, though the pony was there, looking sleek, and fat, and happy, there was no one to saddle him: one groom had been sent to fetch the doctor, because little Miss Caroline had sneezed very much, and they feared she had taken cold, and the other was helping to put the horses to the carriage, that the boy-baby (who had not sneezed), might have an airing round the Park; the helpers were out of the way. Hector stormed, as he used to do, but there was no one to mind him, and his dignity felt sorely insulted by the tittering of two of the maids, whom he overheard declare, that "Master Howard was as good as a play-actor." The sun was shining, and the birds were singing, and the green sward looked so firm and so fresh, that when his temper cooled a little, he thought it barely possible that he could saddle the pony himself; at first he hoped nobody would see him, and he accomplished his task admirably; in a few minutes he was up and away, forgetful of all his annoyances, and, for the first time in his life,

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